In Conversation with: MC Phill

MC Phill - Zimbabwean MC

MC Phill is a 36-year-old Zimbabwean Master of Ceremonies born Phillip Macherenje who enjoys international status and is undoubtedly one of Zimbabwe’s top performers. I specialise in MCing and advisory services for those planning their weddings and corporate events and I have been doing this since December 2010. A skilful, smart and engaging entertainer who performs at the highest level, with my irrepressible sense of humour, I bring the house down whenever I stand on stage. My original, off-the-cuff performances and ability to adapt material to suit client and audience requirements, ensures that I get invited back to perform time and again.

It all started at childhood when I was participating in church services, I gathered the courage and confidence from the audience responses I got all the time that I MCed. From the overwhelming responses I got, I then realised I was gathering large crowds and every event held in my presence I was given the honour to MC. I then managed to partner with well-known MCs which gave me professional exposure. With time I managed to start running my own events, it was so amazing to get positive feedback from various people. I don’t MC fulltime as I am employed elsewhere, I hold an Executive Certificate In Public Relations and Business Promotion with University Of Zimbabwe and currently doing my final year Hon Degree In Marketing Management with Midlands State University. I am also married and a father who inspires to make my family proud of the work that I do.

MC PHILL

What have been your most memorable events and what was the secret to their success?

With 10 years of emceeing it would be difficult to list them all as I have enjoyed all the work I have done. Events and ceremonies are unique and always bring different feelings. I build relationships with clients and enjoy, learn and appreciate each of the events. I however will always remember my first MC job at a wedding in 2010, my first corporate event was beyond my expectation I could see and feel business people paying attention and being drawn by my presence, I practiced, dressed and spoke professionally which made my work that day commendable. My first event outside Zimbabwe (a wedding) challenged me and gave me confidence in what I can do I had a group of people with different cultures, speaking different languages. The work I did over a period of 6 months prior to the event led to the smooth flow of the event as I learnt basics necessary for communication with the audience and learnt about the different cultures (thanks to Google). For the first wedding I had to deal with my own fear of it being my first professional MC Job but at the end of the event I was overwhelmed by the positive feedback I received.

It is amazing noticing that each time you start saying something everyone is attentive and very expectant to hear from you and even request you to say more. Being an MC is an art, so you must be blended with lots of strategies because you will be dealing with different types of people with different values, religious background and beliefs. You must always come out with something new and adjust to the situation without losing yourself. I consider Emceeing not just as directing order of events but as accepting to be trusted to break or make a success to someone’s day that they would have planned for ages. I will be accepting the burden on my shoulders to make sure at the end of the day everyone has something to talk about and the hosts have a sigh of relief and happiness having been fully satisfied. In this case we are talking of high-risk approach, you are the cornerstone of the event and everything that you say should bring satisfaction to everybody being of great relevance and in this you must avoid come backs as much as possible. This makes me to love my job and be one of the best MCs now.

MC Phill - Zimbabwean Master of Ceremony

If individuals are from a particular background or have certain religious beliefs how do you ensure you meet up to their expectations without offending anyone?

This is not a threat as I mention above, as an MC I mastered several religious beliefs, cultures and background. I take my time to seat down with owner of the function and discuss their backgrounds. What they want, their dos and don’ts, expectations of the day, fears and anything that will help me to help them achieve what they want on their dream day. This approach has helped me to managed functions without drawbacks. The interviews that I have with couples before their wedding help me get to know them as well as their dreams for the special day and how to handle cultural issues that may hinder realisation of the dream.

What differentiates you from all the other MCs that are around and how many functions have you MC’d before?

I build relations and put a lot of effort to understand the client such that when the day comes, I stand there like a childhood friend, like a decade old corporate partner, which makes my performance splendid. As an MC I understand that I should be part of the auxiliary advisory mechanism for the couple. In the planning journey, the newlyweds may be so ignorant and excited that they can easily make wrong final mistakes, within some fraction of a second. The MC should be ready to guide like a loving parent and be willing to be with them in the whole journey. I also thrive more on relevance rather than just cracking jokes and If need be, I do put the relevant joke at the right time making sure that my material is appropriate for all ages and allow smooth flow of the function. For me it is a gift from God that I was born an MC and I was never trained to be an MC, I was Born to entertain and when you see me doing that you will know what am talking about.

