Songbird Prudence Mabhena returns to the stage

 More was to follow as she also became the subject of an Oscar award-winning documentary called “Music by Prudence” based on her life story. The film,  which chronicles the vicissitudes of her life as a physically challenged and yet gifted child to adulthood, won in the Best Short Documentary Film for US film director, Roger Ross Williams and took the 26-year old Zimbabwean songbird to the glitzy affair that is the Oscar Awards in Los Angeles USA in March 2010. Then she seemed to fall off the radar after the media hoopla had died down. Few reckoned with the enduring never say die spirit that has seen her schmooze with the rich and famous ones such as legendary journalist turned media mogul Oprah Winfrey and the wife of slain Beatles front man John Lennon, Yoko Ono. Few would have imagined that Prudence Mabhena would be back with a scorcher of a gospel album that she executive produced and penned herself ! Mabhena’s voice is so sweet and plaintive it tugs at the heartstrings and if you ever heard her sing you would understand why she deserves a place amongst the stars.
On April 20, 2013 she finally launches her long awaited album at the Bulawayo Theatre in a show supported by a galaxy of local stars including Africa Revenge’s former frontman and Afro pop exponent Willis Wataffi who also features on the album, acappella boys Conquerors 7, singer-songwriter and producer Asaph and Velaphi Gumbo (VG) who is the album’s producer and co-organiser of the launch show with one Peter Traquino.
“The album contains songs of hope, praise and encouragement- thanking the Lord for taking me this far,”said Prudence of her debut album with a disarming smile.
“I am sure fans are going to get milk and honey at my concert. The challenge you get when you appear in a wheelchair is that people judge you and dismiss you. I get driven by the Holy Spirit and He is the one who has led me to this place.”
Prudence is a sentimental favourite of many in this town. “I don’t sing gospel for people to feel pity for me. I sing gospel because I believe that God created me for a purpose,” she explains. But one could not miss the steel in her quiet tone. When she came back from the triumphant US trip that took her to the Oscars, she was met by a huge Bulawayo crowd cheering for her.
“It was a hero’s welcome. It was overwhelming!,” she reminisces as she breaks into a smile that has concealed  the back story of unmet promises accompanying her dream ride to glory.
“There were promises before the Oscars but you know the love of money,..well I was promised some cash which I never got.”
Looking ahead, how come the album launch has taken so long ?
“Resources were the hindrance at first and then later she flew out of the country for the U.S.A. because of the documentary. Later she went to South Africa after leaving her employment at King George where she was part of the band Liyana. Then the whole of last year we were talking to her and she had personal challenges which include physical challenges. People don’t want to help a person in her situation fearing that they will become a milking cow,” says VG the lionised keyboardist and producer of Prudence Mabhena’s debut album.
It needs mentioning here that VG and Pete Traquino are behind the launch of the album working tirelessly to make this diamond to glisten once again.