Cecil kayirebwa

Cecile kayirebwa was born in Kigali in 1946 in Rwanda. As part of the school group, the Circle Of Rwandan Song And Dance, she was recorded by Rwandan Radio in the 1950s.Eventually she began to write her own songs, praising figures such as the benevolent Rwandan Queen Rosali. Soon Kayirebwa would sing such praises to Rosali herself as her reputation grew.

However, her happiness was shattered by the outbreak of war in 1973 at which time she and her husband fled to Belgium. She released a debut album in 1985 and also toured Europe and America. Cécile contributed to a short film 'Umulisa' (1986). She recorded several cassettes albums. Her fourth album: Ubumanzi, (1990) was the most acclaimed.

Her album Rwanda (1994) covers topics such as family situations, the beauty of Rwanda and lullabies. Cécile found time during her tours to work on an album entitled Amahoro, meaning Peace, which she released in 2002. Her 2005 release, Ibihozo, consists of lullabies, love songs and songs about separation, filled with nostalgia. She has participated in important festivals such as the first Pan African Festival of Dance held in Kigali, Rwanda in 1998, and a year later, the 'Robben Island Event' held in Cape Town, South Africa and at WOMAD in 2001.

Cécile also performed for awareness events such as the 2001 'Holocaust Memorial Event' held in London, United Kingdom, and 'Action against AIDS' organized by the African First Ladies in Kigali, Rwanda. Fittingly, Cécile's haunting vocals contribute to the soundtrack of the 2006 film 'Shooting Dogs', with music composed by Dario Marianelli.

At the start of 2015, Cecil Kayirebwa alongside Byumvuhore held "umuntu N'inkundi" concert in Kigali that was attended by many Rwandans.