My personal view of being an MC is like a bridge, in this I mean you stand in between the hosts of the event and their guests. You stand as their voice to their guests, in the case of a wedding there is no way the bride or groom can say something to their guests at any time. They risk leaving some important messages and if all that has been communicated to the MC then he will make sure on the day every message from the bride and groom reaches the intended recipients. To sum it up all I can safely say I am eloquent, humorous, professional, time conscious, open and frank, reliable and very smart. I have a great way to transition, I am culture sensitive, I have mature humour that doesn’t embarrass your audience and most importantly I have so much respect for my clients and I do pay attention to their detailed request. To date I have hosted over 500 functions that include weddings (being the majority), Corporate functions, Anniversaries, Birthday Parties and Graduation Parties. I have a dedicated Facebook page (MC Phill) where I interact with clients, get their feedback and showcase my skills, which brings me closer to people.

Master of Ceremony

Given your years of experience, what’s your advice to upcoming MCs?

While competition is good it is good to know who you can compete with and who you can learn from. Many have lost the plot in their bid to compete and got blinded that they forgot they still have a lot to learn. Mentorship keeps one in line and can take a brand to another level and it is important at least to have someone you look up to as a mentor. Someone who can hold your hand until you have established yourself as an acceptable brand. Those who have defied the need to have a mentor, many of them have hit the wall and some have found themselves at the top of the roof with untraceable steps resulting in unexpected downfalls. I would rather be guided and take it step by step to the rooftop than just enjoying overnight success. I would say Mentorship is important, not only because of the knowledge and skills one can learn from mentors, but also because it provides professional socialisation and personal support to facilitate success in one’s career and beyond. Quality mentoring greatly enhances one’s chances for success.

What frustrations do you come across as an MC and how can those planning an event help make your job easier?

There are lots of frustrations, in case of a wedding the most complicated of them all is upon arrival realising that there are two disjointed families and people are just in attendance half-heartedly or to prove a point and the fights that had been going on leading to the day. It only takes God’s wisdom and favour for you as an MC to understand that smooth flow is only guaranteed when you have managed to get them all to bury the hatchet. At times having a debate started just before the event commences and everything is delayed as MC you must re-strategise without drawing attention from the guests already in attendance.

The other challenge that people mainly overlook is the issue of PA system. We should look at the sound quality of the system as the sound constitutes to a lot of things on such events ranging from the videos, you will never enjoy watching a DVD with poor sound quality, sound can easily determine your audience’s mood and if it’s not appealing they won’t be motivated to dance and people should take it seriously and try not to compromise on their sound systems.  Before an event, I need to sit down with people involved so that we discuss their expectations as well as mine and when this meeting does not take place it becomes frustrating when people expect you to do what you did not discuss and being in the spotlight everyone just assumes you know everything. I firmly advise people to sit and discuss with MC, pre-empty all that you wish for on your special day to the person who will be in charge and in this case is the MC and have a rundown of everything even the presentation will be awesome.

How would you like to be remembered?

The man who changed the Emceeing Landscape who shared his tips with anyone who cared to listen with a chain of mentees in his book, and for a good understanding that when EMCEEING is done well, it looks incredibly easy.

“In fact, the Art of EMCEEING is hiding all the prep work that has been done beforehand with smooth confidence, individual style, deft elegance, and good sense of humour”

That has driven me to make it a point to establish a personal relationship with each client who has entrusted me with their special day. From intimate affairs to faraway destinations, I do customize my emceeing services to exceed your wildest expectations.

MC

Why do I customize?

Clients all have different wishes, dreams and needs. Luckily, I’ve got the voice and personality to meet them all seamlessly. It’s not just any wedding/event; it’s your wedding/event.  That makes it the most important one of all. It’s my job and passion, to make it the fairest one of all. 

