In the past two years, there has been a noticeable trend among gospel singers. They are choosing to record their songs live in front of enthusiastic believers. A sneak peak in this shift in gospel music production shows a driven by a desire for authenticity, audience engagement and unique spiritual impacts of a live performance, as numerous artistes shared.

Different from a studio recording, a live recording is usually made in a concert venue or a theatre, with an audience attending the performance. However, it is not clear about the initiator of the seemingly new style in town, but some believe that Alarm Ministries, a renowned gospel ministry, might have done it way back in 2009. Afterward, the move did not take place regularly and whoever did the same was just once in years.

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"Many artists are adopting the aforementioned move to capture the raw and authentic of their performance, I can simply relate.

Live recordings often display genuine emotions, unlike studio recordings, especially to the messages being conveyed by the singers on the spot. The turn up faith folks are able to experience the reality of life rather than imaginations,” Daniella Rugarama, famously known in gospel duo, James and Daniella shared.

The ‘Mpa amavuta’ hitmaker acknowledged that live recordings can be time and energy consuming.

"This is a big challenge since the budget is almost equal to that of a concert and often many people do it for free. It’s not a slice for everyone to take,” she said.

"However all in all the move is an extremely fantastic way of channeling good news full of reality, one might say,” she added.

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Bruno Mpundu, a gospel solo artiste, shared similar thoughts adding that live recordings provide an audience to actively participate in upcoming music making.

"The energy and reactions from the audience can simply tell how thirsty and hungry for the message to be conveyed is. Be it in prayer, salvation, unity and others, live recordings bring about spiritual interconnectedness.”

He added: "Live recordings allow artistes and believers to create an atmosphere that can be spiritually uplifting in a moment. I believe that ministries have gone far better than before.”

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Tracy Agasaro Michella, famously known in Rwandan gospel duo, ‘Rene & Tracy’, believes that live recordings create an atmosphere, a bit different from studio recordings and that it’s more of an illustration.

"You can simply observe the relationship between the singer and congregation, and the singer and the song. As singer you feel like you are ministering rather than acting. That’s how special live recordings are.”

Agasaro believes that the moment is like a bridge which blesses people around and later on reaches many. "Lots of believers admire it because it created something deeper than shooting a video in different locations which is considered old -fashioned.”

However, the worshiper acknowledged that gospel music industry is gaining momentum and God is being glorified more than ever before.

"I believe this is a new idea, a God given opportunity to serve him even more and that’s why everyone is grabbing it,” she said.