Clive and the Now Generation Stay Committed to ‘God-Given Assignment’

Recently, Clive and the Now Generation celebrated 20 years in the music industry, marking the occasion with a concert in Windhoek.

Their journey dates back to the mid 2000s, with the release of their debut project in 2006.

In an interview with The Weekender, Clive Willemse, the founder of Clive and the Now Generation, provides some insight into the path the gospel group has travelled over the years.

Willemse says there has been a notable change within gospel music, marked by slow progress in people’s perception of gospel.

“One of the greatest things that stood out for me over the past 20 years is how the perception people had towards gospel music has changed. People were looking down on the industry, the quality of our work and productions,” Willemse said.

“I wanted to break the stigma associated with the gospel music industry because I have realised that God has set standards for us.”

This has certainly not been an easy journey, said Willemse, who recalls the great personal sacrifices he has made to ensure quality delivery.

“I did a project in 2006 at Zoo Park and I had to take out a second bond on my house, which was close to N$120 000, in order to be able to afford to record the first live CD/DVD production. This project was called ‘Worship in the City’,” Willemse said.

“We obviously didn’t have much support in the beginning, so we had to make sure we had our own resources, but what was most important was the vision. What kept us was our passion and calling, especially,” he added.

THE BEGINNING

“Our journey began with various community organisations. We would sit around campfires and just start singing. This was when I decided to start a choir which would embrace and promote gospel music within the community,” Willemse recalled.

He said the group’s debut project in 2006, featuring Israel Houghton’s ‘It’s A New Season’, saw the song become quite popular in Namibia.

“It became a household song across the country,” he added.

As they grew into the trade, the group eventually had to downsize.

“We realised that not everyone really had musical ambitions, so the group gradually downsized and that was when we evolved to become Clive and the Now Generation,” he said.

“This was also the beginning of our professional journey. We became more mature. Our music has evolved and we have grown,” he added.

CHALLENGES

No journey worth taking is without challenges. And Willemse and his team were no exception.

Clive and the Now Generation did not have it easy, especially in their early years, with some of their major challenges revolving around recognition and funding.

“Challenges in our industry have always revolved around numbers. There are only so many people in Namibia that take music seriously,” said Willemse.

Another major challenge he highlighted was the scarcity of funds.

“It has been hard to get people to fund gospel music particularly,” he said.

“Something also worth noting is that we didn’t have a place to rehearse until we built our own rehearsal studio. These were all efforts aimed at becoming the best in our particular craft,” he added.

INSPIRATION AND DRIVE

While some days are harder than others, Willemse said he and his team have always drawn their inspiration from the word of God.

“After our debut project in 2006, God clearly showed me that he will move us from the city to the nation and to nations, and that has always been the dream we wanted to pursue,” Willemse said.

Another major driving force for him and his team is having a strong sense of self-confidence.

“Believing in ourselves as Clive and the Now Generation, believing in our sound has always been our drive. Even when we shared stages with internationally celebrated musicians and groups, including the likes of Dr Tumi, Joyous Celebration, Nathaniel Bassy and others, we always aim to stand out,” he said.

Clive and the Now Generation have worked with quite a number of big names, including the popular American Christian author and speaker Joyce Meyer, American pastor and motivational speaker TD Jakes and the late Bahamian evangelist Myles Munroe, among others.

“So, the God-given assignment has really been our drive, and we have always been relentless. Seeing the impact we have had on people’s lives over the years has also kept us going,” he said.

FUTURE PLANS AND PROGRESS

Some of their plans for the near future include several local and international projects in their never-ending pursuit of spreading the good news through song.

“Over the next three months, we will have a live recording project called ‘The Fresh Encounter’, which will feature some of our new music.

“We are also organising a festival in November and various other projects that we have in mind. This is just to prepare ourselves for when we start touring again,” Willemse said.

They also plan to implement a few projects that were halted due to Covid.

“We will be launching a national project called the ‘Ten City Tour’. This was planned to happen before Covid but had to be halted. So, we are gearing up for that again,” he added.