I infuse persona, entertainment and character into every event that I do. I take special care and Pay meticulous attention to every detail. The result is a seamless experience to “WOW” your guests. And, of course, YOU!

Get in touch with MC Phill

 Email: pmacherenje@yahoo.com or phillipmacherenje@gmail.com

 Call:  0772 962 052

Skype: maphil.phillip

FB:    MC Phill

Twitter: MC Phill

IG: M.C _Phill

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68 Comments on “In Conversation with: MC Phill”

  1. It was our absolute pleasure having you as our MC for our wedding. You were a delight to work with – so capable and professional. Thank you MC Phil! You did such a fantastic job hosting the day –you were really one of the highlights of the program. You really kept the energy in the room up and kept everyone engaged. Pleasure working with you!Your personal anecdotes put everyone at ease.

    May the dear Lord richly your work my brother

  2. Wow… that’s the first word that comes to mind about our experience with MC Phill. It was so important for us to have an MC that would be engaging and be able to make our intercultural wedding enjoyable for everyone and he definitely delivered. He took time to understand us and our families and became part of our family. He was so invested in the success of our event we could feel the genuine love and care he had. Thank you MC Uncle Phill and God bless you!

  3. The job he pulled on our big day suprised not only us but even our guests, It brought the impression and thought that we have known him for years, MC Phil become our friend, so when he got to do his job it was to perfection, he knew our families friends and all the dynamics involved.
    If you are planning for any function – he is the right guy to go for!
    If we could repeat the wedding again i will double his payment. And he knows how to dress too!

    High time we move from MC to Director of Events because for sure you go beyond MCing you orchestrated our big day!!!
    God Bless your work

  4. Thank you Mc Phill for making our special day memorable.. You the best may the almighty bless you 🙏

  5. Iv met extraordinary man in my time and MC Phill you are in this category you are a mystro in your art you have perfected it… All those that come across you in this time will be left speechless for sure. You left us lost for words..

  6. Mc Phill u are the best the way handle thingz wen doing ur job is splendid no substitute for quality u surely make an event a memorable one thumbs up baba

  7. Definitely gifted and extremely good at what he does. A good man, exceptional talent and very funny. Like every other quality service you pay a premium price but definitely worth it.

  8. Wonderful & talented MC indeed. Wedded 2017 but we still get glued to the screen watching video of our event as if its new everytime. May you start rehearsing for our Anniversary, we don’t have Option B…..😊😊

  9. Best MC who is good at what he does, interacts very well with his audience. He is also a good time keeper and manager and always fits in where there is a need. You are guaranteed of a very organised event. If you looking forward to a great memorable event look no further.. MC Phil is the best, thank me later😉

  10. Real talent at play,keep it up and keep shining,ever since i attended an event you emceed I haven’t stopped recommending you to various potential clients,keep the good work,you have made an impact in this industry.God bless

  11. We think of Phil and all we do is smile. We called him in to MC our wedding at the very last minute. He brought his game and had everyone dancing and celebrating all mine. Up to now hatizivi kuti tomutenda sei. We have people who still recall the day like it was yesterday. You are too much Sahwi and i pray the Lord continues to take you higher. You deserve all the sucess that is coming your way

  12. Phil is the best in the business. He is the best MC that money can buy. If you want someone professiosal to add that final touch to your event, Phil is at the top of that list.

  13. Interesting what shocked me most was your age, not because of your looks but maturity. Good interview definitely had my note book good insights.

  14. MC Phil is phenomenal!
    Fun, fluent, well versed and knows how to keep audience engaged and entertained. He brings a unique energy that can rally any crowd. He makes sure everyone has a good time 🙂🙂

  15. The Best MC I know. You took our wedding as if it was your own. You always try to understand your audience by learning from the bride and groom. Always professional and happy to deliver your best. Whenever our service providers asked us who is your MC the moment you say Phil the smile the joy they would show because they love your work and effort simply describes how great you are and that you work really well with the others. Would I pick you again for any event oh yes , would I refer you to my friends 100 %. Thank you for blessing us with your work at our wedding day and continue to shine.

