SOME of us turn to God when the going gets tough or when we are stuck between a rock and a hard place.

SOME of us turn to God when the going gets tough or when we are stuck between a rock and a hard place.

But even God sometimes, lthough most believers attest to his miracles, can not save a seriously fading career.

This rang true when I watched once shining star Gloria Bosman, pictured, when she dished out a rather lacklustre performance at the Birchwood jazz evenings. In my books, it was the worst performance I have ever seen at this beautiful venue.

I have not heard her new album, Nature Dances, since it was released. I have not seen her perform for some years and I was looking forward to a bouncing-back kind'a show.

But boy was I let down. As I said earlier, I have not heard her new release. And I take my hat off to her for pumping her hard-earned money into the recording of the album.

I am told she co-produced the album with Wessel van Rensburg, who was also her co-composer on the bulk of the songs in the album.

I truly believe Bosman must change careers or look for a nine-to-five job or face a bleak future. We have been embarrassed enough by artists dying paupers.

Like most fading careers of musicians, she has switched genre to gospel. And if most of the tracks she played at Birchwood are part of the album, then my dear Gloria has lost the plot completely.

Even her new look was not inspiring at all. What staggered me was when she sometimes resembled an amateur with her dance moves. I sensed that she could feel the disappointment of the audience.

Perhaps she should have dished up the old favourites, but I guess it made business sense for her to sing new tunes to promote her album.

It was heartening, though, when divas Sibongile Khumalo, Judith Sephuma and Nokukhanya Dlamini joined her on stage to sing with her on one of the cover songs. That brought the house down momentarily, especially when they improvised.

Normally when an artist bids farewell on stage to signal the end of the performance, music lovers chant that they want more, but such was her insipid performance that when she left the stage no one bothered.

There seems to be hope in her home, though, when she introduced her daughter on to stage. I can't go as far as saying the daughter upstaged the mother, but judging from her voice, she is promising.

I saw a once talented musician crying for help and I hope songwriters and producers were listening, otherwise this fine artist will soon be a has-been, if she is not already.