The Unveiled had company on stage at Gweru Sports Club on Saturday. As the group performed Zvichaita Chete at The Encounter Gweru, members of the audience joined in, singing along to the song.

It was one of the moments that gave the gospel concert its character. The singers led from the stage, but the audience was happy to lend its voice, too.
The multi-award winning group was among the acts that performed at the event, which brought gospel musicians and choirs together for an afternoon of worship.

Shyleen Manhingi a gospel artist also took her turn on stage, performing the medley Ndinoshamisa Kwazo as part of a programme that featured different voices from Zimbabwe’s gospel music scene.

Headlined by Janet Manyowa, the concert included Pastor G, Mathias Mhere, Sharon and Ellard Cherayi, Joyfull Praise Choir and Heavenly Sound Choir. Mai Maningi was also listed on the event poster.

For Manyowa, the Gweru gathering did not end with the last performance. She later took to social media to thank her fans for their support and promised to return to the city.

It was a welcome message for those who had gathered to see her perform, leaving open the possibility of another meeting with her Gweru audience.
Getting the event ready had taken work behind the scenes. In the days before the concert, videos showed tour buses carrying The Encounter Gweru branding arriving in the city.

The concert ran from 2pm until late. Tickets were sold at US$5 for children, US$10 for standard admission, US$20 for VIP and US$40 for VVIP.

Yet the moment with The Unveiled offered a simple reminder of what makes live gospel music special. A song can begin with the performers, but when the audience knows the words and joins in, the experience becomes something shared.
With Manyowa promising to return, The Encounter Gweru may not be the last time the singer meets her fans in the city.