‘I’m not scared of crowds’

This isn’t just another discovery. She can sing and dances like no beginner. She’s more evidence that Rwanda has talent. Her name is Maryse Gwiza but uses Ganzo as her stage name. Ganzo was born on August 6, 1988 in the former Zaire, and raised in Rwanda, and attended Camp Kigali and Lycee Notre Dame de Citeaux. Between her primary and secondary levels of education, she had a short stint in Europe but currently lives in Rwanda, in her world of music and songs. “My stay in Europe then, has largely influenced my career because it taught me how to be open to life and people in general.” Apart from music, the 21 year old is compiling a book about Rwanda while studying for her Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science at the National University of Rwanda-NUR, a place where the likes of Tom Close, Miss Jojo, Frank Joe and a host of today’s local talent have been. I got the chance to see her for the first time last month during NUR’s annual Rector Excellence Awards- REA where she performed, and later was recognized by the NUR Rector for being the best female musician of the year 2008. That night she walked home with RWF100.000. “I was very happy to be seen as the best Female musician in the campus mainly because I’ve not been here for a long time.” She adds, “It also confirmed to me that there are people who believe in what I’m doing with my talent.” Surprisingly, before that performance at the REA, Ganzo had only appeared twice in front of such a crowd. Like most people, singing while taking a shower in the bathroom is a habit she can’t resist. “Its not that I’m scared of crowds but it’s something in me that I’ve done since childhood.” Most up and coming musicians have role models, but our girl confesses that she has none though she admits that music in Rwanda has come a long way because of the hard work and talent of compatriots like; Tom Close, The Ben, Meddy and Rafiki. She advises fellow musicians to do whatever they have to do for the sake of the industry. Ganzo has so far released two singles, ‘Nta bwoba’ and ‘Wowe’ and is now working on her untitled album that she hopes to launch in February next year. Ends