The Maranatha Family Choir, a well-known group in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, has released a music video for their song titled "Komera," which cost over 10 million Rwandan Francs to produce. The video was released on the afternoon of Thursday, October 10, 2024, after days of anticipation from their fans. Initially, the song was uploaded on YouTube, but it was taken down shortly after due to audio issues that required them to re-record it.

The re-recording in the studio led to some changes, though not many in terms of instrumentation. The video also underwent some modifications by Director Gad. Selemani Munyazikwiye, a representative of the Maranatha Family Choir, told InyaRwanda that they decided to release this song largely in response to the challenging times people are facing.

"In this world, things are not always good. Some things are low, others are high. One of the messages we have is to encourage people, as sometimes you hear of someone who has taken their own life or someone who has fallen from grace," he said.

He mentioned that the idea for the song came after a choir member was arrested recently under what they believe to be unjust circumstances. "However, because we have justice, he fought for his case, and you know that when such things happen, he remains in custody. An investigation was conducted, and he was eventually released," Selemani explained.

He emphasized that the experiences of their choir member during that time inspired them to create a video that depicts the realities of imprisonment and the challenges of seeking medical treatment in various hospitals. Selemani confirmed that the song is based on the story of their recently released member. "This is part of the reason we wanted to include scenes that depict prison life. It includes scenes of a sick person, a girl abandoned by her family, and an elderly person neglected by their relatives, as well as families facing various issues."

Overall, Selemani stated that through this song, they wanted to convey to everyone that God is always at work and that He never forsakes His children. They also encourage everyone to strive for good relationships with others and to embody love in their daily actions.

While he could not provide an exact figure for the expenses related to the song, he estimated that it cost over 10 million Rwandan Francs. He explained that this funding was facilitated by their work building a prison, constructing a hospital, and providing clothing for inmates.

"We built the prison to visibly convey a message because our brother was incarcerated. When you speak about visible issues, people understand better," he said. He continued, "We said, let’s build these hospitals, these scenes depict a home falling apart, where people have children, and you can see how the child suffers because of the issues between their parents."

He mentioned that it took two days to construct the prison set for the video, while the hospital scenes were filmed in the home of a benefactor.  Selemani added that they had to go to Kigali to source clothing that represents imprisonment, which took very little time to complete.

Gospel artist Ngabo Medard Jorbert, known as Meddy, has announced his plans to hold major concerts in various cities across Canada. This will be the first time Meddy, famous for songs like "Grateful," performs in these cities as part of a tour aimed at sharing the message of Jesus Christ. The tour will also include personal testimonies about his life and an invitation for young people to connect with God.

On the night of Friday, October 11, 2024, Meddy revealed his upcoming concerts in Canada, following a series of performances in various cities across the United States.

Philbert Kwizera, who is organizing these concerts, told the media that the events will take place in seven cities in Canada, running from December 2024 to February 2025. He stated that the goal of these concerts, titled "Worship and Testimonies," is for Meddy to share his testimony and bring many people to Christ. The concerts are planned for cities including Montreal, Ottawa, Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, and Winnipeg. He mentioned, "They will start in December 2024 and continue through February 2025."

Kwizera explained that Meddy will be joined by artists such as Adrien Misigaro and Kaira Gahimbare. He added, "They have confirmed their participation. If anything changes, I will inform you."

He emphasized that attendees can expect "Meddy's testimony and great music" during the concerts. The events will kick off in Montreal and then move to Ottawa, with further dates in Edmonton and Calgary, and final stops in Vancouver and Winnipeg to be confirmed later.

Emmy Vox, a gospel music artist, has announced the upcoming release of his first Extended Play (EP) titled "Time." This project aims to emphasize that God's timing is unchanging, and those who trust in Him should find peace and security within themselves.

The EP features three songs and will be released with a visualizer, although Emmy plans to create music videos for each track in the future. He mentioned that he spent over three months working on the EP and chose not to collaborate with other artists, wanting to showcase his musical skills in gospel music.

The EP includes the songs "Time," "Ibirenze," and "Imana ibirimo." Emmy collaborated with various producers, including Loader, Realbeat, Arnaud Gasige, and Mamba, while Moriox Media assisted with the video production.

