The gospel community is grieving the unexpected death of Marco Joseph, a celebrated vocalist from the Tanzanian group Zabron Singers. Joseph reportedly passed away while receiving treatment for heart disease at Muhimbili Hospital in Dar Es Salaam on Tuesday night.
According to group member, Japhet Zabron, Joseph’s death was caused by a sudden heart attack that began last Sunday.
“Apart from the sudden attack, he was suffering from nothing else,” he stated in a conversation with a Tanzanian newspaper.
The late singer had recorded several hit songs before joining the group namely “Ni Wewe,” “Tofauti,” and “Daktari.”
He leaves behind his fellow group members, including Victoria Zabron, Jamila Dotto, Samuel Joseph, Semroza Godfrey, Grace Madata, and Joyce Zabron, among others.
Zabron Singers rose to fame with their hit track “Mkono Wa Bwana.” Their soulful voices and rich musical arrangements have propelled their success throughout East Africa and beyond, garnering millions of views on YouTube.
Their other hits songs include Sweetie Sweetie, Nakutuma Wimbo, Imenigharimu, Nawapenda, Nitaweza, Sikiachi Tena, and Sio Bure. Other well-received songs include Hujanitenga, Lushiku, Nitasubiri, and Mpiga Kinanda.
The Zabron Singers are not just a musical ensemble but a family unit. Many members are related, with the rest being close family friends.
The lead singers of “Sweetie Sweetie” — Victoria, Jamila, Japheth, and group leader Joseph — all come from the Zabron family. Their father, Zabron, was a composer and church leader who inspired their passion for gospel music.
“When we were in high school, we went to a studio and recorded a song. We didn’t have money and had to borrow from people to pay for studio time. The recording was so bad that we were even ashamed of releasing the song. We almost gave up,” recalled Japheth, who serves as the group’s tutor.
Their perseverance eventually paid off, establishing them as renowned singers with a global fan base. In fact, in 2022, they were honored with an invitation to perform at President William Ruto’s inauguration.