Annatoria

Blessing Annatoria Chitapa, professionally known as Annatoria, is a Zimbabwe-born British gospel singer and songwriter whose music brings together contemporary gospel, R&B, Afrobeats and pop. Born in Harare, Zimbabwe, on March 20, 2002, she moved with her family to the United Kingdom as a child and grew up in Dudley in the West Midlands. She first became widely known in 2020 after winning the ninth series of The Voice UK, where her expressive vocals and soulful performances made her one of the competition’s standout contestants.

Following her The Voice UK victory, Annatoria signed with Island Records and released her debut album, Count My Blessings, in 2021. Although the album established her as a gospel-influenced artist, she later began developing a broader sound that incorporated more R&B, soul and Afrobeats while maintaining the faith-centered themes that had shaped her from childhood. Since adopting the shorter name Annatoria, she has collaborated with artists including Joe L. Barnes, Limoblaze, Maverick City Music and Ryan Ofei, building a growing presence within the international Christian music scene.

Her career has since developed beyond the talent-show success that first introduced her to the public. Through projects such as Full Circle and Present Jesu, as well as a series of collaborations and singles, Annatoria has established an identity that connects African heritage, contemporary R&B and Christian faith. Her songwriting and vocal style are rooted in personal testimony and worship, while her Zimbabwean background and British upbringing give her music a distinct cross-cultural character.

Quick Facts

Early Life and Musical Background

Annatoria was born in Harare, Zimbabwe, and moved to the United Kingdom with her family when she was seven years old. She grew up in Dudley, West Midlands, where the church played an important role in her upbringing. Singing became part of her life at an early age, and her experience in church helped establish the connection between music and faith that would later become central to her career.

Her musical influences came from both gospel and contemporary popular music. She has spoken about listening to artists such as Tasha Cobbs, Donnie McClurkin and Kierra Sheard while growing up, while hymns also influenced the way she approached singing and worship. These influences helped shape her powerful but soulful vocal style and encouraged her to see singing as a way of communicating her Christian faith.

The Voice UK and Career Breakthrough

Annatoria’s major breakthrough came in 2020 when she auditioned for the ninth series of The Voice UK. Her performances throughout the competition showcased her ability to move between contemporary pop and R&B while maintaining the vocal character she had developed through gospel music. She ultimately won the competition, becoming the ninth winner of the British talent show.

Her victory led to a recording deal with Island Records and the release of her debut single, a version of Robbie Williams’ “Angels”. The song reached No. 50 on the UK Singles Download Chart. She subsequently released her gospel-inspired debut album, Count My Blessings, in 2021. The project included her version of Kirk Franklin’s “I Smile” and a rendition of the worship song “In Christ Alone”.

The success of The Voice UK gave Annatoria a national platform, but her artistic direction soon began to evolve. After leaving Island Records, she moved away from being identified primarily through the television competition and began developing Annatoria as a distinct artistic identity.

Musical Development and New Direction

The release of “Stay with Me” in 2022 marked an important change in Annatoria’s sound. While faith remained an important part of her songwriting, the track introduced a stronger emphasis on R&B, soul and Afrobeats. The change allowed her to explore her African heritage and a wider range of personal and emotional themes without abandoning the Christian foundation of her music.

Her later music continued this progression. Songs such as “Lola”, “The Divide”, “Be Still” and “Fountain” demonstrated her ability to work across contemporary gospel and R&B. Her collaborations also became an important part of her development, particularly as she began working with artists from the growing African and UK Christian music communities.

Rather than being confined to one musical category, Annatoria’s work has developed around the meeting point between gospel, R&B and African popular music. Her Zimbabwean roots and British upbringing are both visible in that approach.

Notable Releases and Collaborations

After Count My Blessings, Annatoria built her catalogue through singles and collaborative releases before returning with her own larger projects. Full Circle, released in 2024, became one of the most important projects of this period. The EP contains six songs and represents a more mature expression of the sound she had been developing since “Stay with Me”.

Her collaborations have included “Fountain” with Joe L. Barnes, “Put It On God” with Limoblaze, and “Baba” with Ryan Ofei and CalledOut Music. She has also appeared alongside Maverick City Music, including on material connected with The Maverick Way Reimagined. These collaborations have placed her within a wider network of contemporary gospel and Christian artists working across different musical traditions.

In 2024, she also released Present Jesu, an EP that further emphasised her Christian identity. Her catalogue continued to expand in 2025 with releases including “In the Middle”, “Simple Things (Live)” and an acoustic version of “Hasn’t By Now”.

Awards and Recognition

Winning The Voice UK remains the defining early achievement of Annatoria’s career. The 2020 victory established her as a national recording artist while giving her the opportunity to introduce her music to audiences beyond the church environment in which she had grown up.

Her work has continued to attract major industry recognition. In 2026, Annatoria received a Grammy nomination for Best Gospel Performance/Song as one of the artists and songwriters associated with “Church”, performed by Tasha Cobbs Leonard featuring John Legend and Anthony Brown, among others. The nomination marked her first Grammy recognition.

She was also listed among the nominees for Best Gospel Act at the 2026 MOBO Awards, reflecting her growing profile within Britain’s contemporary gospel and Christian music community.

Current Career and Legacy

Annatoria has continued to develop her career as an independent-minded gospel and contemporary Christian artist, combining recording with live performance and ministry. Her official website describes her as a UK-based gospel singer and songwriter whose work is centred on faith, personal expression and connecting with audiences through music.

Her recent catalogue shows an artist continuing to explore rather than settle into a single sound. Releases such as “In the Middle”, “Look Up” and “Fireflies”, along with her collaborations across the Christian music world, demonstrate the breadth of her current musical direction.

Annatoria’s significance lies partly in the way she bridges different musical and cultural spaces. She came to public attention through one of Britain’s biggest television talent competitions, but her artistic identity has remained closely connected to gospel and Christian music. Her Zimbabwean heritage, British upbringing, soulful vocals and contemporary production have allowed her to occupy a distinctive space between African music, R&B and modern gospel. With her continued songwriting, collaborations and live ministry, she has established herself as one of the younger voices shaping the next generation of British gospel music.