Emmy Vox, known for songs like "Amateka," explained that he named the EP "Time" to reflect God's timing. He stated, "I chose the name 'Time' to convey that everything requires God's timing for His plans and thoughts to come to fruition. This theme will be clearly understood in the lead song of my EP, also titled 'Time.'"

He revealed that the EP is set to be released next week. In September 2023, he held a concert named after his first album, "Amateka," which took place at Camp Kigali and featured artists such as Israel Mbonyi.

"Amateka" is one of the songs he has released in the past two years while creating music that glorifies God. Emmy shares that this song holds special significance for him and inspired the name of his first concert and album.

He explained that he felt inspired to write the song after a prolonged period of illness. "It’s a song that God laid on my heart during my extraordinary times of prayer and illness. God told me, 'I am the God who changes histories, and people change their words.'"

Emmy Vox considers this song his most important creation, as it represents his journey with God and how he ultimately produced a beautiful piece. He added, "After healing, I wrote the song, and it became one of the beautiful pieces God used in my life."

Gospel singer and worship leader Bella Kombo is set to perform in Kigali for the first time, in a concert organized by worship leader Eddy Muramyi where she will record videos for her new songs. This event is designed to highlight the songs from her first album titled 'Rukundo' (Love) and will take place at the Crown Conference Hall in Nyarutarama, Kigali City.

It's the first time this young artist will hold such a concert aimed at recording videos for the various songs that she has been preparing over the past two years since entering the music industry. Eddy Muramyi told InyaRwanda that he invited Bella Kombo because she is a contemporary worship leader in Tanzania, and her songs have greatly captivated people in East African countries in recent years.

He said, "She's someone I like, and I appreciate her work. So I approached her, and she agreed. It's great that she agreed to collaborate with us in the concert, where we'll sing her song and mine together, which will help my music cross Rwandan borders and become international. I would say she's an important person."

Bella Kombo is coming to perform in Kigali after recently holding concerts in various countries, including those in her home country where she performed with Jado Sinza & Esther Umulisa from Rwanda and others from South Africa.

Eddy Muramyi says, "I see her as someone I can learn a lot from. It will be something very significant." He mentioned that besides Bella Kombo, he has invited another artist from South Africa to perform in this concert named "Rukundo Live Recording."

Eddy Muramyi also says that apart from performing with Bella Kombo, they will collaborate on one of his songs and cover one of hers. He states, "There's also a song of mine that we'll do together, but we'll also cover her song 'Ameniona' and she'll help cover my song called 'Musaraba'." He said this event will start at 4 PM on December 13, 2024.

Bella Kombo was last in Rwanda between August 14-18, 2024, for a conference called "Thanksgiving Conference" organized by Revival Palace Community Church Bugesera, led by Pastor Dr. Ian Tumusime. This will be her first performance in Kigali City. Bella Kombo is an artist born in Tanzania, where she lives and carries out her ministry. She was born on May 20, 1992.

She initially tried secular music and participated in a talent show. After not winning first place, she decided to do gospel music following advice from her mother. She comes from a family of celebrities, as her mother, Jacqueline Wolper, is one of the prominent models in Tanzania who became famous in cinema.

She is the granddaughter of an influential Tanzanian politician, Kombo Suleiman Kombo, who was a Member of Parliament in Tanzania. "Alpha Omega" appears to be her first song that reached YouTube 7 years ago. However, reports say that a song called "Ninogeshe" was her entry into music.

In 2022, she released a highly popular song called "Nifinyange," which marked the beginning of her rise to fame. Her revised history was written by her song "Ameniona," which she did with Zoravo, who performed in Rwanda earlier this year in Jado Sinza's concert, who recently married Esther Umulisa.

On April 14, 2024, Bella Kombo was welcomed into the family of African music celebrities when she released a song called "Mungu Ni Mmoja" that sparked debate in her music. "Mungu Ni Mmoja" is a song Bella Kombo collaborated on with Evelyn Wanjiru and Neema Gospel Choir. In just 6 months on YouTube, it has been viewed by over 12 million people, indicating that it could be the song of the year 2024 in East Africa.

Redemption Voice Canada has released a new captivating song called "Imiliyoni" (Millions), written by Yves Ishimwe, Hervé Mbungabunga, and Davy Hatunga. The vocals were produced by Marc Kibamba in collaboration with Farley, while the video was shot by Landry SB.