  16. MC Phil is amazing at his job and professionalIn his conduct. Brought good energy and a lot of fun to our wedding reception….could it have chosen a better MC. May God keep blessing you and your work sir.

    1. MC Phil is amazing at his job and very professional in his conduct. Brought good energy and a lot of fun to our wedding reception….couldn’t have chosen a better MC. May God keep blessing you and your work sir.

    1. A state of art in the making. Devine and professional output that leaves the house content and comfortable. Now able to tackle the stage on an international scene. Great job MCPHIL!!!

  17. Very professional and experienced M.C I have worked with remind me of our days tichitanga grade 1 kikiki.May the good Lord continue to guide

  18. Great Tallent my guy, you made our wedding a good one, May your work continue to be blessed

  19. We would have never wanted any other MC for our big day. He made the day enjoyable and memorable. Our guests were so engaged with his conversations and jokes, laughter filled the room and made our dream come true. The biggest surprise for me was to see him directing people as I was walking down the aisle. I was shocked as the contract had said he attends the reception only. Just him going far and beyond to make our day beautiful is something I will always cherish. With MC Phill there are no regrets he is professional.

  20. Mc Phil definitely a cut above the rest. Your ability to read the crowd and your sense of humour made our day so special

  21. Well done MC Phil, you were the best at our wedding and you are still the best of the MCs i know. May God continue to take you far in this journey.

  22. Great stuff, this guy is one of a kind! As I was reading this interview I could recall my wedding experience with him! I could put a tick on every statement! Nothing is imagined or exaggerated! I have not seen an MC who gets so genuinely committed to the success of your event! Keep up the good work bro!

  23. Hey wooow amazing . Well spoken . U are gifted and Talented. U know what to say and at the right time . U can read the audiance… i have watched you do your work . KEEP IT UP ..

  24. A great work ought to be recognized. Having Mc Phil on our Wedding day exhilarated the whole event .His service was exquisite as he was elegant and had a touch of classy. He had the jokes that suited everyone present and how he made sure that everything was in place made the day a memorable one. He was so accommodative and made sure that the audience enjoyed every bit of the event.

    With so much confidence, i can safely recommend him for any other events as he does his job from heart.

    All thanks to Mc phil my wedding day was brilliantly amazing!

  25. I was one of those who was skeptical at first and was trying to reason my way out of paying an MC money lol. Needless to say no amount of money he charged is worth the service he delivered because it was priceless. Cant go wrong with this one. He will forever be a lifelong extension of our family. Our parents will never forget how he delivered our thank yous to them on our wedding.

  26. A gifted and talented MC .you made my friend’s wedding a memorable one in Mutare…l liked your professionalism….makarongeka zvemhando yemusororo Mr Phil MC

    I would recommend you anytime with no doubt and reservations ….keep up the good work..

  27. Great talent in an incredibly humble man is a unique pair. MC Phil has found the balance. He was one of the highlights for our wedding. He puts so much effort in the preparation. We were planning our wedding from abroad and he maintained dialogue with virtual meetings. To the extent that people came to ask me how long I had known him thinking he was my childhood friend.

    I was honored to have you MC our wedding in August 2017. Happy to see that God continues to take you higher and higher. May his blessing follow you and bless everything you touch.

    I recommend MC Phil wholeheartedly with no reservations.

  28. The best MC (mic controller) I have witnessed in my life, you made my day a splendid one, u took care of all the things that wre happening and u really mastered the ceremony. To me u became my brother and I will recommend u anywre anytime. If I wre to Wed again w this same wife i wil call u again kkkk

  29. One thing l respect about this MC is “what he does comes from within,effortless & his confident about his work. He did an outstanding job on my wedding day .The way he communicates with the crowd,it all felt like family,like he had met everyone before,we had so much laughter in the house 👏👏👏 Keep up the good work and professionalism.You have such an amazing personality! Stay blessed!!

  30. Personally l like how you make use of the limited time to prepare for a ceremony, it shows how talented you are. l would like to book your services on my wedding day. Stay blessed.

