The new kids who are rocking the showbiz industry

You know you’ve got it when at 12 years of age, Emmy Kosgey invites you to perform at her wedding in Nigeria and in her song launches.

This mellow-voiced gospel musician who wants to be a ‘singing pilot’ also performs at church events, kids’ festivals as well as peace and charity initiatives. She released a song, Kongoi Jehova, in January, and the video, produced by Jacky B, might come out next month.

Before she ventured into showbiz, she used to cover other artistes’ songs, including her two inspirational giants, Emmy and South Africa’s Zahara, as a way of learning the ropes. She performed Zahara’s Loliwe at Kenya National Theatre this year, to the audiences’ delight.

“I started with singing people’s songs because I wanted to learn from them then try to sing better than them,” she discloses.

The youngster says she has grown musically, and it is evident as she covers Jeff Buckley’s Hallelujah in perfect pitch, but it is evident she is not ready to stop there.

“I believe that one has to perfect their talent through education. I attend music classes every Saturday, and and also intend to join Juilliard School of Arts in New York,” says the Grade Seven student.

Nikita, who plays piano and violin, hosts the children’s show, Treasure Hunt at Hope FM once a month, and hopes to be an actress.

How does she balance all this with school?

“I find it manageable. It is all about planning and being disciplined enough to stick to the plans,” she replies.

Her welcoming mother Anne Kering’, who is passionate about talent, says that she supports Nikita’s career the best she can, though it can be expensive at times.

“The classes require a lot of money and there are many expenses that come along the way, but it is worth it. The whole family supports her and we encourage her even when she sings in the shower very early in the morning,” she adds.

 Marc Ort

This seven-year-old will play Arnold Junior in the Pearls of Africa movie, set for re-shoot from April in Kisumu and London. He, too, recently released a song, Mama, with his 15-year-old sister and songwriter, Laura Ort, under the name Lama Stars. The two will shoot the video for If we can Dream soon, with J Blessing as the producer.

Marc, a Grade four student, has had a number of performances with his sister as well as a solo artiste, from the Jubilee manifesto launch, to corporate meetings, churches, children’s festivals, and charity events.

At only three years of age, he was spotted when he auditioned for the Mombasa Got Talent show, where he played a guitar. Daniel ‘Churchill’ Ndambuki also noticed this young chap when he sang Michael Jackson’s We are the World. The boy wonder performed the song during the Churchill road show tour in Mombasa earlier this month.

This lively youngster hosts a prank show on K24, and will soon be in a TV advert.

His mother, Pamela Ort, says that he concentrates on school from morning to midday, after which he is allowed to focus on his career.

“I support him every way I can. I download songs from other children his age, and he has a vocals coach,” she says.

 Ryan Thuku

This eight-year-old was an ordinary boy  until he discovered his  awe-inspiring photographic memory and concentration.

“I have an ability to read, write, identify and separate colours, play football and computer games, play the keyboard and also ride a bike while blindfolded,” says the Class Two student who loves travelling, his playstation, watching cartoons and swimming. 

When the Kenyan ambassador to Israel learned that Ryan had visited the country with his mother, he asked the pair to visit him. The ambassador  had known about Ryan after watching him on YouTube, and during their meeting, he advised him to pursue a career in  detective work.

This reserved young boy who wants to be a pilot or a sea captain as well as support needy children says he looks up to Barack Obama. He also wants to venture into gospel music.

“I am recording a song with Rufftone. The recording will be done during the school holidays so that it does not affect my learning. I am also learning quantum speed reading,” he says.

Jacqueline Irungu, his proud mother, says she happily sacrifices time and resources for her first-born son.

“My job is flexible since I am self-employed, therefore, I’m able to reschedule my plans around his activities. I believe  that as a parent I have a responsibility to give Ryan the best,” she says.

 Romeo Abrash

The main character in the KTN show, Junior, his first role, he dreams of becoming a household name in the film industry and scooping awards in future.

“I want to land more acting opportunities because I know I have what it takes. My dream is to make it big in the film industry and make my father proud,” he says.

Romeo, who describes himself as fun-loving and easy going, says his father is his inspiration, and the person responsible for who he is today.

