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GRIEF BIRTHED ‘SITFOLEMANDLA’
BY PHUMELELE GAMEDZE
MBABANE – The loss of his mother left gospel artist Gabriel Dlamini searching for strength, but out of that painful season came “Sitfolemandla”, a deeply personal song that became part of his healing journey.
Released on October 2, 2026, the song carries a message of hope and strength found in God’s presence, drawing from Dlamini’s own experience with grief.
The worship leader said the song was conceived shortly after he buried his mother.
“I had just gone through the loss of my mother, and I remember one evening walking through the streets of my hometown after burying her. I was broken,” Dlamini said.
He recalled questioning where he would find the strength to continue after losing someone so close to him.
During this difficult period, a friend and producer invited him to the studio. When the producer played an unfinished musical idea, Dlamini immediately felt connected to it.
“I said, ‘We are definitely writing and producing this song,’” he recalled.
The studio session soon became more than a music-making exercise. Dlamini said he felt what he described as the presence of God bringing healing to his heart as the song took shape.
The title “Sitfolemandla”, meaning “In Your presence we find strength”, therefore carries significance beyond its musical message.
“I wanted the song to remind people that even in seasons when we feel like we have nothing left, there is strength to be found in God’s presence,” he said.
Dlamini is no stranger to using music as a vehicle for faith and spiritual reflection. In 2025, it was reported on his “Intimate Moments With God” live recording, where he described his music ministry as being centred on creating opportunities for people to encounter God.
His recorded work has also included songs such as “Never Let Go”, “You Amaze Me (Live)” and “I Belong to You (Live)”, according to Apple Music.
For Dlamini, “Sitfolemandla” represents another step in his artistic journey, blending faith, personal experience and Siswati heritage.
He hopes the song will encourage people navigating grief, disappointment, uncertainty and other difficult seasons.
“If someone listens to the song while going through grief, disappointment, uncertainty or any difficult season and finds enough hope to take another step, then the song has done what I believe it was created to do,” he said.
Looking ahead, Dlamini said more music and live worship experiences are planned. He also hopes his work will help take Siswati heritage to wider audiences.
“I want to see Siswati heritage go to the world, and I believe music is one of the ways we can do that,” he said.
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