Michael Mahendere
By Tapfuma Machakaire 17/10/2022
In the early 1990’s Michael Mahendere would have been a perfect candidate for Little Big Shots, an American variety television series co-created and produced by Steve Harvey and Ellen DeGeneres. The series features talented young children demonstrating talents and engaging in conversation with the host.
The internationally acclaimed kids show was ill-timed for Michael as it only came in 2015, long after Michael had passed the age limit to be considered for the series. It emerged that from a very early age in life Michael had a clear vision.
“We are looking forward to change lives through music, connect people with their maker and make sure their souls are fed through quality music blended with diverse vocals.” says Michael.
Born on 28 May 1983, Michael was the fourth born in a family of seven children. He began his music career in 1990 at the age of 7, when he joined his brothers, Akim, Misheck, and Amos, in the gospel musical outfit, Mahendere Brothers.
The curious boy began by learning how to play the acoustic guitar which his father had bought for the group. By 1998 he had mastered the art of playing the keyboard and the drums.
At the age of 18, Michael had worked his way up and would team up with other musicians to produce commercials for radio and television such as the famous ‘Go Warriors, Go’, an inspirational piece for the Zimbabwe national soccer team, the Warriors.
Michael also collaborated with top musicians such as the Ruvhuvhuto Sisters, in the ‘Come to Victoria Falls’ project, a tourism promotion jingle.
Michael was selected to be part of the Pop group Pax Afro, a project masterminded by the then Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Jonathan Moyo. The project which brought together talented youthful musicians was coordinated by famous veteran musician and producer, Isaac Chirwa.
The project enabled Michael to team up with the likes of Yulith Ndlovu, Munyaradzi Hapatongwe, Selma Mtukudzi and her husband in later years, Tendai Manatsa, among others. The group produced hits that include Let it Play, Working under the mine, African Queen, Tango Pal and Uthando Lwami.
In 2009 Michael became a music director at the University of Zimbabwe and launched a Chinese Choral group which became attached to the Confucius Institute. The institute is a public educational and cultural promotion program funded and arranged by the Chinese International Education Foundation with the support of the Chinese government.
The UZ project saw Michael travelling to and from China for four years. Ironically, Michael declined a scholarship to study music in China preferring to serve in the church choir of the United Family International Church led by Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa where he is now a senior pastor.
In 2011, the church’s choir did a musical project in which Michael re-arranged the song Makanaka Jesu, which has over 1.8 million YouTube views.
Getting personal with God is a statement which exudes the character of a man determined to convey a vehement message. When he titled not one but four of his albums Getting personal with God, Michael appears to have embarked on a journey to accomplish his mission of connecting people with God through quality music.
His solo debut album was in 2012 where he recorded Getting Personal with God 1 with his band, Direct Worship. The album has hits that include, We Are Soldiers, Love Song and Holy Forever.In 2013 he recorded the second offering of Getting Personal with God with the hit song, Mumoyo.
This was followed by Getting Personal with God 2 Live DVD recording at the New Life Temple in Eastlea, Harare, Zimbabwe in November 2014.
The third album under the same name came In 2017 with the hit track Chiiko which has been dominant on gospel radio charts in Zimbabwe. The album was also followed by a video of the same album.
Almost all of Michael’s videos are choreographed in a manner that leaves any viewer asking for more. In 2021, Michael released his fourth offering of the Getting Personal with God Album Series, titled Mercy. Michael is married to Vimbai Nyatsambo who is the co-manager of the band Direct Worship. The two are famous for their powerful collaborations on songs such as Zvichanaka and Masimba.
The couple has three children. Michael has an impressive collection of awards which include Best Album of the year for Getting Personal with God & Best Male Artist.
What Michael has achieved at the age of 39 could be a signal that he is a legendary Gospel artist who is destined to excel in connecting people with God through music. Watching his videos, one is bound to believe that the flock at the United Family International Church are driven by the urge to enjoy Michael’s preaching which he appears to execute best through music.
