Mohalenyane Phakela
YADAH Praise Family has lined up two shows in which the gospel ensemble will share the stage with a South African and local groups.
Dubbed “Worship Overflow” the shows are slated for Ntlo Ea Tsepo in Leribe on 1 July 2016 and Victory Centre in Maseru the following day. According to the group’s co-founder, Teboho Matete, the 18-member group is set to share the stage with House of Hope from South Africa and Lesotho’s Oasis Praise Family.
“While our fans may think they have us figured out, we will give them something different during the Worship Overflow that will blow them away and bring them closer to God,” he told Xpress People this past week.
Yadah Praise Family consists of youths from various church choirs across Maseru. Formed in 2006, the group drew inspiration from renowned South African choir Joyous Celebration.
However, the group disbanded in 2009 due to financial constraints among other challenges.
“We parted ways due to different commitments we had as we were still very young at the time. However, we could not let such a great initiative die, so we revived it two years ago and made it better than it was before,” he said.
Since its revival, the group has performed in various events around the country and also in South Africa.
Matete said they also intend to celebrate the 10 years since Yadah Praise Family’s founding in December.
“We want to ensure our group’s continuity much like what Joyous Celebration has managed to do with over 20 years under its belt. So we plan to host a massive anniversary festival at Setsoto Stadium on 10 December.”
He said their goal was not to entertain people, but to bring them closer to God through sincere worship.
“Almost every artist has a gospel song, but you may find it being performed to entertain people who are gathered to enjoy their alcoholic beverages, and hence it loses its power,” said Matete.
“Gospel music is supposed to be a conduit for praising and worshiping God and an alternative to secular music for Christians.”
He added: “Its form and performance may vary according to culture and social context. However, the common theme of gospel music is praise, worship to to the Holy Trinity.”