Moji Shortbabaa dismisses claims Covid-19 crippled Kenya’s gospel industry
Gospel artiste James Muhia, alias Moji Shortbabaa, has firmly dismissed claims that Kenya’s gospel music industry suffered a total collapse during the Covid-19 pandemic, insisting that the genre remains alive.
Speaking during an interview with the Iko Nini podcast on Monday, August 4, 2025, Moji acknowledged that the Kenyan gospel scene is no longer as dominant or vibrant as it once was, but he refuted the idea that it disappeared altogether after the pandemic.
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“There were people who wished that gospel music would completely disappear after. COVID. Right now, we can agree that the Kenyan gospel industry is not very vibrant, but we cannot say it is non-existent. It is still there. If you want to listen to gospel music, you still will,” he said.
He noted that Kenyan songs are currently absent from top gospel streaming charts, particularly on platforms such as Apple Music.
However, he expressed optimism that ongoing campaigns such as Cheza Gospel will slowly revive the genre’s popularity and visibility in mainstream spaces.
“It is true that if you check the top ten trending gospel songs on something like Apple Music, you will not find a Kenyan song there. But we are hopeful that in the next one or two years, as we continue with campaigns like Cheza Gospel Songs, things will change,” he added.
Moji emphasised that the industry was expected to collapse completely during the Covid period, but that never happened.
He added that the gospel genre he had been referring to all through was specifically urban gospel, clarifying that other forms of gospel music, such as those performed by Wilberforce Musyoka, Shiru wa GP, and Sammy Irungu, are still thriving.
“The gospel industry was supposed to die and be completely wiped out, but somehow, we are still here. I cannot clearly explain why. But when we talk about gospel, we are specifically referring to urban gospel. The other styles, like those sung by Wilberforce Musyoka or Ahirubwa GP, are still thriving. They release hits almost every three weeks. Even artistes like Sammy Irungu are doing very well.”
Potential
He said that gospel music is still loved in Kenya, evidenced by the popularity of gospel hits from outside the country.
According to him, the problem lies not in the audience but in the inconsistency of local artistes to meet the growing demand with fresh, engaging material.
“You will still see gospel songs like Olodumare by artistes from other countries topping the charts here in Kenya. So, the love for gospel music is still there. It is us, the singers, who need to up our game,” he noted.
Moji added that the industry may eventually return to the days when gospel music was the dominant genre in Kenya, but he believes the comeback will take a different form and be powered by innovation and adaptability.
According to him, the sub-genre that is currently thriving most is live-recorded gospel music, which is fast gaining traction across social media platforms.
“We may still go back to those days when gospel songs were the talk of town,” he said, “but it is coming back in a very different way and style. Right now, what is booming in gospel is live-recorded music. I am sure if you open TikTok right now, you will come across live-recorded gospel music. And it is not what people used to think live gospel music is. It is evolving,” he added.
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Steve Ireri
Steve is a senior writer with over four years of experience in digital journalism. His focus is on the showbiz and human interest stories. Emails: [email protected] , [email protected]
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