Renowned gospel musician Everton Mlalazi has had a landmark year, making an impact that stretches far beyond his own career to touch the wider music industry and communities across Zimbabwe and beyond.
By Plot Mhako
One of the year’s defining moments was the launch and hosting of the Ekhaya Worship Festival in his home city of Bulawayo. The festival was not only a musical success but a powerful demonstration of gospel music as a tool for social transformation. Alongside high-quality worship experiences, the event delivered free healthcare services and provided seed funding to elderly women to support income-generating projects, blending faith, music, and tangible community upliftment.
“Through festivals, studios, global tours, and community upliftment, Everton Mlalazi has redefined what impact in gospel music truly means.”
The festival also created a vital platform for several artists and bands, giving emerging and established performers the opportunity to share the stage and reach new audiences in a city that continues to assert its place on Zimbabwe’s cultural map.
Building on this momentum, Mlalazi went on to establish EMR Studios in Harare — a state-of-the-art recording and rehearsal facility designed not just for his own work, but as a shared creative space for other artists. The studio marks a significant investment in the infrastructure of Zimbabwe’s music industry, offering professional resources for production, rehearsals, and collaboration.
Mlalazi’s influence was further underscored by a remarkable run of continental and local accolades. He won the Best of Africa Award at the Eswatini National Gospel Awards and collected three awards at the CLIMA Gospel Awards — Best Live Recording, Music Impact, and Best Collaboration of the Year. Closer to home, he was also honoured at the Bulawayo Arts Awards 2025.
In recognition of his broader contribution to gospel music, Everton Mlalazi was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Music and crowned Africa Gospel Music Impact Award winner at the 9th CLIMA Awards in Johannesburg, cementing his status as one of the continent’s most influential gospel voices.
On the performance front, Mlalazi maintained a demanding touring schedule, performing across Zimbabwe, Australia, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Kenya, Zambia, and Botswana, bringing Zimbabwean gospel music to international audiences while maintaining a strong presence at home.
His music also enjoyed significant commercial and radio success. The song “Angeke Kulunge” finished at number 8 on both Star FM and Capital Gospel charts, while “Celestial Chorus Vol. 2 – Kune Kupenya Mugomo” featuring Rudo Madindi reached number 2 on the gospel charts. The latter formed part of his star-studded project Celestial Chorus Volume Two, which brought together leading voices in gospel music.
In addition, Mlalazi released new music that continued to resonate with audiences, including “Come Down” featuring The Unveiled and his solo single “Gwayana”, further showcasing his versatility and commitment to quality.
As 2025 draws to a close, Everton Mlalazi’s year stands as a powerful example of how an artist can leverage music for cultural growth, industry development, and community impact proving that gospel music, when driven by vision and purpose, can transform both hearts and lives.
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