  31. Our number one MC. Cannot be compared to any. Simply the best. He made our wedding a special one. He is talented. Keep it up brother.

  32. The best MC, like Astra Paints, no substitute for quality. Gives himself ample time to know his clients’ background, which enables him to become part of you(yourfunction), deeply involved, not just a hired MC.
    He handled our wedding in a professional way. Given the chance to wed again, the choice of MC will never change.

  33. Thank You So Much MC Phil My Brother For Mentoring me I rilly Apreciate Your Work You rilly Motivated me to be Where i am Now May God Continue To Bless Your Work And Family

  34. MC Phill is the best I have come across worldwide 👌🏽. He is very friendly, accommodative and helpful when planning for an event. He renders his service from the heart and aims at making sure that the day becomes a success & everyone goes home happy. He does not try so hard to make things happen everything just flows from him naturally. If there are other flaws or glitches that might happen at an event he covers them up in a very professional way, such that a celebratory mood is maintained throughout the function. I am so looking forward to having him on any other function in future.

  35. He knows his staff indeed!..calm and collected,doing his job very well,he made my day special…

  36. Wow you are indeed the great Mc I’ve known, very humble and eloquent. Very classic and always on point. You never get bored when his the Mc.

  37. I pray for God’s grace in resolving this pandemic. Cannot wait for our Big Day where such a fine MC is set to take charge of proceedings.

  38. Wonderful! Great work Phil.
    I can testify that MC Phil is undoubtedly one the greatest MCs, he is absolutely amazing.

    All the best this is just but the beginning mhanduwe!

  39. The best I have come across by far. His eloquent engagements and elegant flair brings the whole proceedings together with panache. He is a cut above the rest and consummate professional. Cant wait to attend one of his functions. MC par excellence!

  40. An inspiration indeed. Proud of you big brother. We are very happy to have a wonderful person like you in the family. May God bless your great work and always be ready to mentor other Mcees so that you leave an excellent legacy.

  41. May the good Lord continue to shine upon you and bless the work of your hands. A professional, smart and intelligent person you are! Keep up the good work

  42. WoW MC par excellence! I am a beneficiary of your great work. Keep writing your story…you are a legend.

  43. MC Phil is phenomenal,he handled my wedding exceptionally.i was amazed because I met him a few days before my wedding and all he needed was a brief interview and he was good to go,you would think he was a family friend or relative that knows the family dynamics intimately!the jokes were on point and had everyone in stitches!I 100% endorse Mc Phil,can’t wait to engage him or recommend him for for another event

  44. I had the pleasure of experiencing MC Phil’s magnificent work when he MCed our wedding in December 2018. His work is like no other MCs because he puts dedication and great effort in building your love story. Many people felt so connected to him and we felt like he was part of the family with the way he narrated our family histories. He is worth every dime because his work is done professionally in an organized manner

  45. Thank you for all you have bèen to the industry . Now its much easier and defined .
    #toyouforus

  46. Thank you bro us as upcoming Mcez we cherish you. We have learnt a lot bro

  47. Great advice there Mc Phil. Have watched your professionalism in awe. May the sky be the limit as you showcase the importance and relevance of MCs the events industry.

  48. Powerful. I have learnt quite a lot from your experiences as a fellow MC.Good work.

    MC Doc Aloe

  49. May God bless the power of your skills and may blessings multiply in your life.In a few years to come you are going to be my wedding MC.Thank you for being a source of inspiration to people like me.You have proved it that a person has his own future in his hands.Thanks to Teclar for being a stronghold in your life God bless her.

  50. I love your great work MC Phil, you made our wedding day a special day because of your skills. Since i was born i had never seen my parents kissing, but you made them do it in front of us which made everyone happy. May our dear Lord continue to bless you in everything that you do. I wish you all the best in life.

  51. Great work Sir. May your gift take you places beyond your imagination 👏Proverbs 18:16 A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.

      1. I witnessed an amazing and emotional moments with this man. I saw broken hearts being healed.. Families with conflicts brought together..
        MC Phill is one great and humble man,who performs more than he is paid for.
        I’m a huge fan👏🔥

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