* ‘Pansi Pano’ album coming after another ‘Ndaima Nji’ released in February 2024 and her first ‘Monga Ndili’ in February 2023
* ‘Oonadi Mtima’ will be amongst 10 other tracks for the forthcoming album
By Duncan Mlanjira
Gospel songstress Lorna Chewere has been in the studios working on her third album, which includes a Christmas carol entitled ‘Oonadi Mtima’ — her own Chichewa composition of the great rendition of the Christmas carol; ‘O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant’.
The single has been released ahead of the Festive Season that calls for Christians to praise the birth of Christ, which was a gift from God for Jesus Christ to save people from further sin.
The third album; ‘Pansi Pano’ will have 11 tracks and is being currently perfected by True Tone Studio, managed by renowned performing artist Collen Ali.
Collen Ali is mixing the melodies and voice in liaison with Lorna’s husband Larry Chewere as co-producer and the tracks are: 1. ‘Bwenzi Ntakhala’; 2. ‘Inu Nonse Ovutidwa’; 3. ‘Lokoma Dziko’; 4. ‘Mu Mtanda’; 5. ‘Muli Mphamvu’; 6. ‘Ndipita Kwathu’; 7. ‘Ndiri Ndi Mudzi Wina’; 8. ‘Ndiyimba Mumtima Mokondwa’; 9. ‘Oonadi Mtima’; 10. ‘Pansi Pano’; and 11. ‘Poyambapo Ndakondwadi’.
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The album; ‘Pansi Pano’ comes after another ‘Ndaima Nji’ that Chewere released in February 2024 and her first ‘Monga Ndili’ in February 2023.
The gospel artist said ‘Ndaima Nji’ album was a success and she applauded all radio stations and gospel music enthusiasts for their support and encouragement, adding: “This is what motivates me to continue spreading the Word of God through music.”
Her second album, ‘Ndaima Nji’ (I stand firm) was packed with very soothing melody for the soul — also recorded and produced by Collen Ali’s True Tone Studio in Blantyre, in which Collen played the lead guitar while the backing vocals for the soothing ballads’ are by Bridget Makhula.
In their order of appearance the tracks are: ‘Ati Yesu Mbuyeyo’; ‘Idza Wolema’; ‘Konda Dzinalo la Yesu’; ‘Mundilandiletu’; ‘Ndaima Nji’ (album track title); ‘Ndilira Ine’; ‘Ndili Ndi Nyimbo’; ‘Pa Phiri Kalelo’; and ‘Zokoma Ndithu Nthawizi’.
The tracks are all from Hymn books but melodiously arranged in ballad style and sang in such a way that entices a listener to sing along having been familiar with the lyrics — as they are not just to be appreciated in sorrow and trepidation but in also in total happiness.
The tracks ‘Mundilandiletu’ and ‘Idza Olema’ are usually funeral dirges by Churches Women’s Guild but Lorna’s melody style is not that melancholy but a celebration of the gift of life as ‘Idza Olema’ says: “Amatisunga Yesu, Ambuye” (the Lord Jesus comforts us all).
‘Ndili ndi Nyimbo’ track goes:
“Ndili ndi nyimbo yoti Yesu ananditumuzira!
Nyimboyi ndi yoposa nyimbo zina poti ndi nyimbo ya chikondi!
Mtima mwanga muli nyimboyi, muli nyimboyi”.
The 10-track ‘Monga Ndili’ (Just as I am), has ‘Anasonkhana Pamodzi’; ‘Kodi Uli ndi Chisoni’; ‘Lero Lino Medley’; ‘Monga Ndili’; ‘Mzimu Woyera ndi Mtsogoleri’; ‘Pamtandapo Pamtanda’; ‘Paulendo Mdzikoli’; ‘Yesu Andiitana’; ‘Sindidziwatu Zamawa’ and ‘Yesu Bwenzi la Ochimwa’.
Inspirational Collen Ali
Collen Ali has played a huge part on Lorna’s music career, who inspired the artist to venture into serious solo gospel music after she encountered her singing at his True Tone Studio where her husband Larry was having guitar lessons.
When she released her first album, Lorna disclosed that it was her father, late Lewis Kapeni, who used to encourage her to attend choir rehearsal sessions when she was young and she went on to be chorister at Nthemba — a prayer house under Limbe CCAP and continued singing when she went to secondary school.
It was her husband who asked her to do some songs so he could be listening to them at his private leisure and having enjoyed them he offered to fund in having them recorded at one of the best studios in Blantyre — True Tone.
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“My husband was taking guitar lessons at Collen Ali’s studio in Mpemba and having had the chance to listen to some of the songs he was producing, he was impressed — thus offering that my album should be recorded at True Tone,” she had said.
Larry always maintains that he had continuously admired his wife’s singing talent and saw it fit that her songs should be preserved for others to appreciate, saying apart from the beautiful melody, they are packed with inspirational preachings of the Word of God.
They are born-again Christians who congregate at Spoken Word Tabernacle, a pentecostal church in Lilongwe and also offers to sing for their fellow congregants.
It was after she recorded her first single, ‘Yesu Andiitana‘ — that thrilled her audience such that it inspired her to produce ‘Monga Ndili’ album and the songstress always pays tribute to Collen and “her very supporting husband, Larry for their cooperation throughout her studio works”.
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