In Kirundi, they begin by saying, "Lord God, if I forget your love, remind me. And when my sin increased, your grace abounded even more. I was dead, but you gave me life. I was in darkness, but Jesus saw me. I have thousands of reasons to praise you, I have millions of reasons to praise you."

The song has been well-received by fans of the group and gospel music lovers in general. Danny Daniel commented, "Those who have millions of reasons to praise the Lord because He showed us love, mercy, and grace we won't find elsewhere, give me a 'like'." Others said, "May God bless you abundantly, and may you continue to grow in all aspects. The song has touched my heart. I have been missing you. For sure, I really like the song 'Imiliyoni'. Redemption Voice, be honored."

The video for "Imiliyoni" by Redemption Voice, which is also the title of their new album, was shot in January 2024. This song was released as the group was preparing for a major concert to be held on 09/11/2024 at the Algonquin Commons Theatre in Ottawa, Canada. Yves Ishimwe is the coordinator of this concert, "Yangiriye Neza 2nd Edition". He told Inyarwanda that the concert aims to spread the good news and praise Jesus Christ. He mentioned that they expect many to receive Jesus, and there will be "deliverance and good times of being visited by God through praise."

Redemption Voice is a group of Burundian worshippers, operating in Burundi and Canada. Redemption Voice Burundi consists of five members: Hervé, Davy, Zackarie, Bénie Bernice, and Hervé Patrick. Redemption Voice Canada has seven members: Yvan, Leslie, Eric, Greta, Corine, Adonis, and Kelly.

Redemption Voice started their ministry in 2007 when they were still young high school students. Today, they have grown into men and women still dedicated to the work. They have been in ministry for 17 years. They are known for songs like "Yuguruye Ntawugara", "Ni Wewe gusa", "Nashimwe", "Yangiriye Neza", "Ndakwizigiye", "Naho Nagendeye", and "Yarankunze". Their beautiful voices and good songwriting contribute to the popularity of their creations.

Redemption Voice is grateful that many people have been saved through their songs and concerts. They are also proud that "we have been an example or model in singing worship songs for others who have now reached an impressive level." Their expansion to operate in both Burundi and Canada is a page in their history book that brings them great joy. They are deeply thankful to God for this. And the journey continues as they prepare to establish Redemption Voice in Europe.

They say, "Yes, God has been good to us because we have expanded. Now Redemption Voice Canada has been born and has already produced several works. Soon, Redemption Voice will be born in Europe and wherever else Jesus enables us to reach."

Redemption Voice says that in the next 5 years, they wish to see many people know Christ through their songs, many healed of diseases through worship, the church and Christians supporting singers more than ever before, and singers working without burning out.

Gospel singer and worship leader Israel Mbonyi has taken the top spot as the most followed Rwandan artist on YouTube, surpassing Ngabo Médard Jobert [Meddy] who had held this position for a long time. Meddy had maintained this position for an extended period, largely due to his hit songs from various times. However, he has recently shifted towards evangelism, putting aside his secular music.

Statistics show that Israel Mbonyi has 1.44 million subscribers on his YouTube channel, which was created on February 6, 2012. This means it has been 12 years since he dedicated his life to Christ through creations that call upon the world to focus on the Kingdom of Heaven.

He has uploaded 67 creations to his YouTube channel, including songs from his album, recordings of various concerts, and other content. All of these have been viewed over 268 million times. His channel is registered in Kenya. In fact, reports suggest that a large number of people viewing his creations are from that country.

Israel Mbonyi has reached the top position largely due to his recent focus on creating content in Swahili. Additionally, he has recently released many songs and performed numerous concerts, unlike his counterpart Meddy. Meddy has moved to second place with 1.43 million subscribers. He created his YouTube channel on May 17, 2013.

According to information provided by his YouTube channel, it appears to be registered in the United States. He has uploaded 63 creations, which have been viewed 284 million times. Israel Mbonyi's creations have been viewed 268,680,303 times, while Meddy's have been viewed 284,341,593 times. This means there's a difference of 240,248,710 views. In other words, Meddy's creations have been viewed more times than Israel Mbonyi's.

Meddy released the song 'Niyo Ndirimbo' featuring Adrien Misigaro nine months ago, while Israel Mbonyi's latest release, 'Kaa Nani,' came out on October 2, 2024. Meddy is preparing for concerts in Canada scheduled for December 2024 and February 2025, while Israel Mbonyi is preparing for concerts in Tanzania, South Africa, and other locations.

