Fire in the soul — Asaph steps out of box

In fact, Asaph, real name Admire M. Kudita, presents a radical genre of gospel music that does not come from the traditional blend of choral music that should typically belong with someone brought up on the safe staple of church hymnology.
Though the church still fundamentally informs his view of the religious world, Asaph has delved beyond the normal predictable gospel fare to produce a seminal piece of work which is already garnering a lot of radio air play and getting this multifaceted singer, songwriter, producer, video director and entrepreneur coverage in the local and international media.
Asaph has featured on SABC News International’s showbiz hosted by Richard Nwamba and showcased a video of a song off his internationally released album to millions across the world. 
In Fire in the soul, which is his third release after 2001’s Victory: The Bright Hope Project  (distributed by Gramma Records) and 2007’s Kingdom Child: The Emancipation Project (distributed via online music stores such as Apple’s iTunes etc) , Asaph has stepped out  of the proverbial box to deliver an indeed inspirational set of gospel songs with inflections of soul, jazz and traditional African rhythms. He tackles themes ranging from gospel, social commentary and love relationships.
“As an artist, a producer of content, I have never had a peaceful relationship with the stereotypical approach to my life work and neither did Jesus ! My goal is to engage society and I must be engaging as I am enthused by the vision and message of salvation. I also understand that there are many unchurched folk out there who may never tolerate or come to us because we tend to pontificate. We have to deliver our message in a manner that recognizes
people’s appreciation of sublime artistry as well as their yearning for the Divine.
In this sense then, I must be credible on the spiritual, intellectual and creative fronts. Listeners must be touched with a sense of my quest for excellence in musical execution, arrangement and production.
So I am not necessarily in a hurry to preach!
I must get your attention first. Mine is music for the heart, soul and mind,” Asaph said in a brief discussion with The Financial Gazette.
 There’s that characteristic, trademark, baritone voice throughout his songs, except for one: Stand up for love — an original peace anthem done with the collaboration of star artist, Eric Moyo, the CBZ Academy Award winner and the first ever winner of the Idols East Africa, a version of the Idol series.
Eric shares the lead vocals in this particular track — it’s still that same winning voice that brings gospel music closer to the grooving youngsters interested in the upbeat genre that can send them onto the praise and worship dance floor.
The first track, Moment of Clarity, is about getting a clearer picture when Jesus Christ takes over one’s life.
The second track, Carry On, is an inspirational track talking about hope: whatever gets into your way, carry on, because, “wrapped around the dark cloud is a silver lining”. It’s for the dejected who should fight on, never giving up, because Christ will enable them.
The third track is a plea to Jesus not to “let me walk alone” because, so goes the song, “I won’t survive”.
It’s a track on affirmation of total surrender to Jesus Christ,
King of Kings is a plea to the master not to let his followers alone – how much I need you.
Tinokutendayi, the fifth track and the only one in the vernacular Shona language, talks about God’s love, which is like a river ever flowing.
Stand up for Love is the sixth track on the CD and is followed by Love of my Life, Wrong or Right, Father’s World, Struggles and It’s only Love.
Love of my Life should be the track for Sakhile, Asaph’s wife who lends her vocals in one of the tracks.
Whatever comes his way Asaph is already touching the world with his music having been a semi-finalist in the 2005 United Kingdom International Songwriting Contest and being distributed through the Internet.
With Asaph’s music, whether young or old, one gets lifted or one does not get it at all ! There is no middle ground. For the music lover and God-fearing faithful who wants a message of hope and love, Fire in the soul certainly presents that transformative and life affirming message.