Artists in the province have applauded what they call the elevation and recognition era of gospel music and it is about time, they say.

John “Jay Jay” Mnisi, is one of the artists who are triumphing over the success of the Mpumalanga Gospel Awards (Mgoma) and says it is a step towards the right direction.

Having won last year’s best traditional gospel song for “Uyincaba,” Jay Jay says this is his first award in all the 14 years of his career.

“I have been in this industry for a very long time, to finally get such recognition for my work meant a lot to me.

I commend the organisers of this beautiful platform of recognition for artists in the province.

“Its growth is very noticeable and we are grateful as artists to also get such recognition for our work,” he said.

This ecstatic musician was nominated for the best dressed artist and best male categories at the National Ingoma Gospel Awards to take place later this year.

“I believe the breakthrough came when I won the Mpumalanga Gospel Award, and I know that many more doors are still going to open up for me. Mpumalanga artists now have a platform, for which we are grateful,” he added.

Mgoma organiser, Sandile Ngobe, has highly commended the Department of Culture, Sport, and Recreation for the support given to the initiative.

“The department has been generously supportive towards us and it’s something we don’t take lightly.

They have supported almost 80 per cent of the work we have done last year, and we believe that the support will continue this year, and ensure even more success in what we are trying to achieve.

“However, we can never say that this is it. We still need other sponsors to come on board so we can help our artists realise their dream,” said Ngobe.

The purpose is to get the standard of the awards so high that they have to be on live TV, according to Ngobe.

“Mpumalanga is rich in talent, the gospel industry is spearheading it. We will not rest until such talent is exposed to the whole country and even beyond.

Hence we need all the support we can get, there’s only one direction we are taking from here and that is upwards,” he concluded.