Kamikazi opens up on why she intends to stick to gospel

Twenty-six year old Joy Kamikazi is a Rwandan gospel singer and songwriter, and has been singing from her formative years as a child. Kamikazi was born in Burundi, but her family returned to Rwanda shortly after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. As a child, she sang hymns in a church back in Burundi and later joined Saint-Étienne Anglican Cathedral in Kigali when her family returned to Rwanda in 1996. She eventually attracted the attention of a certain lady, only identified as Marlen, who had a music school in Kiyovu, a Kigali suburb. At the time, Kamikazi was among the three young talents selected to train in music and here she got the opportunity to sharpen her voice. “I was trained in vocals and started singing and training an adult choir in the church,” she said adding that the stint at the school helped her greatly and about this time she was leading a worship team called Prince of Peace, at St Etienne Cathedral. The choir comprised of Benjamin Mugisha aka The Ben, Tom Close, born Thomas Muyombo, former Miss Kigali Cynthia Akazuba and the latter’s sister, Sharon Akanyana, among many others. After accepting Jesus as her personal Savior in 2008, while she was still in High School, Kamikazi decided that, to really make an impact, she would make a lifetime career doing Christian music. “I believe God chose me and gave me this gift so that I can serve Him and this is my way of giving back to Him.” She says she has met temptations along the way, like friends who advise her to quit gospel and venture to secular music to earn more money. Joy Kamikazi. But she says she draws her inspiration to pursue her goal from the Biblical Psalm 96 and she is determined to spread the Gospel. Her eight-track album titled, ‘Nyakira’ comprises three songs in English and five in Kinyarwanda. Kamikazi is organising a free concert on November 27, at the Kicukiro based New Life Bible Church. “The song ‘Nyakira’ is the cover of my debut album I recorded in India. I want my songs to have an impact on the entire country. I sing more for ministry than money, which is why my concert is going to be free,” she notes. Kamikazi says she intends to do a tour schools across the country, so as to be able to encourage students, especially young girls, to explore their talent while they are still young. Kamikazi studied at Banglore University in India, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in marketing. In 2001, she received a lifetime opportunity to curtain-raise for famous American gospel singer, pastor and producer Donald James “Don” Moen in a concert in India. When she is not training the choir at St Etienne or leading the congregation in worship, Kamikazi works as a translator, which she says is her only source of income. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Kamikazi opens up on why she intends to stick to gospel