#WCW: Gospel singer Kambua – a blend of beauty, character and brains

Today’s #WCW, Kambua Manundu, has got it all: looks, personality and brains.

The gospel singer, who is the second born of three children, was born and raised in Nairobi.

Her father is the late Professor Manundu, and her mum is Evangelist Lois Manundu. The two are the co-founders of Tabibu Ministries.

Kambua, whose love for music was evident from a tender age, attended Lukenya High School and later enrolled for music course.

She pursued a degree in music

In 2007 Kambua completed a summer performance program (certificate) at Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. In 2008 she completed a Bachelor of Arts in music at Ambrose University College, in Calgary.

In 2002 Kambua joined Eneza, a Praise Band at Parklands Baptist Church, where she served for nearly four years.

In 2004 she sung and served with Passport Incorporated, based in Birmingham, Alabama.

Through Ogopa Deejays, she began to do jingles for commercials like ‘Sunlight’ and ‘Delmonte’

She has worked as an actress & voice over artist

She has worked as an actress for Heartstrings Ensemble in Kenya.

She has also been the voice for commercials such as Delmonte, Mumias Sugar, Sunlight, KPLC and recently, Fresha Maisha Milk.

Before pursuing a solo career, Kambua worked as a background vocalist for various artistes.

She has bagged several awards for her music

In 2009 Kambua received the Female Artiste of the Year Award at the annual Groove Awards, held in Nairobi, Kenya.

She was also the recipient of the 2008 Afro Fusion Female Artiste of the Year award at the Kisima Awards. In the year 2011 Kambua was nominated for the East Africa Music Awards, (London), as well as the 2011 Mwafaka Awards.

In 2012 she bagged the Song Writer of the Year Award in the annual Groove Awards.

In March of 2010, Kambua spread her wings by joining Royal Media as a television host on a Sunday morning show – Rauka. She has since worked as an MC at various concerts and events in Kenya.

Kambua has two albums under her belt: Nishikilie and Nyumbani. The beautiful songstress has embarked on her third CD with two singles – Again and Umetenda Mema.

She is happily married

Kambua tied the knot with Jackson Mathu in April 2012 before family and friends at an exclusive Nairobi hotel.

Prior to that, Kambua was said to be dating a fellow musician. Though she declined to name him in a 2011 interview in True Love, she said that the broken engagement taught her a lot about love and marriage.

She describes her style as elegant, trendy and chic

Kambua once told Softkenya her style is simply authentic, and that she has a fetish for shoes and hats.

“I have so many of them (hats and shoes). I like to match them with everything I wear. In the recent past I’ve had to control my fetish for shoes, and have become a very intentional shopper.”

Her all-time favourite outfit is jeans and sweaters.

Kambua revealed the default look she’d don any other day is jeans and sweaters.

She is a daddy’s girl

Kambua’s relationship with her late father was tight, and she even dedicated him a poem dubbed, “My heart, my world.” The singer was left blue by her dad’s demise.

“Thank you God that you accorded me the privilege of being daddy’s girl. Thank you that for all those who have never experienced the love of an earthly Father, they have you…I have you,” read Kambua’s post in part.