Evelyn Wanjirū (born 6 May 1990) is a Kenyan gospel singer, worship leader, songwriter, and music director. She is also an entrepreneur, the host of the annual worship event Praise Atmosphere, and co-founder of Bwenieve Production. Wanjirū's song “Mazingira,” which was adopted as the theme for a Kenyan government environmental conservation campaign, leading to her appointment as a music ambassador for the Mau Forest initiative. Her album Mungu Mkuu won Album of the Year at the 2015 Groove Awards, and her collaboration “Tulia” (featuring Vicky Kitonga) won Collaboration of the Year at the same awards in 2016. She has also received nominations at the All Africa Music Awards and the Sauti Awards. She is known for songs such as “Mungu Mkuu,” “Celebrate,” “Na Iwe Maombi,” “Jehovah Elohim,” “Waweza,” “Utukufu,” “Nikufahamu,” and “Asante.” In 2024, Wanjirū published her first book, The Wait, documenting her personal experience of waiting for a child alongside her husband, Agundabweni Akweyu.
Life and career Wanjirū is the fourth-born of Helen Muhonja and Crispin Kinyūa in a family of five. Born in Nairobi in 1989, she was raised in Nakuru's Freehold Estate, where she attended Saint Mary's Girls Primary and Langalanga Secondary School. Wanjirū started singing at age nine in church and school music festivals.
Early on, she was actively involved in drama and the school choir. She later joined Tears Group, Nakuru, for a course in music before further benefiting from the Permanent Presidential Music Commission (P.P.M.C) at the 2010 Talent Academy at Kabarak University. After early successes in church and school festivals, she was discovered by music producer Agundabweni Akweyu. Together they started Bwenieve Productions, a music recording studio. She recorded her first album "Mazingira," which was later re-branded as "Waweza. This album received accolades, most notably for her songs "Waweza" and "Hossana. "Waweza" was nominated as Worship Song and Wanjiru as New Artist of the Year for the 2012 Groove Awards.
The song "Mazingira" was also selected as the theme song of the Kenyan government's campaign to reclaim Mau Forest in 2010. During the launch of this reforestation project in eastern Mau, the incumbent Prime Minister of Kenya was impressed by the song, appointing Wanjiru as the official music ambassador for Mau Forest. Under the auspices of this appointment, she began the “Mazingira Bora Afya Bora" campaign for the promotion of good health and a healthy environment.
The title song of her second album "Mungu Mkuu", won the 2015 Groove Awards Album of the Year.
From her third album titled "Matendo", the song "Tulia" a collaboration with Vick Kitonga Won 2016 groove awards collaboration of the year, "Nikufahamu" from the same album was nominated for Afrima in the category 'inspiration African female artist of the year 2016''. She won the 2016 Xtreem awards worship song of the year. The Sauti Awards U.S.A 2016 nominated her for East Africa female artist of the year.
In 2017, Wanjirū had two groove awards nominations; female artist and "Matendo" as album of the year, she was also nominated for Sauti Awards U.S.A. 2017 female artist of the year and Video of the year (Matendo).
In 2021, Wanjirū released her fifth album, Mwanga, which is Swahili for "Light." It was recorded live before an audience by her own label, Bwenieve, on August 30, 2021, at The Catholic University Of East Africa Auditorium. It consists of 12 audio - visual songs. The album was released on 24 November exclusively on Boomplay app.
In 2024, Wanjirū published her debut book, The Wait, where she shares her journey of hope, faith, and God’s timing. For a decade, she and her husband, Agundabweni Akweyu, wished for a child. Through seasons of doubt, steadfast faith, and persistent prayer, they learned to trust in God’s promises. Just when hope seemed out of reach, a miraculous blessing changed their lives forever.
Wanjirū has toured different countries like the United States, South Africa, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, South Sudan, and Uganda. She has shared the same platforms in ministry alongside singers like Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Michael W. Smith, Nathaniel Bassey, Chandler Moore, Sinach, Mary Mary, and more. She did a collaboration titled "Sawa" with Zimbabwean gospel musician Tembalami and the song received a lot of airplay. She also collaborated with Mkhululi Bhebhe on his live recording in Johannesburg, South Africa, the medley "Hakuna Mungu kama wewe" and in Ghana collaborated with gospel singer Celestine Donkor.