Israel Mbonyi, who has been in music for 12 years, now sits at the top as the artist with the most subscribers on YouTube. Meddy has moved to second place after leading others on YouTube for a while. The Ambassadors of Christ choir from the Seventh-day Adventist Church is in third place with 1.28 million subscribers.

The gospel music duo Vestine and Dorcas have released the video for their new Swahili song titled 'Neema'. This is their first song in this language after three years in the music industry.

Currently, artists creating uplifting spiritual songs are focusing on producing works in Swahili, mainly because it is a language spoken by a large number of people worldwide and is predominant in East African countries. Six years ago, Rwanda adopted Swahili as its fourth official language. Swahili is one of the 10 most spoken languages in the world, with over 200 million speakers. The national census published in February 2023 showed that 2.97% of Rwanda's population speaks Swahili.

Vestine and Dorcas gained popularity through songs from their first album 'Nahawe Ijambo', written by Niyo Bosco, with whom they worked for a long time while he was with MIE. The album includes songs like 'Si Bayali', 'Ibuye', 'Arakize', 'Simpagarara', 'Adonai', 'Papa', 'Nzakomora', and others. They created this album while still in school but continued to work on it until completion.

After Niyo Bosco left that label, he stopped assisting these artists. In an interview with the media on December 20, 2022, the girls acknowledged Niyo Bosco's role in their first album. Kamikazi Dorcas said, "He did great things. We are grateful to him. From our song 'Nahawe Ijambo' to 'Nzakomora', he played a very important role. I thank him and wish him blessings. May God be with him, and may he know that God will reward him for what he has done."

Niyo Bosco contributed to Vestine and Dorcas's songs from 'Nahawe Ijambo' to 'Nzakomora'. His voice could be heard in their songs (known as Backup).

They have now enlisted two writers

Through their advisor, Murindahabi Irénée [M. Irénée], these girls continued their journey of creating more works focused on praising God. However, if you look closely, you can see that they have prioritized working with other writers who are also music artists themselves.

Initially, they worked with gospel singer Danny Mutabazi, known for songs like 'Impamba y'urugendo'. He wrote several songs for them including 'Iriba', 'Isaha', 'Umutaka', and their recent release 'Ku musaraba'. Danny Mutabazi told InyaRwanda that he's pleased with the success of the works he wrote for them. He said, "Yes! The songs I wrote for them have been very successful, especially the most recent one (referring to the song 'Iriba' he wrote for them)."

He mentioned that Vestine and Dorcas are talented, and their works inspire many. He said, "They have the values of loving what they do and the gift of singing in a way that touches the hearts of their listeners."

The song 'Neema', which they released on Sunday night, July 21, 2024, was written by Martin Mugisha, who is also a gospel artist. This is the first time he has worked with these girls in writing a song for them. He told InyaRwanda that he was happy to contribute to the girls' music.

However, he mentioned that in writing this song, he collaborated with M. Irénée. He said, "Yes! It's the first time, but I worked with Murindahabi Irénée [M. Irénée] because Vestine and Dorcas are international singers."

"Writing a song for them requires being with Irene Murindahabi to align our ideas, as Irene is also a very good singer. So, I feel very good about it, and it's very pleasing. It's really the first time we've worked together."

Serugo Ben and his wife Mbanza Chance, a group of artists who sing gospel songs under the name Ben & Chance, have released a song in Swahili called "Panapo Upendo."

This song, titled "Panapo Upendo," which means "Where There Is Love," was released as planned on various music platforms including YouTube, with audio and video being uploaded on July 25, 2024, at 12:00 PM.

In this song "Panapo Upendo" (Where There Is Love), they say that where there is love, there is peace, the food there tastes good, everywhere is calm, it's where God dwells, and His unfailing love is indescribable, life is perfect.

They continue to say that God's love transforms people's hearts from being like stones, making them kind and giving them hearts of love. This song adds to their other Swahili songs, including one called "Mje Muone," which has been out for over two years and has been loved by hundreds of thousands.

This song was released after more than a month since they released a song called "Abagenzi," which came out after their concerts in Canada.

