Colbert Thilivhali Sivhada, known in gospel music circles simply as Colby (pictured), is a multi-talented singer and songwriter who is about to introduce a fresh sound to the gospel music industry.
Having started his singing journey in church aged only 10, Colby was destined to become a musician one way or another.
“For as long as I can remember, I have been singing, but I started doing it professionally around the year 2000. I had moved from Venda to Joburg where I met some recording artists who wanted to work with me,” said Colby.
Yet before a gospel and solo career, there was jazz and a band.
“I was in an up-and-coming jazz band which saw us play at restaurants and this gave me time to perfect my skills and learn about the industry.”
After a while, he could no longer ignore the call of gospel music.
“I had to turn to gospel because of my lifestyle. I could not think of any better things to say than the good news. I believe you always talk about what you have inside. Gospel music is what I live for, it’s what I live in and it’s what I know.”
Colby’s debut album, Merciful God, is out and the artist shed light on what his intentions were with the project.
“I wanted to record an album before my time is up. My friends don’t like it when I say that, but I just needed something that said: ‘Colby was here’.
“I know I can sing so I wanted to just put it out there, perhaps for my family and friends. Whatever came out of it was fine because it wasn’t a serious project,” he said.
“Little did I know that the album was going to be more successful than any of us had imagined. A lot of encouragement to package it professionally came my way and, soon enough, I realised that I was on to something. Merciful God was inspired by a number of testimonies I have in my life. God has been merciful to me. I was in a car accident and I can’t tell you what really happened. Someone told me accidents are spiritual and you never know why they happen. My leg was broken in so many areas and the doctors told me that I was not going to walk again. Instinctively, I said the opposite and told the doctor that I would walk again. I have healed and I walk again and that can only be a merciful God,” he explained.
For him, gospel music is meant to inspire and use real-life situations to teach people about the love of God.
The album has 11 tracks penned by Colby and some associates. It flirts with the idea of fusing a traditional gospel sound with a contemporary one. And the experiment has worked: Merciful God won an award in the Best Gospel Jazz category at the SABC Crown Gospel Awards last year.
• Merciful God is available at music stores.