There has been rise of talented musicians in the country. One of such gifted artists with a passion for music is 24-year-old Cliff Chapomba who doubles as poet and musician.

As majority of the country's artists use music to reach out to the masses with the word of God, Chapomba harboured a dream of becoming a gospel poet since 2005 when he was at Malonda Community Day Secondary School in Ntcheu. He only embraced the genre as the best medium to reach out to people around in 2000.

He says his career started showing promises in 2006 when he left his home village for Ndirande in Blantyre. Chapomba hails from Malonda village in T/A Makwangwala in Ntcheu.

"Being born in family of a powerful religious background, I grew up with the courage of ministering one day. But since it sometime requires formal training to become a priest I decided to utilise my talent in order to reach out to people with the gospel of Jesus Christ," says Chapomba.

He claims the idea of taking up poetry as a medium of preaching the word of God excited Malawi Broadcasting Corporation's (MBC) Milton Thole who gave him a hand in 2009.

"When I met Milton Thole in 2009, my future looked so bright because he introduced me to mainstream poetry. He helped me to write more poems for a programme called 'Luso la Olemba' on MBC Radio 1 where I contributed more than 50 pieces," says Chapomba.

He says with the ever-increasing number of people tuning in to radios to listen to poetry recitals these days, poetry could effectively spread the word of God.

Chapomba has just released his debut poetry album titled Tsiku La Chiweluzo which is packed with pieces full of inspirational messages.

"I describe this album as a ministry because I reach out to people with the good news, something I have always wanted to do in my life," says the member of Ndirande Churches of Christ.

Recorded at Legend Studios by Chikondi Chakanika, Tsiku La Chiweluzo features 'Muyiwalilanji?', 'Nkhani', 'Mulandileni Yesu', 'Akapanda Kumanga Yehova' and 'Nkhani', among others.

He says the debut poetry album was necessitated by the money he got through his contribution of poems to MBC.

Chapomba says his gospel poetry album had equally received an overwhelming response from poetry fraternity.

"I have sold more than 150 copies so far, which speaks volumes of my career as a gospel poet," says Chapomba.

On the gospel music front, Chapomba says has also released an album titled Dumisani Jehova.

The album, which was recorded at Legend Wave Studios except 'Wandichotsela Zowawa' by Prince Masache, has popular tracks like 'Woyera', 'None Like You', 'Dziko La Mtendere', 'I am a Soldier', 'Palibe', 'Dumisani Jehova' and 'Ndikambe Zachikondi'.