Are Kenyan gospel musicians asleep?

Image: Bahati

I honestly feel like Kenyan gospel musicians are deep in slumber. I’m saying this because I feel that the gospel industry is not as vibrant as it was a few years ago. I feel like it has stagnated.

If you are an avid fan of Kenyan music then I’m sure you remember how the gospel industry was big five to ten years ago. Can you?

M.O.G performing on stage
M.O.G performing on stage

The gospel industry was so enormous so much so that secular artists were almost unheard of, no one even cared about them or what they were up.

The biggest song in the country at any given time was from the likes of DK Kwenye Beat, Juliani, Willy Paul, M.O.G, Benachi, Daddy Owen, Bahati, Gloria Muliro, Eunice Njeri, Mercy Masika etc.

I don’t know what happened but somewhere along the way, the secular industry overtook took over. We can debate about this until the come home but deep down you also know that this is a fact.

The gospel music is not what it was five to ten years and this begs begs the question, are Kenyan gospel musicians asleep, did they get too comfortable or are they just lazy?

Gloria Muliro
Gloria Muliro

I know it’s not a competition between the two sides. After all, they are all Kenyan. As a Christian, it just gives me comfort when the gospel industry is at the top.

Don’t get me wrong, I listen to a lot of secular music. Yup! From Sauti Sol to Ethic, anything goes. I have nothing against secular musicians.

It’s just I really miss that days when gospel music was the order of the day. Those days when gospel gigs had the biggest crowds. The days when gospel musicians were really praising God with music.

This is a clarion call to all Kenyan gospel musicians. Enough said!

About this writer:

David Kingsley

Comme ci, comme ça [email protected]