 We are sajanas in this land. Karibu sana inafo. I think it just caught my attention. It reminded me what I was reading from my Bible this morning. You're welcome. How's your money? My money is going well so far. You look lovely. Thank you too. How did you start music? I always love to sing. I'm a great singer when I'm doing domestic shows or something when there is no audience. But now I have gone and written and recorded some music and I'm still continuing. I started writing in November last year and I recorded in May four songs. Then I recorded another one in August and I have recorded a Christmas song and will be out soon. How's the journey been throughout the different songs? Writing and singing is fun but it's also a serious business because when you're doing gospel you want to pass on an authentic message to people and you also want to encourage somebody and you need to invest some time and to meditate on the word of God and invest some money. So how different have you found now that of course there's a starting point there's that place where you said this is the place where now I am starting to do music commercially and then there's that part where you're saying you used to sing in the house so how have you, what are some of the things you've learnt or rather what's what's some of the things you've picked up that's so different from when you were shooting music out there? Yes, that you need other resource persons and people who are also sold out into the gospel of Christ so that they can guide you, they can produce your music they can also guide you on doing a video like the one we were just seeing and you need to just interact with other people who've been there it would help if you did so that they tell you you are likely to find this haddo or that haddo I think for me it was just a major step of faith I just dipped both legs into it and I decided at some time I can write a song let me start writing so there was a bit of ignorance also in my part of just going in like that Amazing, everyone started somewhere so it's okay So what was the very first experience with music you had? Recording music or just I was a singer in the choir So as a child I loved to sing singing in church I've grown up in the church setup and then when I came to Nairobi to work I was singing in a choir for 4 to 5 years that's when I learned that singing is also preaching and so you want to not just sound good but also have some content I think it's something the media challenges us every now and then have some content in your song So speaking of content thank you for bringing that up what message of course it's gospel so it edifies the body of Christ but what message is usually packed in your music encouragement and information reminders Yes What do you create a process like in terms of writing? I have to search my mind for what I have learned from my Bible studies alone and from my experiences in life and then I also now have probably an inspired idea or a title and I work with what I have in my head and also research from the Bible and from other even other people's experiences because in our daily lives we interact with people Yes, other Christians Yes So who influences your music? Just the gospel of Christ the scripture as it is written and the teachers who have been there in my life they are people who have gone to school to study theology and they are the people who mentor us our pastors our ministers they have mentored us through journeys and so it's a lot of things combined together If you were to host a an artist this question takes me to the question of who do you look up to in terms of music Yes Here in Kenya or just Wherever you want to pick I like Sisi Weynance because she's been singing for a long time and I've always found her music inspiring Here in Kenya we have a lot of people I have someone who sings in Kiswahili and he's such a strong man of God called Amos Mugambi and they put scripture in their songs and a lot of others I think the Kenyan gospel industry is thriving there's a lot of there's a lot of exposure Do you do performances? No, no I haven't done any performances I'm quite new like my first video full video was out in August that's barely three months ago two, three months Yes, so I'm like a new kid on the block I'm very new in this It is well everyone gets start somewhere Everyone starts somewhere you get a platform you move on and so I'm looking forward to seeing a lot of you somewhere So, given that you're calling yourself a new kid a new kid in the block What are some of the things that you anticipate you will go through in the musical journey What are you expecting? I'm expecting to share the gospel because I love to share devotion just share the word of God I like to preach here and there I'm not a minister as such I have a full-time career full-time employed but when I get a chance I like to share the word of God and that's what I'm hoping to keep doing in music and I feel that it's a good forum because you can reach just anybody even people you don't know it's not as limited as having a congregation sitting in one place and I'm looking forward to writing more music Yes, and spending my time that way is a way of investing in the kingdom of God Yes, and resources allowing other resources like funds also just investing a bit more So far, what has been the most difficult thing about being a musician? It's time because you find that when you're looking for quiet time there are other responsibilities like as women we have homes to run I'm full-time employed like I just mentioned and funding sometimes you want to do something but you have to wait until the end of the month to get some money the economy we don't want to keep saying it's bad we don't want to speak negativity into our lives our lives but the reality is that you need some money and you might not always have it and also I was not very strong on social media there's a younger generation that's very good in social media Yes, I'm looking at you and so I'm also it's a learning curve for me to be out there in the media world What has been one of the best highlights you've had so far Oh, it's so exciting to see a video out there playing like now you have just played it and it feels like you didn't do something for nothing even if you reached one or two people you have encouraged somebody you passed on like the song you just played it's an upbeat song it reminds us that whatever we are going through we are on a journey it's not always bad and the combination of that journey is going to be awesome and it's a definite time when we are all going to be at home amazing tell me about a moment you had one of the very lowest moments you've had in life in life itself and there many sometimes you are young you are looking for work you can't get a job sometimes you are not feeling well or sometimes a loved one has died or is not feeling well when you you've lived a bit the low moments are many but the isn't it great that we have the word of God that is constant you are through your low moments your high moments are not one constant that we always fall back on and that's the word of God we've had eternity what are the other songs you've written I have written my very first song is called Majesty and Grace I'm yet to do a full video and then I did Eyes to Heaven which is a song of repentance because we always told we fall short of the glory of God we always have to accept that we are sinners and we need to repent sometimes and it also encourages the person who has also starboard somewhere or struggled that you are not out of the will of God it's just that you are struggling and there is the forgiver the third one is called Mystery Revealed and God is the revealer of all mysteries the fourth one is Eternity Beheld it was the first full video that I did and the fifth one is called No Greater Love it's about the