I got married for the wrong reasons- Maggy Seurey

She is very restless. She sleeps late at times trying to make things happen both as a musician and a business woman.

29-year-old, Maggy Chemutai Seurey the ninth born child from a family of 11 children is not an ordinary lady; she is a multi- talented gospel musician, actress and model.

She spoke to Love Child on, among other things, how she was reduced to a house wife in US and her troubled return with two kids after a bitter separation with her soldier ex-husband.

Her long, wispy African hair frames her pleasant face. She wears an infectious smile and from her lively gait, it’s plain to see that she is in perfect shape, despite being a mother of two beautiful kids.

And why wouldn’t she be? Perhaps maybe she normally goes to the gym or let’s just says she is blessed.

She also happens to be a talented dancer in addition to being a musician. Her melodic, accented voice and sunny disposition fill the room as we chat during the interview.

Her name is Chemutai/Jemutai, “Mutai” in Kalenjin meaning tomorrow. She says she was given the name to mean her day of birth was so much anticipated that when her mum was almost due, those around her kept telling her daily, “ she is ‘gonna’ come tomorrow…”

During her childhood days they called her “Tai” and then they changed to Chemu during her teenage years, but only her big cousin David Cheplel called her “Tatai”. However others call her Maggy Seurey including her own mum and even worse, her two cute babies.

Maggy Seurey was born and raised in the village; she attended Chemnoet Primary School in Nandi County and later joined Shikoti Girls Boarding School in the Western part of the country.

All along, many know her for being disciplined and nice to everyone, “My late dad was a strict village chief who never entertained any form of indiscipline cases. We learnt a lot from him” she said.

I was too curious to know more about her music career and why she has remained unbeatable. “My music journey started way back in college, I use to be a staunch Christian Union member and many times I used to sing a lot and participated in a number of activities while in school,” Maggy revealed.

While still in college she used to actively participate in acting and modeling, in fact she was the first runners up in Miss Universe Kenya.

Back to the music journey now, “I started recording my first Swahili album while in college but in that album there was a Kalenjn song called Atinye Tiendo that gave me a breakthrough.

Later on, I did a series of albums like Longenyun Kiptaiyat, Ingen Jehiso and the recent one Bounatet” She mentioned.

Her latest album is well translated and the video is of high quality courtesy of her favorite Video Producer Kings Lucky whom she says is her biggest fan and is also her mentor too.

“Kings Lucky took my music like it was his own. He is so patient and he is like a teacher to me. He is more than a blessing and God knows why He brought him my way. ”

Her music journey has been exciting and a blessing in her life, “I have seen people’s lives changed through my music and I give God all the glory,” She stated.

But she did not shy away from the fact that she has been facing a lot of challenges like piracy, financial constraints and being famous that she says feels like she is living for the public.

While in Kenya she used to do full time music but when she relocated to US a few years ago, her dream to do full time gospel music hit the wall.

Things became worse when her ex-husband told her to choose between music and marriage. This is despite assuring her before walking down the aisle that he will always support her music career.

In spite of all the disappointment, she got the opportunity to perform in a number of states and places in America and mostly in Columbia where she used to stay. She even started a fellowship called Victory Point Fellowship where she was in charge of the choir.

Before she went to the US she recorded the song “Aweksei gaa” but soon after she came back home and it became a hit simply because of the message behind it. She talked more about Bounatet Album of which she said is an inspiration from God.

She wrote the song while in Minesota in US in a friend’s wedding anniversary when she heard a voice telling her to look for glory from heaven.

She had high hopes and expectations, positive that her life would be better when she got a chance to relocate to the US.

Her plan was simple. Launch her music career and be close to her man. She was in a long-distance relationship with her fiancée, a soldier. Whom she says she loved to bits.

The 29-year-old was, however, oblivious as to how toxic things would later turn out to be.

The ensuing marriage was rocky “The past three years have been painful and full of despair because I got married for the wrong reasons,” revealed Maggy, adding that the father of her two kids was initially good but her presence in the US changed everything.

Maggy discovered her hubby was cheating on her with her best friend. The infidelity had started when he was still in Kenya during the early stages of their relationship, but she chose to forgive him hoping he would change in the future.

The situation then exacerbated to physical abuses when she was pregnant with their second child. 

“I was almost due when he came home in the evening from work and started pushing me against the wall. Despite my cries, he kept on stating that he too could get angry. I thought many times of making the 911 call but something in me would not (let me),” she recalled.

The experience made her think of returning to Kenya, but she could not raise the fare.

Life was not rosy in America where her music dreams died under the weight of a young family and a hubby who made it clear that she should stop doing music. He claimed that she had a bad voice and music was not convenient there.

“However, my heart did not agree with him. Each time I would perform in church, I would see him look down in a manner to suggest that he was not interested and felt humiliated,” explained Maggy.

In Kenya he supported her music, but in America he told her that he is reserved and does not want publicity from her singing in church.

Maggy Seurey was given two choices: To choose between her music and husband and she chose music and to return home.

However requests along those lines were met with beatings, that it reached a point that she would bow down to his every request for fear of facing her husband’s wrath.

“Many at times my elder daughter would find me crying and it hurt me,” She added.

She saved some money and with more funds from her family returned to Kenya without the knowledge of her husband and decided to start from scratch.

“First year in Kenya after break up was so painful since I had nothing not even a coin, I was a laughing stock with some talking behind my back. I lost friends but still God gave me other friends.” She said.

Her breakthrough came when she was hosted on a local show a few months ago where she got more calls inviting her for a number of events across the country.

Apart from Music; Maggy also is a business lady and the brains behind SeuRays African Accessories/Jewellery Shop in WaterGate Building in Eldoret town.

She is also a motivational speaker/mentor and she has mentored numerous students across the country.

I asked her whether she is currently seeing someone or looking forward to getting married again and she smiled and said, “Love child, honestly for now I am concentrating on music and acting. I can tell you for sure that I have moved on and trust God for the next step in my life.”

However she made it clear that she never went public about her relationship woes to hurt anybody but to be the best example to all women who are currently going through hard times in their marriages and choose to be silent about it.

“I am trusting God and I believe that one day I will come up with a women’s foundation to help women overcome the challenges they are facing."