New gospel album has singer inspiring change

After a four-year music hiatus, gospel singer, Lungiswa Xhatoto is back with a new album, called uMoya Wenkosi.

The Kei Mouth-born gospel singer made her debut in the music industry in 2011 with the release of her first album, Iinceba Zakhe under the late Thembelani Batala’s record label.

“We spent a lot of time promoting the album, doing street shows and performing in churches.

“It was well received by the public and I was happy to see that the message God was sharing with me was reaching his people,” she said.

In 2014, Xhatoto took a break from music to focus on her health. “The label puts a lot of money in marketing and promoting your music, but when the money stops coming in it becomes a bit challenging,” she said.

During her break from making music, Xhatoto said she spent time grooming young people and motivating them. “The album was still available at music stores but I was focusing on different things,” she said.

An encounter with her current manager, Nonhle Ndinisa, saw Xhatoto reconsidering making music again.

“It was in 2016 when we first met and she told me that she wants to work with me. She used to work with artists in Johannesburg, but had moved to the Eastern Cape and stopped doing that. She was doing some work with Hlengiwe Mhlaba at the time. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to make music when she approached me then,” she said.

This year, the two went to Johannesburg to record Xhatoto’s second album.

“In 2017 she came to me again and asked me to pray about what she had suggested to me in 2016. She told me that God wants to take my message to the nations and bring about change to the community,” she said.

Xhatoto said she hoped the church would be encouraged to bring about change in their communities.

“We need God now more than ever,” she said.

To secure Xhatoto’s album, e-mail: Iviliciousonica@gmail.com