comprehensive love of God the endioling love of God and how he calls us to love one another and he started his love he loves us he doesn't ask us to love one another or to love him without giving us the same standard and then I hope to release the Christmas songs it's called Christmas gifts your songs have really nice headings thank you they are really catchy so they are normal we are going to have kinda songs or love songs but they really have a catchy headline thank you do you mind singing one of them no I don't mind please do no greater love no greater love a greater love there is none than this no greater love no no greater love for one to die one lay down his life no greater love no no greater love yes God is love no greater love no greater love love manifested atoning love love has decided so we'll ascend life giving love there's no greater love amazing small voice I'm a bit nervous relax you're doing very you're doing just you're doing just very okay so who would you most likely collaborate with I haven't thought that far because of my recent entry but maybe someone who sings good kiswahili kiswahili shalages me a bit and I think swahili is such a lovely language but if you're going to sing a song just because you want to do in kiswahili and not be able to do a good song I think it's better I just sing in the language where I'm more comfortable in so English is the language that you would be most comfortable in what do you predict for the future in my music journey more music much more music I'm praying for God to enable me and also to continue in my day job career what do you do I'm an accountant you look like you look like when I saw you first time look like a banker look like not a lawyer but you look like those mathematicians mathematics related causes you have that kind it's amazing to see a accountant sing and preach the gospel it's quite something so if you were to plan instrument which one would it be I wish I knew how you know how to do I wish I knew how I'd love to jump around with it and just tram the strings what's fascinating about it it looks like such fun and then I've had people play an electric guitar and it sounds awesome personally I would want to play a drum I see those things I have a little tangori in which I also just shake around dance around but agita would be it for me as an upcoming gospel artist what would you love to see in the gospel industry more growth in gospel music and we a bit more boldness in putting the word in the music so that it is it's building people up and transforming and encouraging and we need to encourage each other and encourage ourselves also whenever you're sharing a message you're also encouraging yourself and learning from it so I'd love to see more of that so many programs that we share the true gospel in the songs it's another way of preaching and reaching people so what was the reaction of your colleagues when your song was released shock did they know you were singing no nobody, just came out even my family a lot of people are shocked so how has the transition been ok, no you're still working you don't intend to stop your career but how has the balance been between going to office and people you're like hey Ann, who's the man then you know there's this part where people have to deal with you professionally the two don't make so much because when I go to the office I am doing my job and yes you cannot divorce yourself from who you are because you are a Christian and then you are the accountant or whatever you do but people are just generally surprised but when I go to the office I concentrate on office matters and that's my employer's time amazing as we come to almost close to the first conversation how's your day like how do you balance both since I don't have small children that's why I found that now I can put in a bit of time into something that I enjoy and I love to do but I start I wake up at 5.30 in the morning I should wake up a little earlier but I'm not a morning person you and I both yes it's hard, it's the hardest thing that once I get up I wake up at 8.30 and I spend my day there and in the evening I get time sometimes I'm cooking I do a bit of cleaning and that leaves me enough time to write one or two things yes and then sometimes I'm practicing sometimes I've practiced late in the night in a closet somewhere so that nobody hears me practicing my song yes that's how I had on my day I serve in church here and there where I'm put in groups yes so I'm balancing all those things so what was the best advice someone gave you when you started music I wouldn't say it came at this time it came way back when I used to sing in the choir that when you're singing your words should be heard and that it is preaching I think that was good advice because when I started writing I would always remember your words are important what you're writing in there and people need to hear them if you weren't an accountant what would you be? I would be doing something technical or mechanical something that involves my mind and my hands I probably wouldn't want to be in IT but you see those engineers or motor vehicle engineers or mechanics I like to work with my hands and still involve my mind I would definitely not go back and do accounts again I would do something more technical what would you wish that musicians would know I don't know if I'm qualified to give advice yet I know where you're coming from because they are longer than me they probably know more than me exactly but is that what you have observed even from outside before you got into music so there is one or two things you can make a comment about yes I would say if it's gospel let it let it be gospel in word and in appearance because even biblically there is there is that scene that is there is something that can cause someone to stumble because it's what they perceive with their eyes and so maybe I'm singing good words but how I'm portraying the words and I must disclaim here I'm not an expert maybe there is a way I can share the word but maybe even the way I am dressed and senting the word you might wonder is this the word of God who is the creator of the universe who is holy who is maybe just maybe not to cross the fine lines between gospel and secular that's my my two cents it is very welcome it is very okay everyone has an opinion everyone has an observation they've made we expect your Christmas song out you know we are coming into the Christmas season now it's that year of November as soon as I'm given I go ahead by the people who've been there before like they know when to release it it's ready for release give us a parting shot using that camera talk to a musician who's probably upcoming like you someone who's been looking to start somewhere and they are wondering where do I start from what happens prayer lay your foundation of prayer everything begins with a prayer and then you take it from there because God is interactive He talks when you seek Him He will speak to you, He will guide you and also maybe look for one or two people who you know might be doing music if you don't just study a little bit but sometimes it's good to take a risk and just jump in tell us where we can find your new social media handles I am Ann Morris I'm on YouTube I'm on Facebook I'm on TikTok, I'm on X I'm on Instagram please follow me, subscribe to my YouTube channel I'm very new, I'm still looking for numbers and support me and there will be much more music amazing, thank you so much for coming thank you for having me you have such a calm demeanor warm personality thank you for coming thank you for your time we really appreciate you that was Ann Morris talking to us about her upcoming journey in music what she's doing and there's quite a lot she said just jump right in and get dirty you will find your way out get clean on your way do not touch that dial thank you