Gemma Griffiths - Gemma Album Review

Gemma Griffiths has been serenading us with lovely music for some time now. Its quite surprising that this is her debut album because she has been in the game for some time now, had to go to her profile and check!!, yeah this is the first project she calls an Album. The most impressive aspect about Gemma is how she is confident with her style and art, she knows that she is the only white artist in the mainstream local scene in Zimbabwe and doesn't want that to define her career. She chose to put in the work to prove she can hold her own, that she is as good an artist as any. Over the past couple of years Gemma has proven she is capable, she can adapt when needed, she can make the hits and compete with the best. She has won over many Zimbos over the years because of her resilience, work and creativity. Going forward would love to start seeing her on the lineups on shoes, concerts and festivals, it will be good for her relationship with her fans. 

The debut album has dropped and after giving myself some time to listen, will now be sharing with your my views and thoughts on the offering.

1. Intro feat. Naishe Rowland

Gemma sets the tone for the album with this soothing exaltation to the Most High Lord. 

2. Holy feat Peruzzi

Gemma teams up with Nigerian Peruzzi as she continues exalting the Lord, saying You are Holy and I will praise you. Production is done well, the collaboration between the two Gemma and Peruzzi works.

3. Mhaka

Gemma is saying I will follow my personal dreams and will not spend energy chasing standards set by others, its not a crime prioritizing my own goals and impact. The track is produced well, Oskid did a solid on on the instrumental. Gemma was up to task on the vocals, she delivered a daring performance, its giving that "try me if you want kind" of vibe.

4. Usanetseke

On this track Gemma is telling her partner not to worry, she is all his. She is saying don't let my fame make you think otherwise, I may be busy at some times but I am still yours. The track is well made, Gemma delivered a solid vocal performance.

5. Wandoda feat. Nutty O

This track is about reassuring your partner that they are the only one you love. Gemma and Nutty O have worked together before and delivered some lovely magic, they continue on that streak with this one. The track is a nice afro fusion, production is done well.

6. Gold

This is a beautiful dedication to Harare, the ever buzzing City that never sleeps. She is celebrating the wonderful people of Harare, the character and vibe you feel all around the capital, Its Gold. Gemma's vocal performance is sublime on this track. Production is done very well. 

7. Yahweh

Gemma is dedicating this track to her loved one, she is asking the Lord for more time to be with him, she wish she would fly to where they are and be with her partner. The track is produced well, the arrangement is spot on. The vocals are solid, Gemma was fantastic, that second chorus game me goosebumps was not expecting it to go that way. 

8. Thank God I Know You

This is a track about appreciating those important people in your life, those people that make life worthwhile, the ones who makes you feel safe and at peace. The track is produced well. 

9. Ndichatarisa

This is the track that assured everyone that Gemma is here to stay. Its a powerful prayer from Gemma where she is saying I will look unto the Lord when life gets hard, You Lord will take away all my troubles, You shall guide me and take me on the right path. This track came out over a year ago and has been a favorite of many. Gemme delivered solid vocal performance on this one, you feel the sincerity in her voice and that made many connect deeply with this track. 

10. Tariro feat. Feli Nandi

On this track Gemma teams up with the lovely Feli Nandi to deliver this uplifting track, that is reminding you to keep believing, always know that you are stronger than you think, do not lose hope when faced with challenges, you will overcome. The track is produced well, the collaboration between the two worked well that I suspected. 

11. Mjolo

This track is about the chaos and stress that comes after a heartbreak. Its hard to get space to heal, especially in this digital age, you may bump into their posts or a post that includes your ex from the many mutual connections. Its a stressful period to be in, its like you cannot escape that ex-partner of yours. 

12. Ndimi Mwari

Gemma is exhalating and praising the Lord, for he is the author of life, she is dedicating her time and effort to lifting the name of the Lord high. The track is produced well. Gemma really pushed herself of this one, the choice of words is not the usual ones, she also arranged the chorus in a different way, a switch from the usual soothing super soulful style. The arrangement of the track is also different from Gemma's usual style, it has that Zim dancehall bassline, the end result is interesting track. 

13. Muharare

This is another dedication for the capital city Harare. There is a lot to do in Harare, there is no time to waste, people are always on the move, you also have to be alert when you are in the city. This track went for an afro feel and arrangement which is different from the soulful first one. Gemma is definitely in Love with Harare. 

14. Alone

This song is Gemma testifying about the strength she gets from her Lord. All she has accomplished, the places she has been have been through the support she gets from the Jesus Christ. Its a self reminder and motivating track from Gemma. Production is done well. 

15. Ndarema

She continues giving her praises unto the Most High on this track where she is saying, despite the challenges she has excelled because the Lord is on her side. The track is well produced. 

16, Grace

Gemma signs out with a track in which she surrenders herself unto the Lord, saying his grace is all she needs. She ends the album on a soulful tip, production is done well. 

So ya that's it for Gemma's Debut self titled album and its quite a surprise package, she has really come of age and this project will now make it hard to ignore her when mentioning the best female artists we have in the nation.

Gemma has grown a lot from the day where she was making renditions of Mudhara Achauya and Musarove Bigman. The many features she has done over the years, the socializing with various local artists and creatives has positively impacted her growth and art. From the onset Gemma has had her own interpretation of music but as you listen to this project you also realize she has added a few tweaks to make her sound more relatable to a wider spectrum of Zimbos. The production of the album is done well, Gemma has always been very particular about her sound and she does not drop the ball here, she maintains a high sonic quality for her tracks. The instrumental arrangements are good, various genres such as amapiano, afro beats, dancehall have all provided inspiration for the arrangements you find on this album.

Gemma's vocals are so soulful and she makes that the central part of her musical making process, when she makes a song, its structured in a way that brings out the soulful touch that she possesses. That whole strategy gives her music a unique touch which makes it easily identifiable, she knows her strengths and she plays to that. 

She delivered solid vocal performances throughout the album, she is definitely among the most soulful vocalists we have in the country. One aspect that has greatly improved is her Shona, working with various artists and creatives has greatly helped. You can pick the improvement when you compare tracks from this album to her first tracks, right now her Shona feels more natural. The fans have also showed their appreciation of her growth as shown by their response to Ndichatarisa, many can relate to her more now. Also its now easier to follow her lyrics, even when she sings in English, maybe we used to listening to her now or she has also toned down on the English accent. The choice of collaborations on this project was well done, not too many but just enough to add some flavour.

To conclude this has been quite a surprise for me, have enjoyed this project way way more than I thought heading in. I am greatly impressed with the growth that Gemma is showing. Listened to her interview some time back when she said she will be more inclined to gospel music (looking at her discography that was obvious from the start) but on this album its very evident. Most of the tracks focus on gospel themes and she has fused the gospel and non gospel tracks quite well, all her fans are catered for. I highly recommend this project, this is one of those albums you never saw coming and leaves you very impressed. Definitely among the top projects this year, as of this day its gets the second highest rating of the albums I have reviewed so far in 22025. My top 3 tracks on the Album are: Yahweh, Mjolo & Gold.

My overall rating: 8.25/10

Feel free to share your thoughts on the album down below.

Proud_Zimbo