It is no secret that Phanny Gisele Wibabara has a warm smile, beautiful face, great shape and angelic voice. Phanny was born in Rwanda but grew up in Kenya. Unlike some other artists, Phanny’s music career did not start from Church. She grew up learning how to sing from watching artists sing on the Television and would interpret their performances into her own. She would spend time miming and singing, all with the dream of becoming a big artist one day. But little did Phanny realise that God had a big plan for her life. She even never thought one day, she would lead God’s people in praise and worship. Throughout her career, which started when she was only 10-years, Phanny used to organise music concerts at her school in Nairobi. As a little girl, Phanny’s favourite artists were Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey. But as she grew up, her taste in music changed from secular to gospel—and was soon inspired by Darlene Joyce Zschech, an Australian Pentecostal worship leader and singer-songwriter. “Darlene is one person I respect. After knowing her, my dream was to go to Australia. Luckily enough, when she came to Rwanda in 2005, she took me to Australia and it was a dream come true,” Phanny says. The songster confesses that she has never had any back up from her family, apart from her nieces, who she is grooming and she hopes someday they will give her a backup in her music journey. Phanny is a member and in charge of events, management and communication in The Sisters, a local gospel group founded in 2008, by four female artists, Irene Gabby Kamanzi, Phanny Gisele Wibabara, Aline Gahongayire and Uwitonze Clementine, a.k.a Miss Tonzi. “Before we formed The Sisters, we were friends but we used to perform as individuals, but we later realised that if we performed as a group it would be much better.” As a Christian, Phanny also feels it is her responsibility to serve God and provide a good environment to His people. Today, Phanny touches many hearts with her inspirational voice and has 10 gospel singles to her name, including her famous tracks ‘Indihano’ and ‘He Has Not Forgotten.’ “I’m into gospel, and I don’t intend to sing secular music at any point in my life,” Phanny vows. “I find singing to the living God more meaningful…than singing secular music, which will end ‘tomorrow’.” Besides singing, Phanny works with a Real Estate Company and is pursing a degree at ULK. “I’m in my final year at ULK and I want to pursue my dream as a professional person in Public Relations,” Phanny says. When Phanny is not busy at work, school or studio, she enjoys doing fun things with her friends. She also enjoys reading, listening to gospel music, watching movies and of course adventuring. “I’m a simple person, outgoing and funny, though the first impression most people get when they meet me, is that I’m tough and very serious,” she notes. “Yes, I can be serious when it comes to things I’m supposed to be serious about.” Ends
