Neema Ntalel Kiriswa

Neema Ntalel Kiriswa, a communications diploma student at Daystar University was this weekend awarded the prestigious Kora Award for Best Female Artist in East Africa, in a colourful ceremony held in Durban South Africa.

Neema, an upcoming gospel artist, beat 3 other nominees in her category namely Esther Wahome and Barbara Guantai from Kenya and Lady Jaydee from Tanzania.
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Accepting her award, the excited Neema exclaimed "To God is the Glory, before whom I am nothing." She then went on to thank her friends and family for their support and voting for her. The Kora Awards is a prestigious annual event that serves as recognition of musical and artistic excellence within Africa and its Diaspora. Founded in 1994, the Kora Awards is one of the biggest events in Africa and the first Pan-African music awards to be recognized internationally.

The Infospot congratulates Neema for a job well done!

Neema says she hasn't yet decided how to spend the money.

"But I know for sure that I will use part of it to buy ice-cream and share it with my friends," she says. $5,000 can buy a lot of ice cream, girl.

At the time she was nominated Neema, a mass communication student at Daystar University, was in the process of sitting her exams.

She is looking forward to getting a degree in Ethnomusicology and Management (entertainment management), with a bias towards Artiste Management and Event Organisation.

Christian family

Born and brought up in a Christian family, she often participated in church choirs at MPC and later at Nairobi Chapel.

She gave her life to Christ when in class 6 but as a teenager she back-slid only to re-dedicated her life to God in 2002.

"It was at this time that I sought to record my music.I ended up at Blue Zebra records, where I recorded my first single, ‘Impressions of Love' with Wyre," she says.

Thereafter she was nominated for an AGM (American Gospel Music) Award.

Toward the end of the same year she recorded her second single ‘Ashe', again at Blue Zebra.

She is now working on her album with Tim ‘The Ennovator' Rimbui at Enkare, where she recorded the single ‘Jiwe'.

"My style of music can be described as Afro neo-soul, and is greatly inspired by Lisa McClendon, India Arie and Eric Wanaina," she says.