Theresa Phondo has become the most streamed Malawian female gospel musician on Spotify with her song ‘Blessings’ gaining her over one million streams on the platform.
Currently, Phondo who was once a member of Zathu Band, is having 94, 653 listeners on Spotify in a month and her 2022 hit, ‘Blessings’ which she featured two international artists; Noël Mio and Sal LY, is day to day winning hearts both on local and international scenes.
For instance, as of Thursday, 29th February, 2024, Phondo’s ‘Blessings’, had recorded 1,373,064 streams on Spotify and she becomes the first Malawian female musician to reach that height.
In an interview with this publication, Phondo who has velvety vocals that resonate deeply with people’s emotions, said God plus the super voices of Noël Mio and Sal LY added salt to the success of the banger and she also mentioned the boosting of the song by her international friends on several platforms.
“It’s mind blowing to witness the impact of my gifts through “Blessings” going viral. Despite not marketing the song as extensively as I had hoped just when it was released, I am grateful that such an uplifting song from Malawi has resonated with individuals all over the world, including international celebrities, by the grace of God.
“The secret behind “Blessings” going viral is God. God orchestrated the collaboration of incredibly talented individuals like producer TBabz, and artists Noël Mio & Sal Ly from Nigeria, who are excelling in their music careers. This collaboration has propelled the song’s reach, being added into 11,000+ personal playlists on Spotify, significantly expanding its audience. The song’s momentum received a notable boost when international celebrity Devon Franklin included it in his Instagram reel, igniting further interest and rapid dissemination,” said Phondo.
Speaking on what really happened when her songs were not accessible for some few days on Spotify earlier this month, the ‘Tate’ hit maker said her songs which she said are predominantly distributed through DistroKid, faced temporary removal from Spotify due to late payment of the annual subscription fee, but were later restored on the platform after settling the fee.
Meanwhile, the artist has promised people more international collaborations, more music projects and more captivating live performances as she vows to raise the Malawian flag more higher on the international scene.
