Dorcus Ashimwe is a gospel artiste originally from the Blessed Sisters that began singing in 2007 and released an album ‘Gira Intego’, but has since gone solo, and has released songs like ‘A little more of Jesus’, ‘Tugendane’ and ‘My hero’.

She is also a contestant with the ‘I am you future’ music completion that began last year and is still ongoing. The 27 year old had a chat with Sunday Magazine’s Sharon Kantengwa on her plans for her solo music career.

How did your interest in music start?

I started singing when I was very young at age of five and began singing professionally in 2007 and initially sung with my sisters.

We started singing when we were young because our parents raised us in the church and our father was a pastor who passed away this year.

Personally, I started to write my own songs and I had the dream of sharing what I have in my heart. I told my sister and she encouraged me to go on.

‘The Blessed sisters’ has been silent for some time now. Why is that?

My elder sisters got married and left the country to Belgium and France and gave up on singing. I chose to carry on what we had started and went solo in 2015. I have been singing in church all this while, but I am writing other songs and I plan to release another song this month.

How best can you describe your songs?

My songs are basically preaching the gospel and reminding people that Jesus loves them and that we are required to love one another as neighbors. The song ‘My Hero’, however, is about my father who passed on recently.

Why do you think talented artistes are shying away from gospel music?

Some of them give up because they lack financial support that is given to other secular artists. However, if music is one’s passion, then they should focus on spreading the gospel and encouraging people through their songs and the money will come later. Also, we need to support each other as musicians.

You are also one of the contestants in the ‘I am your Future’ competition. What does this competition mean to you?

I was selected from Gasabo District and I came first. The competition is still ongoing and I will hopefully, be competing on the national level this month with 37 other contestants.

I always feel like I wanted something that challenges me in this music industry because I want to go to another level. Even though at one time I was quite popular, not everybody in the country knows my name and ofcourse I am looking at winning the prize money.

Where do you see your career going in the next few years?

I see myself as an international gospel artiste because I want what God put inside me to be spread in the whole world to show the whole world that a female gospel Rwandan girl can shine and let her talent go beyond the borders.