“I have a wonderful father who took my talent very seriously and helped me attend auditions and meet people. I am taking school seriously and have fun during the weekends,” he says.

The third-born also wants to become a professional footballer good enough to play in Europe.

“I want to encourage fellow young people to study hard and never hesitate to discover their talents,” he says.

Joy Maranatha Ohon

She has sang with Daddy Owen at the Chaguo la Teeniez awards and appeared in several TV adverts before landing a role as ‘Joy’ in the award-winning Machachari TV series. The ten-year-old recounts her journey.

“I loved watching movies and cramming lines of my favourite characters from as early as when I was four. That was how I knew I could do some acting,” recalls the Grade Five student.

Joy says she is now working on further building her acting career as well as undertaking another path in the entertainment industry, after she recorded and performed a theme song for the Mwafaka Gospel awards last year.

“I have a passion for music, just like my mother, renowned gospel singer Rosy Ohon. I will release my first single soon,” she says.

It is not just her mother who is in showbiz. Her father, Donald Ohon, is known for the ‘Musa Faulu’ advert, and her six-year-old sister, Imani, has been in many adverts, too.

Joy aspires to be a movie director and a TV presenter, and Citizen TV’s Julie Gichuru is her role model. On a free day, Joy goes swimming, and she has participated in swimming galas through her school.

 Ephy Young

The past one year has seen this gospel artiste, who will turn 13 this year, release songs like Ebenezer, Umekuwa Mwema, Only You, and be featured  in the Dhambi Inaboo remix alongside Blessed Jo. He bagged a nomination for Most Promising Young Artiste at the Xtreem Muzik Awards last year.

Ephy Young, real name Ephraim Munene Mugambi, recalls how his career started to blossom.

“I used to be the lead singer during the school parade when I was in kindergarten. I have also been covering other musicians’ songs in church events and school functions,” he says.

Years later, he got to do a collaboration with Rufftone in his loveable song, Wololo.

“Wololo was to be a solo project, before my producer, Teddy B, approached Rufftone for a collabo. He listened to the song and liked it,” says the down-to-earth Class Six student.

Before the year ends, Ephy wants to be an international gospel artiste, and wants the world to realise that there is talent in the gospel industry in Kenya.

“I will record another song in April. Mostly, I do music when school closes. When classes resume, I am all about books because I take education very seriously.”

Having been an emcee for the Groove party last year, Ephy Young would love to pursue this line professionally.

He admires Kirk Franklin for his songs that spread the message of love, and adds that it is God who keeps him going, both as Ephy Young and Ephraim.

The young star is full of praise for his father, Juliano Mugambi.

“I ensure my son goes to the gym, and is also trained for stage performance to boost his confidence and to enable him perform for long without fatigue,” says Mugambi.

 Olivia Karimi

You might know this eight-year-old host of K24’s Jus’ Kids show. After the show, you will find this energetic girl going for events such as kids’ festivals.

Her father explains that Olivia gets the script every Wednesday, and her parents help her in rehearsing it until Saturday, when the show is on air.

She says she works on school assignments after she arrives home from school, before going through her script.

Olivia is also interested in music and is learning how to play the keyboard. She hopes to learn ballet.

Imani Ohon

Like her big sister whose footsteps she wants to follow in, Imani is taking the showbiz world by storm at the age of six. She was first featured in an advert when she was three years old. Recently, she has also been in the Oreos cookies advert aired locally and on Mnet.

“I want to be an actress like my sister, Joy, and also be a musician and an acrobat. I am currently taking ballet classes,” she says.

Trevor Gitonga

The 17-year-old Trevor Gitonga recently joined Brookhouse International Schools on scholarship.

He has appeared on various TV drama shows among them Changes on M-net, Makutano Junction and Junction Teens Tafakari (Mind Set Learn).

He has featured on various movies like Afrika Mon Amour (German award winning movie), Unseen, Unsung, Unforgotten (Kalasha Award) and recently Leo, where he was the lead character. Besides acting and doing brand endorsements, the multitalented boy is also a singer with two songs under his belt.

 He has appeared on the Flava Milk Shake,  Umeme Pamoja, CIC Insurance, Eno, Geisha soap commercials.