Twelve-year-old singer and actor Nyabiya Syekei from Nairobi, Kenya, is set to make her official music debut with the track “Jiamini” at the “Our Generation 2024” event in Kazan, Russia. This international children’s song competition, taking place on October 5, 2024, will feature participants from over 10 countries, and Nyabiya will be Kenya’s sole representative.
“Jiamini,” which translates to “Believe in Yourself” in Swahili, is an empowerment anthem encouraging children to have faith in their dreams and work hard to achieve them. “It’s a message to all kids out there that no matter what your dreams are, they are possible if you believe in yourself and work hard,” Nyabiya explained. The song was written by Yviona Reign, produced by Motif Di Don, and its video was directed by Rahim from Elixir Nation.
Beyond music, Nyabiya, a student at Brookhouse International School, has excelled both academically and artistically. With nine years of singing experience, she holds a Grade 4 ABRSM Music Achievement, which she passed with distinction. Her acting career took off with a role in Citizen TV’s “Zora,” leading to a Best Actress nomination in the Kids Category at the 2022 Women in Film Awards. She has also been featured in a BBC documentary on child labor and participated in school productions like “Sleeping Beauty: The Musical” and Shakespeare’s “Macbeth.”
In addition to her many accolades, Nyabiya recently performed as a special guest in South Africa at the Little Miss Model Earth Pageant. In her free time, she enjoys playing the guitar, reading, and learning new languages, including Chinese and French.
Her musical inspirations include Whitney Houston (Internationally) and Nikita Kering (Locally).
The “Our Generation” competition, where Nyabiya will be performing, is an annual, televised children’s song contest that gathers young talent from across the globe to compete in Russia.
This year’s edition, taking place in Kazan, will feature participants from countries such as Russia, China, Brazil, and Kenya, marking Kenya’s debut in the competition.
The 2023 competition winners were Wang Yichun from China, who won the audience vote, and Idar Kotsev from Russia, who took home the jury vote.
This year, Nyabiya Syekei will proudly fly the Kenyan flag, bringing her unique voice and message of self-confidence to an international audience.
