2016 Gospel truth: Just what went wrong this year?

If someone asks you which was the biggest gospel song in Kenya this year, you will probably mention Sauti Sol’s Kuliko Jana hit track.

That way, you would still be able to defend that Sauti Sol was the biggest ‘gospel group’ this year! Are they?

With over five remixes recorded on the song since it was released mid this year, one of the most popular versions of the song that features RedFourth Chorus has already surpassed the 1.5 million YouTube view mark, high above the posts seen in the year’s popular videos by local gospel artistes.

Nyashinski’s Mungu Pekee that is yet to get a video out has become the biggest new church song besides being a club hit and its audio alone is almost getting to a million views that justify its popularity.

 So is Nyashinski the biggest gospel star of 2016? Is he a gospel artiste?

The gospel truth is that gospel stars went to slumber this year with only a few remaining visible in a scene that about two years ago was ruled by gospel groups.

We even talked about the gospel take-over. Just what went wrong this year?

Besides Ringtone whose Tenda Wema song (featuring Christina Shusho) has remained on top of the charts and even become a national anthem with politicians and ministers of the gospel using the catchy song’s title as a phrase, most of the established gospel singers seemed to shoot blanks this year.

And not just blanks, most of them took different music routes leaving their fans stranded. Take for example the talented Willy Paul who has taken a different direction since he released Vigelegele last year.

Willy, in his rebranded Willy Poze image decided to target a more youthful crowd with Fanya becoming a high school favourite. However, to the wider audience, Willy Paul lost numbers and consequently concerts.

And when he came back with Size 8 with Tiga Wana, the song received bile from fans and critics with the two getting blamed for diluting their act.

“Gospel music is more about getting the ministry message to the masses, the other musical aspects are just additional.

Without judging anyone, I think many gospel artistes have lost direction as they try to commercialise themselves. That is where the problem is and that is one of the reasons why gospel music suffered a big blow this year,” says Ringtone.

“For starters, gospel singers must discover that theirs is a calling and not a question of competition on who is the greatest.

The divisions among gospel groups that are no longer a secret have also contributed much in this gospel slumber,” he notes.

Only few gospel artistes are releasing songs that can be said to be purely Christian songs. Only last week did a singer release a song titled Nyonyo, a ‘gospel’ track whose refrain says “Yesu nipe nyonyo” an embarrassing idea.

One artiste who can also be acknowledged for keeping the gospel flag is Papa Dennis who released a couple of good songs among them global collabos with KeredeBello (Wonder), Bless Me, the Pulse Music Video Awards (PMVAs) Judges Award winning track featuring Chidinma and Miujiza.