On April 7, 2012, Wanjirū married producer Agundabweni Akweyu at Buruburu Baptist Church Nairobi, where her late father-in-law, Rev. Kenneth Akweyu, had served as a senior pastor. In their tenth year of marriage, they had their first son, Mshindi Akweyu Agundabweni, born on 6 April 2022. Wanjirū runs a fashion house named Bwenieve Clothesline, and oversees a mentorship program for aspiring musicians. Together with her husband, they run Bwenieve Production and other businesses.
Discography Albums
YearAlbumNotes2012Wawezawritten by Wanjirū2015Mungu Mkuuwritten by Wanjirū2017Matendowritten by Wanjirū2019Celebratewritten by Wanjirū2021Mwanagawritten by Wanjirū
Songs:
Waweza Album (2012)
Waweza Unatosha Hossana Anthem Namlauduon Mazingira
Mungu Mkuu Album (2015)
Mungu Mkuu Utukufu Yaweh Tunakuabudu Ila damu yake yesu Karibu Yesu Nimwamini Damu All Glory Neno Moja Damu Medley
Matendo Album (2017)'
Nikufahamu Baba Inuka Tulia tf Vicky Matendo Halleluya Sema Nami Sawa ft Tembalami Nilingoze Subiri ft Mercy Masika & Emmy Kosgei
Celebrate Album (2019)'
Celebrate Bless the Lord Jehovah Elohim Holy It is Amazing Nanyenyekea Sitaogopa I surrender
Mwanga Album (2021)'
1. Mwanga Album Intro 2. You're Worthy 3. Utukufu ( Live) 4. Mwanga 5. Nanyenyekea(Live) 6. Everlasting(Live) 7. Naringa na Yesu 8. Baba Inuka(Live) 9. Mungu Mkuu (Live) 10. Sifa Zitande 11. Umwema 12. Jehovah Elohim (Live) 13. Wonderful
Singles
Jehova Elohim Its Amazing Celebrate Holy Everlasting No One Like You Sitagopa Worthy ft Eunice Njeri Favour ft Celestine Donkor Hakuna Mungu kama wewe ft Mkhululi Bhebhe
Awards and nominations YearAssociationCategoryNominated workResultRef(s)2020Impact AwardsHonoraryEverlastingWinner2020Maranatha AwardsBest live ministrationHakuna Mungu Kama weweWinner2019Mwafaka AwardsFemale Artist of the yearCelebrateWinner2019Groove AwardsArtist of the yearCelebrateNominee2019Groove AwardsWorship song of the yearCelebrateNominee2019Groove AwardsSong of the yearCelebrateNominee2018Sauti Awards U.S.AWorship song East, west, South AfricaJehovah ElohimWinner2018Maranatha AwardsFemale Artist of the yearJehovah ElohimWinner2018Maranatha AwardsCollaboration of the yearSawaWinner2017Groove AwardsFemale Artist of the yearMatendoNominee2017Groove AwardsAlbum of the yearMatendoNominee2017Sauti Awards U.S.AFemale Artist of the year E.AMatendoNominee2017Sauti Awards U.S.AVideo of the yearMatendoNominee2016Afrima AwardsBest female African inspirationalNikufahamuNominee2016Mwafaka AwardsFemale artist of the yearNikufahamuNominee2016Mwafaka AwardsCollabo of the yearTuliaNominee2016xtreem AwardsFemale artist of the yearNikufahamuNominee2016xtreem AwardsWorship Song of the yearNikufahamuNominee2016Groove AwardsWorship Song of the yearNikufahamuWinner2016Groove AwardsFemale Artist of the yearNikufahamuNominee2016Groove AwardsCollabo of the yearTuliaWinner2015Groove AwardsAlbum of the yearMungu MkuuWinner2015Groove AwardsFemale Artist of the yearMungu MkuuNominee2015Groove AwardsWorship Song of the yearMungu MkuuNominee2015Xtreem AwardsWorship Song of the yearMungu MkuuWinner2015Xtreem AwardsCollabo of the yearTuliaWinner2015Xtreem AwardsFemale artist of the yearMungu MkuuNominee2015Mwafaka AwardsFemale Artist of the yearMungu MkuuNominee2015Mwafaka AwardsSong of the yearMungu MkuuNominee2014Xtreem AwardsWorship Song of the yearWawezaWinner2014Xtreem AwardsCentral Kenya Artist of the yearWawezaWinner2012Groove AwardsWorship Song of the yearWawezaNominee
References
Sources Wowan to Woman-Daily nation retrieved 24 April 2012 Groove awards new artist nominee Evelyn Wanjiru Album launch Buzz Daily nation. Retrieved 24 April 2016
External links evelynwanjiru.com YouTube channel