When 18 year-old Gibril Shema Mico, widely known as Shemi, made his debut a few days ago and won people over with his first song 'Peace of Mind', one could have thought the hit would only last for a short while.

A month later, the song is still among the most streamed and you can’t make four steps without overhearing different radio stations playing the hit song.

While one would easily dismiss it as mere beginner's luck, Shemi assures his fans that they can only expect more from him.

Starting music...continuing studies

Shemi's passion for music didn't just start yesterday. By the age of four, he had already made a cover of one of Rwanda's celebrated artists, The Ben.

"I grew up looking up to The Ben, who is my uncle and has made a name for himself in the Rwandan music industry," he shared.

Shemi describes himself as a yet-to-be-unleashed fire, ready to take on the Rwandan music industry with his preferred Afrobeat and RnB genres. So far, he has worked with other local artists on projects such as Rwanda Rw'ejo 2, which featured over ten different local artists.

Shemi is also a student at Kigali Independent University, where he is pursuing a bachelor's degree in Networking. The young prodigy has made a deal with his supportive parents not to drop out of school.

"I won't have to choose between music and academics; I'll do both. I will continue to pursue my passion for music, but I must also be prepared for whatever path life may take me in the future," he explained.

According to him, having external party assist with management helps in maintaining professionalism, striking a balance, and strategically deciding what to focus on at any given time.

"On a regular day, when I'm not at school, I'm at the studio. In my free time, however, I'm happiest when I'm with my friends," he added.

Inspiration

The plot of Shemi's song 'Peace of Mind' is about a guy proposing a no-strings-attached relationship to a girl who clearly wants more commitment from him.

Excerpts; "You want love, but I don't have time. All I want for now is some peace of mind. Don't ruin the vibe by bringing love issues. All I want is peace of mind."

With a hearty chuckle, he said that the song was not inspired by personal events.

"I get my inspiration from a variety of things, the majority of which are observations. I believe the song expresses a sentiment that is so common these days, and my job as an artist is to relate with my audience," he explained.

Plans going forward...

Shemi expressed his appreciation for the young generation's openness to new ideas and products. He said, "I expected it to be difficult to break into the industry, but it appears that I was welcomed with open arms. This is encouraging because it means that many people are able to share their talents and creativity."

However, according to him, new and young artists need to be especially extended a leaf of faith as they prove themselves.