By Jonathan Mbiriyamveka
Minister Everton Mlalazi, one of the most decorated gospel artists in Southern Africa will be headline draw at keynote speaker at a free Music & Ministry Seminar themed “The Business Side of Gospel Music” this Friday.
Minister Mlalazi, a figure whose career offers a case study in the very business questions the seminar seeks to address, and asking the questions few in the pews or on the stage have been willing to confront.
Organized by Harare City Centre SDA Church‘s Marketplace for the Master initiative is turning its attention to one of Zimbabwe’s most listened-to genres —gospel music.
Scheduled for ZimParks HQ, running from 9:30am to 1:00pm, the event will be streamed live on Facebook and YouTube, opening the conversation beyond the venue.
The seminar will feature a panel discussion tackling the practical economics of gospel work — royalties, rights and getting paid; branding without losing the message; airplay, streaming and digital income; and contracts, bookings and running a ministry like a business.
The panel brings together figures from across the industry’s commercial and creative spectrum. National Arts Council of Zimbabwe CEO Napoleon Nyanhi, ZIMURA board chairman Alexio Gwenzi, and gospel artist Minister Michael Mahendere will sit on the panel, moderated by Yvonne Tivatye. They will be joined by Earground’s Plot Mhako and Power FM station manager Leander “Leekay” Kandiero.
A career built on structure, not just song.
Everton Mlalazi‘s musical journey began in 2014 when he founded The Vine Music Ministry, an ensemble that helped refine his understanding of worship dynamics, arranging and leadership. The group’s first album did not arrive until 2018 — four years of deliberate development before a commercial release.
His solo breakthrough came during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he launched a solo career and created more than 100 episodes of Virtual Hymns, offering digital worship to audiences across the region at a time when physical church spaces were closed. His debut solo album, In The Presence, produced hits including “Uyingcwele” and “Ekhaya”.
That grounding in structure over speed has defined his trajectory. As he told NewsDay in a 2025 interview:
“We spent years finding our sound, which is why our first album didn’t come out until 2018, even though The Vine was established in 2014. Those formative years of growth and discovery taught us patience and resilience”.
The results have been substantial.Minister Everton Mlalazi has collaborated with Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Janet Manyowa, and joined the renowned Spirit of Praise ensemble in 2024.
In 2025, he dominated the CLIMA Africa awards, winning three accolades including Best Live Recording and Best Collaboration, and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Music.
At the Bulawayo Arts Awards, he was honoured with the Outstanding Ambassador (Worldwide) award.
His third instalment of the In The Presence series, Great God, was released on 2 January 2026 — a deliberate choice of timing that ran counter to industry convention.
“January felt right spiritually,” he told The Herald. “I wanted people to begin the year in worship, not noise. This was about setting an altar, not following an industry calendar. I believe timing is also worship”.
The business questions gospel artists face
Minister Everton Mlalazi‘s career path illustrates what the seminar will explore: that a ministry can be built with commercial discipline without sacrificing its spiritual mandate.
“Excellence is stewardship,” he told NewsDay earlier this year. “God deserves my best musically. But the goal is never to impress. The goal is to point”.
That philosophy — that the business side is not a betrayal of the ministry but an expression of it — sits at the heart of the panel’s agenda.
The topics on the table address the practical realities that many gospel artists navigate without formal guidance: how royalties actually work, how to structure a brand that carries a message, how digital platforms can generate income, and how to run a ministry with the contractual and booking discipline of any enterprise.
The seminar is free to attend, but registration is required. Interested participants can contact +263 786 927 151 to secure a place.
The event continues Marketplace for the Master’s pattern of bringing together faith and practical economic education — a platform that has previously hosted business seminars on generational wealth and enterprise development.
For gospel artists, producers, managers and anyone invested in the sustainability of Zimbabwe’s gospel sector, the conversation on 2 October may prove as valuable as any stage performance.
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