Nairobi gospel singers jet out for US tour

Nairobi Girls Chorale, Kenyan gospel singers, begin their US tour on Wednesday with initial performances in Nashville, Tennessee.

The singers from Nairobi Pentecostal Church have songs that parody the society with a view to improving it.

Their themes of choice is not limited to mitigating inequality in society, love comes in handy in their Zilizopendwa arrangement of John Nzenze's Angelika. The rendition was popular during the 60s twist dance craze.

The other songs include Wanadamu ni Waongo by Shari Martin, Peace by David Isindu, Gikuyu folk song Guku ni Kwao, Kipsigis folk song Kikererani, Luhya folk song Ambombi, Dholuo spiritual Niwara Nono, Mijikenda folk song Safari ya Mbamba, Maasai folk song Kiti Kiti, as well as Petu Pazuri by Christ Ambassadors and Tuli Tuli a Namibian folk song.

"We are going out there to impress and carry a good name for the country," said Mr Isindu, addressing the girls' parents who had converged to see the last rehearsals of their daughters outside Central Police Station in Nairobi.

The group made a successful tour of the US last year and a good number of them have landed scholarships to study music abroad.