Known for her powerful lyrics, Brenda Indekwe is certainly a poet on the rise. Her works include Oh Holy Spirit, It’s time, I am a Worshiper, and Love of God, among many others.

Born January 8, 1998, in Huye District, Southern Province, Indekwe is also a gospel artiste and songwriter. She says she has always loved playing around with words, though at the time, she didn’t know it would become poetry.

"I was a young kid messing around with words when an adult said ‘you’re a poet, you can recite and write poems,” she recalls.

However, it wasn’t until the age of 14, in senior four (S.4) at Lycée de Kigali when her poetry became known.

Today, Indekwe is an author of more than 40 poems.

The 18-year-old considers herself a God-fearing woman from a staunch Christian family. The former student of Wellspring Academy is currently in her S.6 vacation.

Indekwe has performed at major events in the country like Groove Awards, Christian Film Festival, and at the Twamamaze Yesu concert. She also performs in church.

The poet says she draws inspiration from Thomas Stearns Eliot OM, George Herbert and Janette Watson, aka Janette. She also looks up to young poets Sharon Kirezi Bayingana, Cynthia Nivyabandi and Winnie Rugamba.

Indekwe urges upcoming poets to write about their surroundings. "Read or listen to as much poetry as you can, and just stay true to you,” she says.

She acknowledges that poetry requires a lot of meditation in order to impact and change society.

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