Maombi's prayer finally heard as his Swahili country hit goes viral

The cowboy hat, the denim suit, a guitar, and his irresistible baritone voice are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Samson Maombi’s trending country music hit Nitauimba Wimbo Mpya.

After just a year of experimenting with the keys of country music, the singer — who is a Seventh-Day Adventist Church elder from Minyere in Ntimaru, Migori County — has finally burst his popularity bubble, with the song turning into a heart-raising hit.

His electrifying performance during President William Ruto’s New Year dinner at the Kisii State Lodge is proof he has become a darling to many.

A sample of audience reactions can be found on his TikTok and YouTube pages, where the song is causing ripples of excitement.

But it’s his decision to sing country music in Swahili that makes the song stand out among the many country numbers produced by other Kenyan artists.

While the likes of Pharry K and Ben Riziki have also made waves with country music in English and Ekegusii, Maombi has found his own path to the hearts of many thanks to the naturally flowing Swahili lyrics.

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His growing online audience has widely applauded the way Maombi expresses the words in the song, which he says is intended to inspire anyone who is struggling.

“The song just lifted me from depression. The words are well arranged, and the message is truly inspirational,” said a YouTube fan, @Doll_Key, in Maombi’s thread of 1,300 comments.

In just three weeks, the song garnered 600,000 views on YouTube, with his subscriber count skyrocketing from 1,000 in early December to more than 35,700 when the song was posted on December 15 last year.

And just like his name, Maombi (Swahili for “prayers”), the song has become a great inspiration to many souls seeking hope in this life, especially for those with broken hearts.

“It was intentional that I packaged this song in a way that instils the strong hope we have in our Lord Jesus, that there is a better life in Him for those who believe and trust in His name,” he says.

Maombi’s musical journey began in his youth, though the most he could do at that time was sing in church choirs. It wasn’t until a year ago that he became more serious about his talent.

The 30-year-old farmer, together with his wife Linnet Matinde, has three children: Boke, Kiora, and Robi.

Reflecting on his past, Maombi tells the story of a young man who grew up in a humble background, with the struggle for resources almost denying him the chance to join college.

It wasn’t until four years after completing his Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education exams that a well-wisher stepped in to sponsor his tertiary education at Kisii College of Accountancy.

His father passed away in 2011 while Maombi was in Form Two at Matare Boys, having joined the school after completing his primary education at Wangira Bose School in Ntimaru.

While in Kisii, he developed a deep love for country music.

“I had a friend who used to sell country music in Kisii town, and I would often spend time in his shop, listening to the songs. I later began singing those songs for fun,” Maombi says.

Many of his friends encouraged him to record the songs he sang, but it didn’t seem to make sense to him until a few years ago, when he performed a hymn in country music style.

He had rehearsed the hymn Never Grow Old for a funeral ceremony for his aunt, who played a key role in his upbringing.

“It was received so well that everyone was immensely blessed by the presentation. I didn’t want to look back. I made the decision to start writing and singing my own music,” he says.

He has already recorded five songs in Kuria, English, and Swahili, but it’s Nitauimba Wimbo Mpya that has propelled his popularity.

He attributes much of his success to his wife, who helped him translate and rewrite the song into Swahili.

“My wife helped me translate the song, and I remember we sat for five long hours until around 3 am, translating and rewriting it into Swahili. I almost gave up, but she really encouraged me,” Maombi says.

With his newfound celebrity status, Maombi believes he may now be able to overcome the common challenges that once discouraged him in the gospel ministry.

“Initially, I would attend functions and still not find time to perform, even though I was invited. It was tricky even when it came to payment for transport to such events. But now, people know me and the music I sing. I now have ample space to preach the Word through my music, and also get something to cover my expenses,” he says.

While he believes that earning through talent is a gift from God, Maombi strongly asserts that his growing popularity will be used to reach as many people with the gospel message of hope, rather than the riches that may come with it.

“My major prayer is that God uses me as an international singer to reach as many people as possible with the Word through my music. If He sees fit to bless me with riches in the process, I will always be thankful,” says the elder.