Nqubeko Mbatha is the very embodiment of gospel songcraft. Not only is he one of South Africa’s most nuanced balladeers, he’s also a formally trained pianist, producer, and composer whose majestic songs have been recorded by many Mzansi greats, including Sibongile Khumalo, Stompie Mavi, and his own wife, fellow gospel star Ntokozo Mbambo. Growing up in Kwa-Zulu Natal, Mbatha spent the first 10 or so years of his career serving as a musical director for the beloved ensemble Joyous Celebration. Mbatha’s 2013 debut solo release, Forever I’ll Worship, was a bold declaration of independence, pairing profoundly inspired performances with sophisticated arrangements that could only come from a seasoned musician with his behind-the-scenes experience. Each subsequent release finds Mbatha growing more ambitious. He’s even gone so far as to erase the boundary between urban contemporary gospel and old-school soul on 2018’s The Anniversary Project, an immaculately produced collaboration with his wife that celebrates both their love of Christ and of one another.