Pastoral gibe bruited about costs Jackson gigs

THATO KALA
Correspondent | Wednesday June 12, 2013 00:00

 The award-winning vocalist recently moved to South Africa where he said he was studying music and working on his next album.Recent media reports were that he was allegedly on the verge of starting a ministry. Perhaps because of the way churches are mushrooming nowadays, the 'joke' was taken seriously.'I'm shocked people have taken that seriously, I had a lot of people asking me that through social network sites.This has actually cost me business because some clients assume that I no longer sing,' Jackson told Showbiz.

Jackson was in the country last weekend to perform at a corporate event and revealed his clients actually mentioned they hesitated to give him the gig because of news that he was now a pastor.He emphasised he was still in the music business and singing the same music that catapulted him to stardom, adding that being a Christian does not stop him from singing non-gospel songs.

Jackson, son of legendary guitarist Clement, has one album, Life In Music, under his belt.The album shot him to the crown of local music charts and earned him two awards, Best Newcomer and Best Afro-pop.Some of the songs that have made his name synonymous with the subject of love include Dali Wame, Ke Wa Go and Tobetsa.'I wouldn't leave music, God gave me this gift to change people's lives. I don't have to sing gospel to change people's lives. I think the music I've always sung has been clean with no vulgar - I sing on love and God is love,' he said. With so much honesty, Jackson concedes opening a church would be a big scam.

'Why would I open a church now? I haven't even been to a Bible school. It would seem a scam if I opened one.' Jackson, whose trademark was cornrows, now keeps trimmed hair. He assured his fans he was in South Africa to enhance his knowledge on music.He revealed that he is still in the studio working on his next album.Jackson recently shot a music video for the song Joy and is happy with the feedback he has been getting from his fans.