Pastor’s kids: Kenyan secular musicians whose parents are church leaders
In Kenya, some musicians began their careers as secular singers before undergoing a transformation.
Others were born into pastoral families but ended up pursuing secular music.
Here is a list…
Victoria Kimani
Born in Los Angeles, California to clergy parents.
Her childhood was a mixture of both cultures.
Victoria’s parents own Father’s House Family Church in Ruiru, Kiambu County.
“They (my parents) are still pastors. Growing up in that household was different because they are typical African parents, but not too typical because we lived in America for a long time. They went to the States early to go to school and had me there. They mixed their culture with the American culture,” Victoria revealed in an episode of ‘Weekend with Betty’ on K24 TV.
And like most iconic artists, it was in the church where she honed her singing skills before pursuing secular music.
Victoria revealed that although her parents would prefer her to use her voice to serve God through gospel music, her success is important to them and so they support her in her secular music career.
“I think my dad appreciates the music part of it because he is a musician, my mum would definitely prefer me to sing gospel music. It’s definitely their preference, but to be honest, my parents just want me to be successful more than anything else. If I am successful, they are happy, and even with the few successes I have had, they post things on Facebook that they are proud of,” she said.
Nyashinski
A household name in Kenya’s secular industry, Nyashinski is the son of a pastor.
Nyash, as he is fondly called by his fans, has however ventured into singing secular songs such as Bebi Bebi, Finyo, and Kebs.
If you listen to his songs, he usually incorporates God or spiritual lyrics as an ode to his father who is a strong believer. Take the song Mungu Pekee, for instance.
It’s definitely their preference, but to be honest, my parents just want me to be successful more than anything else. If I succeed, they are happy and even with the few successes I have had, they post things on Facebook that they are proud of.
Khaligraph Jones
He comes from a devout Christian family, with his mother serving as a church minister, which played a significant role in his spiritual awakening.
“Those who have followed me closely know that I come from a prayerful background. My mother, a pastor, has been my biggest inspiration,” he said.
Khaligraph also released an album, ‘Testimony 1990’, dedicated to his mother, who has been a supporter of his music.
Celebrities who left the secular world to become pastors
Lovy Longomba and his late brother Christian dominated the Kenyan music scene in the early 2000s, topping the charts with hits such as ‘Dondosa’, ‘Queen’ and ‘Vuta Pumz’.
Known for their electrifying performances at the height of their success, the duo eventually moved to the United States.
There, Lovy turned his life around and devoted himself to Christ.
He opened the Revelation Church of Jesus Christ (RCJC) in Los Angeles, where he now serves as senior pastor.
He claims to be a prophet and performs miracles.
Circuit
Known for his hit song ‘Manyake’, Circuit became famous for his sexually charged lyrics before eventually becoming a preacher.
Alongside his partner Jo-el, Circuit released one of the most sexually explicit songs in Kenyan history, ‘Juala (Manyake)’.
After disappearing from the limelight, he resurfaced as a preacher in 2018, rebranding himself as Circuit Righteous and ministering at the Harvest International Centre Church.