The Easter shows mark two decades of the choir’s existence and we caught up with choir co-founder Jabu Hlongwane to see how it went.
|||Munya Vomo
Fresh off the Easter holidays, as expected, gospel giant, Joyous Celebration had an amazing three-day showcase at Joburg’s Carnival City. These shows marked two decades of the choir’s existence and we caught up with choir co-founder Jabu Hlongwane to see how the celebration went.
“We never say we have reached a level that is 100 percent. We are always pushing. The choristers finish rehearsals at 11pm every time before we launch a new project. When we launched during Easter, we were already preparing for the next recording. So the whole year is about touring and rehearsal,” he said.
“The shows that we did during Easter were part of a launch for a tour that we will do across the country. We did a recording last in December in Durban and so the show that we did at Carnival City during Easter launched those recordings to our supporters. (Now) we’ll go on a nationwide tour showcasing the new music. The CD and DVD has been available so that people can sing along when they come to the shows,” he added.
All the music that was performed last weekend was recorded live in Durban last December at the Moses Mabhida Stadium, comprising three CDs of new songs.
“Durban was really amazing because it was the first time we were performing in a stadium. Our attitude is that we always work like nobody knows us. We never reach a place where we think we are ‘better’. I remember during the Durban show, at 3am, people were still there. I don’t know of anyone who can be at a show, with one act, from 2pm throughout to 3am. I looked at it and realised that this can only be God. People came from all over, including places as far off as Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique,” recalled Hlongwane, with obvious marvel in his voice.
If you have gone to one of their shows, then you know they leave no stone unturned and Hlongwane believes this gives the choir members great stamina.
“Our shows can go on for five or six hours. We go the extra mile and we always want to get where regular folks don’t want to go. If you look at the budget, we don’t hold back because we believe in our craft. Our singers are used to long hours and that’s why they can work with anyone else in the world and they will not tire. All the people from Joyous Celebration who are on Lion King tell me that it’s much easier for them to work there because the hours are more flexible,” he said.
This year’s celebration has a lot of slick movements which Hlongwane said came from a professional source, top choreographer, Somizi Mhlongo.
“In celebrating 20 years, we also thought of strengthening our movements on stage. That’s where Somizi comes in. He has prepared us for the tour. People buy our DVDs to learn those moves,” he said.
Mhlongo is an ex-member of the choir and he is not the only one whose talents the choir uses to be better.
“When the singers come on board to sing, we look at other talents they may have. So for example, the catering for the group is done by a member of the choir. Others are passionate about management and we put them there. There is a lady who came to clean at the Joyous Celebration offices and we discovered she loved fashion and so she is our office manager. We also discovered that another member who dressed very well was a fashion designer. He and the lady I mentioned are the exclusive fashion designers of the company. It doesn’t make sense for us to outsource for services that we can find within,” said Hlongwane.
A lot of other members have also left to start their own businesses and Hlongwane said this is encouraged in the choir.
“Ntokozo Mbambo and Nqubeko Mbatha are an obvious case. Ntokozo came to Joyous when she was 16. Before then, she was standing on a chair or a table when she was still little. We knew her through her parents. We decided that she could join us when she was 16. Nqubeko comes from the same township that I used to stay in, Empangeni, Richard’s Bay. I heard of him and he played for my band until he also joined Joyous Celebration. The two met on the choir and they are now married with two kids. I like that they went and established a company called Koko to record their own music and they do what we are doing but on a smaller scale. There are so many other success stories, including Dominion, Swazi Dlamini and Khaya Mthethwa,” he said.
“In fact, Thabo Mdluli is another good example because he went on to have a career in radio. What few people know is that when he was in the choir, Thabo liked the spoken word and so at some time I wrote him a speech to open our Joyous Celebration show and he did it so well. He has a voice that suits that kind of thing and so he pursued that after leaving the choir. He has been on One Gospel as a host and also on I Want to Sing Gospel. Now he is on PowerFM doing quite well. We love that they come and go because we become part of their success,” he added.
Further dates to the Joyous Celebration 20 tour will be announced in due course. They will be performing next at Friend of God / AGS Church (Frans Conradie Drive, Goodwood) on April 26 and 27.