Mar 20, 2024 4 Min Read
Celebrated Rwandan gospel singer, performer, and songwriter Israel Mbonyicyambu, also referred to as Israel Mbonyi, has made major contributions to the gospel music field since the beginning of his career.
On May 20, 1992, Mbonyi was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Christian parents. His early demonstration of his love for music inspired him to make it his vocation.
Israel Mbonyi has devoted the majority of his professional life to music, but he also possesses a pharmacy degree from India.
He acknowledged having almost finished his master's degree in public health in a 2022 interview with RTV, stating that he would choose that as a professional path if he weren't working as a musician full-time.
Israel began studying music at a very young age, having received instruction from a music tutor in the Musanze neighborhood of Ruhangeri City, Rwanda.
Mbonyi recalls that only he finished the course and learnt how to play the guitar out of the thirty students that initially enrolled in the class.
On March 10, 2014, he released his first song, "Number One," along with his debut album of the same name that same year.
"Yankuyeho Urubanza," "Ku Migezi," "Nzibyo Nibwira," "Ku Musaraba," "Ndanyuzwe," "Hari Impamvu," and "Agasambi" are some of the eight tracks on the CD.
Prior to venturing into singing in Swahili in 2023, the most of Israel's early musical releases were in his native Kinyarwanda. His most well-known song, "Nina Siri," was his first release in Swahili on June 26, 2023.
With the help of the song, Mbonyi gained recognition both locally and internationally and was exposed to a large number of Swahili-speaking East Africans in Tanzania and Kenya.
Because of 'Nina Siri's' fame, some of his supporters, including former vice president Kalonzo Musyoka, have assumed he is a Tanzanian citizen.
Apart from his musical career, Israel Mbonyi is renowned for emceeing the "Icyambu Live Concert," a yearly occasion that unites individuals of all ages to rejoice and contemplate the year's highs and lows via gospel tunes.
A range of Mbonyi's songs are performed at the performance, which also frequently includes speakers and other performers who add to the joyous and spiritual ambiance of the occasion.
His popular music videos on YouTube are also live recordings from his concerts, which he uses as part of his branding.
Mbonyi's contributions to the gospel music scene have been acknowledged with nominations and honors, including as the 2017 Groove Awards Rwanda's "Songwriter of the Year" and "Male Artiste of the Year" titles.
He was nominated for the 2020 African Entertainment Awards in the United States as well. In 2023, he won the Isango Na Muzika Awards in Rwanda, where he was named Best Gospel Artiste and Male Artiste of the Year.
Along with his domestic and international performances, Mbonyi has also appeared in concerts in Tanzania, Burundi, Israel, Vancouver, Canada, and June 2024, when he will return to Brussels, Belgium for his second Birmingham Palace performance.
Israel Mbonyi, a self-described Christian, finds inspiration for his songs in prayer, Bible reading, and his personal relationship with God. He revealed in a 2022 interview that he gets motivated by listening to various bands.
Additionally, he has stated that inspiration, not the need for mainstream success, is what motivates his approach to music. He highlights the significance of singing from a place of inspiration, implying that his inspiration stems from a closer, more intimate relationship with his religion and the ideas he wants to share via his songs.
Mbonyi's preference for inspiration over financial gain demonstrates his dedication to the spiritual and emotional significance of his work, as he seeks to share significant messages and touch listeners' emotions rather than just become well-known.
Israel has mostly kept his personal life hidden from the public, while many of his admirers are interested in learning more about it, particularly in regards to his sexual relationships.
He has stated time and time again that he is unmarried but would like to create a family of his own.
Although the amount is not formally certified, it is believed that his current net worth in 2024 will be $55,000.
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