Artist: Jane Doka
Song: Unchanging God
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Jane Doka is a multi-award-winning UK based Zimbabwe born gospel music singer-songwriter, praise and worship leader, businesswoman and philanthropist. Since officially stepping into her music passion in 2008, Jane has produced four albums, one live DVD recording and has hosted numerous successful gospel shows in UK and in Zimbabwe. She has performed on various stages alongside international gospel musicians such as Nathaniel Bassey, Muyiwa and Riversongz, Sonnie Badu and saxophonist Femi Osinaike. Jane has also performed alongside esteemed gospel musicians from her home country Zimbabwe who include Charles Charamba, Takesure Zamar, Janet Manyowa, Fungisai Zvakavapano-Mashavave and Sabastian Magacha. Alongside her growing music ministry, Jane Doka serves as an assistant pastor at her local church, passionately serving in the praise and worship team and youth department. Jane is married to Michael Doka and together they have two children.
Background:
Born and raised in Harare Zimbabwe, Jane’s interest in music began to appear at a very young age where she started writing and composing her own melodies and songs whilst as young as six. Signs of her giftedness in music were more evidently seen throughout her primary and secondary schooling as she actively participated in school choirs and singing competitions. On finishing high school, she formed a group with a few friends from the Methodist Church in Zimbabwe called True Saints, where she was the lead singer and composer. True Saints recorded an album but sadly Jane relocated to South Africa for university study before the group had reached its peak. Jane says that it is her time in university which cemented her calling to serve God through music as she wrote most of the songs she later on produced during that period. Upon completion of her studies, she earnestly began work towards her first album whose production she began in 2007 when she relocated to the United Kingdom (UK).
Discography
In 2008, Jane Doka finally released her debut solo album called ‘Nditumeyi’ (send me), an 8 track album which she says was a direct answer to the call of God on her life. Jane Doka’s song-writing prowess became vividly apparent right from that first album in well-crafted songs on that album including Anopindura nomoto, which she later re-recorded live on stage with her second CD ‘Tenda’ live-in-concert in 2010. The cd which featured some inspired tracks such as ‘Handikundikani’ was concurrently released with a DVD production called ‘Jane Doka Live-in-UK’. It was this live CD and DVD production that set her up as a worthy gospel minister and talented stage performer. In 2012, Jane Doka approached veteran Zimbabwean producer Clive ‘Mono’ Mukundu who produced her album Reflections-Mirangariro (2012). The album which had a rich African sound featured the voices of acclaimed artists such as Dereck Mpofu, Fatima Katiji and Esther Mukazika. Once again Jane showed her song-writing and composing genius, with songs such as ‘Munamato une simba’ and ‘Tinomutemba Jesu’ which are still touching people’s lives today. In 2013 Jane Doka hosted the grand show entitled ‘Kusile’ where she also launched her single by the same title.
In 2014, after several tours and performances promoting her music, Jane took some time out to focus on her young family and her education. It is in that period that she began to pen down songs for her next album ‘FIRST LOVE’ which she launched and released in 2018 and has been promoting. Jane summarises the theme of FIRST LOVE by saying, “First Love is about going back to where I began, in the love of God and in the love for music”. She picked 8 songs from the dozens of unproduced songs in her library and teamed up with producer Mono’ Mukundu once again to produce a musical masterpiece. The album is mid-tempo to mellow and features a blend of afro-fusions reflecting Jane Doka’s immense artistic style. Featuring God inspired songs of intimacy with God, like Unchanging God and Holding on, the First Love album was a step towards her ultimate vision, which is to be a voice to the nations. The album also features the hit song ‘Pamusorosoro pazvose’ which was produced by UK based Aaron ‘Zex’ Manatsa. Currently, Jane Doka is preparing to release new music for the year 2021, which will feature songs to reach both her Zimbabwean audience and a broader international audience, as she fully steps into her vision of being ‘a voice to the nations’.
Accolades and Acknowledgements
Jane Doka has been featured in several TV, radio and press interviews in Zimbabwe and in UK including UK’s mainstream BBC Radio, Culture Vultures Sky TV show, Premier Gospel Radio (UK), Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) Good morning Zimbabwe and Zimbabwe TV Network (ZTN) feature artist. Jane Doka has been nominated and won multiple awards including Gospel Artist of the Year at the Zimbabwe Music and Arts Awards (ZIMMA), Zimbabwe Achievers Awards (ZAA), the prestigious Africa Gospel Music Awards and Permican Awards. Jane Doka was appointed a panellist in the ZAA Committee in 2012-2013, which was a group of industry specialists that sought to recognise talent in various sectors including music.
Other activities
Jane Doka is a talented entrepreneur and businesswoman. She is the creative brains and author behind the ‘Chii?’ Shona Learning App and Game, popularly known as the ‘Chii?App’ which was designed to teach the Shona language mainly to children and beginners. The App was appraised by Zimbabwe’s leading newspapers as an innovative learning tool and was nominated for an Innovation Award in the ZAA. Alongside her husband, she runs a growing business in partnership with the UK Ministry of Justice and also runs a charity called New Dawn Foundation Trust, whose goal is to re-integrate into the community youths of Black African Ethnic Minority (BAME) who have been involved in the criminal justice system. Jane also actively supports various churches and charities and she privately feeds numerous widows, orphans and women in various places in her home country Zimbabwe. In line with her dream to impact lives, Jane is currently studying towards a PhD in International Education and Development. The PhD which is co-funded by the International charity World Vision, is aimed at improving the life chances of ‘marginalised’ girls in low- and middle-income countries worldwide, beginning with Sub-Saharan Africa.
Connect with Jane Doka on:
Facebook: Jane Doka Music
Instagram: @janedoka
Youtube: Jane Doka
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