My inspiration to sing was God’s grace, I excelled where there was darkness

    By FAITH RONOH

Even before the Westgate Mall attack, many have known military officers as trigger-happy and militant people. In fact, talking of a soldier venturing into gospel music would not make sense to many Kenyans.

However, this is the myth that Nelly Suter (pictured) has demystified. Her name ‘Princess Nelly’ matches well with the songs she has produced in her first album, Kotumchi (Christ has poured his blessings). Having to work as a nurse at the Recruits Training School in Eldoret (RTS), Nelly balances her music career with family life.

Her love for music, she says, dates back several years ago when she was in primary school where she could direct the school choir. Having lost her mother at a tender age of two months, Nelly says her life changed completely. “I lost my mother when I was two months old. Then, I did not know what it meant to lose a parent. When I grew up my siblings and I moved to my aunt’s place since my father could not manage to raise us,” says Nelly.

When she completed secondary school, her guardian could not raise funds to further her education.

“Immediately after high school I got married since my aunt could not raise funds to further my education. I was desperate for a job,” she narrates.

However, after five months in marriage, Nelly landed a job at the military unit where she attended professional training for seven months.

“When I landed a job in the military I thanked God. The very day my training ended I began composing songs. My inspiration was his grace above everything else. It was then that I wrote my first single-Imukaskei (All things are possible),” she explains.

The song, she says, has an inspirational message that, however, difficult a situation is, there is always hope in Christ Jesus. Owing to the hurdles during her childhood and even as a trainee in the military, Nelly says she had every reason to thank God for seeing her through. Two years after her employment she enrolled as a nursing student; a programme offered under the military curriculum for interested soldiers.   Throughout her training, Nelly kept on writing inspirational songs though she says it took her time before she recorded them.  Last year, she recorded six songs; Atumchini (I will pour my blessings upon you), Imukaskei (all things are possible), Jehovah Kimnatenyu (Christ is my Strength), Milei Jeiso (God will work miracles) Amaimgei (I shall not worry) and Kilosun (I praise you Lord). Her greatest challenge though is balancing her work and music but she says she has learned to cope.

“If there is something that motivates me to continue producing songs each day is the fact that the message in the song could change somebody’s perception about life,” she remarks.