Tanzania's Zabron Singers top Kenyan playlists ahead of Easter weekend

Kenyans, most of whom identify as Christians, have taken to global music streaming platform Spotify to listen to their favourite songs as they welcome the Easter weekend.

New data from Spotify seen by Citizen Digital shows that in the lead up to the Easter period marking the resurrection of Christ, more Kenyans have resorted to Gospel music.

According to the data, most of the songs that are presently topping chart lists were, curiously, released in the 2010s.

Tanzanian choir Zabron Singers grabbed the two top spots with their 2016 hit ‘Mkono wa Bwana’ coming first, followed by their viral 2020 wedding song ‘Sweetie sweetie.’

“Reuben Kigame’s ‘Enda Nasi’ is his most streamed Gospel song on Spotify, and it clearly resonates deeply with 18-35 year olds, landing it as the third most playlisted song,” stated Spotify.

“A fan favourite from the beginning, Mercy Masika has two songs in the top ten - Huyu Yesu and Mwema. Years after her untimely demise, Angela Chibalonza’s Ebenezer is still topping lists. “

Below is the full list of top ten songs on most playlists by 18 - 35 year olds on Spotify: 

1.      Mkono Wa Bwana - Zabron Singers

2.      Sweetie Sweetie - Zabron Singers

3.      Enda Nasi - Reuben Kigame, Sifa Voices

4.      Ebenezer - Angela Chibalonza

5.      Huyu Yesu - Mercy Masika

6.      Moyo Wangu- Patrick Kubuya

7.      Naomba - Adawnage

8.      Uwezo - Adawnage

9.      Bila Jasho - Timeless Noel, Jabidii

Spotify also tracked songs that spiked the most during the Easter holiday period, with Kenyan songstress Mercy Masika’s ‘Zaidi’ and ‘Nikupendeze’ having a 71% and 45% listenership spike respectively.

The full list of songs that recorded the highest listener spikes is as below:

1.            Zaidi –Mercy Masika

2.            Nikupendeze –Mercy Masika

3.            Amenitengeneza – Martha Mwaipaja

4.            Ni wikite Magegania – Sammy Irungu

5.            Natamani –Eunice Njeri

6.            Murata wa Ngai –Samidoh

7.            Nadeka –Guardian Angel

8.            Yule Yule – Alice Kimanzi

9.            Mimina Neema –Kwaya ya mtakatifu Kizito Makuburi

10.        Bado Nasimama – Kambua