Besides these songs, they have others that have been viewed millions of times, for example, "Yesu Arakora" which has been viewed over 7 million times, "Amarira" which exceeded 2 million views, "Zaburi Yange" which surpassed 1.6 million views, and many others.

These worshippers are known for writing songs related to their personal testimonies of what the Lord has done in their lives. Their songs are very popular because they are full of truth about visible things, not just miracles of biblical ancestors.

Ben and Chance have three children whom they say are gifts from God. After losing their firstborn and not being able to conceive for three years, they sought medical help in various places where they were told they could not have more children. This forms a significant part of the testimony in their songs because what they were told did not come to pass.

The evangelistic organization called Baho Global Mission, in collaboration with various religions and churches operating in Mahama sector of Kirehe district, has organized a revival crusade featuring popular ministers such as Pastor Zigirinshuti Michel, Bishop Joseph Mugasa, and artists like Theo Bosebabireba and Thacien Titus, among others.

This crusade, named the Mahama Revival Miracle Crusade, will take place from July 26 to July 28, 2024, in the Congolese and Burundian refugee camp located in Mahama sector, Kirehe District.

The crusade will include teachings for different groups, including youth, women, and ministers. During the first days, these group sessions will be held in the mornings, while in the afternoons, starting from 2 PM, there will be general revival and miracle services.

Pastor Isaie Baho, the leader of Baho Global Mission and coordinator of this crusade, stated that the purpose of bringing this revival and miracle crusade to Mahama sector in Kirehe district is to help people grow closer to God and to preach the gospel to those who have not yet received salvation, as well as to pray for those with prayer requests.

Speaking to Rwandagospel, the pastor said: "The Word of God in Hebrews 13:8 says that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. We know that Jesus preached to people, they received salvation, then He prayed for the sick and answered people's requests. In this crusade, we will follow the same pattern, and all these things will be manifested."

The pastor continued, explaining that on the first day of the crusade, which is Friday, various activities are planned. These include a football match between local teams in Mahama, a community service event uniting Christians in Mahama sector, as well as youth training sessions and separate teachings for women.

The following day, Saturday, there will be training sessions for ministers, including pastors and their assistants, in the morning hours. On Sunday, people will attend their respective churches, and in the afternoon, as on the previous days, the general crusade service will continue.

The Chayah Gathering, a spiritual event initiated in 2019 by women leaders from various churches under the guidance of Pastor Florence Mugisha, is preparing for its third edition. The term "Chayah," derived from Hebrew, signifies renewal, revival, and progress. The gathering's primary objective is to foster an extraordinary spiritual awakening in the country.

The inaugural event was hosted at CLA Church, while the second took place at Omega Church. This year, the New Life Bible Church will serve as the venue for the gathering. According to Pastor Florence Mugisha, in an interview with inyaRwanda.com, the Chayah Gathering was established to mobilize people from all walks of life to draw closer to God through collective prayer, supplication, and preaching.

Pastor Florence revealed that the vision for Chayah Gathering was placed on her heart by God a decade ago. Initially reluctant, she questioned her ability to lead such a significant movement aimed at national revival. However, she eventually yielded to God's call and launched the initiative.

Explaining the name, Pastor Florence said, "Chayah is a Hebrew word meaning to live again, revival, restoration, live once more. In essence, it's about bringing life where there was none."

This year's gathering has a special focus on reaching out to a large number of youth, both believers and non-believers. The goal is to provide an opportunity for them to encounter God and be transformed by His grace. The event aims to address pressing issues such as severe depression, suicide, addiction, and lack of direction, teaching that lasting solutions can be found in Jesus Christ.

The three-day event is scheduled to run from June 28 to June 30, 2024. On the first day, sessions will begin at 5 PM, while the second day will start at 2 PM. The final day, which will have a particular emphasis on youth, will commence at 5 PM.

Notable speakers for this edition include Pastor Charles Mugisha, Pastor Florence Mugisha, Pastor Christopher Rue, Pastor Dana Rue, Pastor Edmond Kivuye, Dr. Michael Biryabarema, and Pastor Lea Mukabaranga. Worship leaders will feature Chryso Ndasingwa, Fabrice and Maya, and See Muzik.

As the Chayah Gathering enters its third year, organizers hope to continue its mission of spiritual revival and transformation in Rwanda, with a particular emphasis on reaching and impacting the nation's youth.