J-Sha , an emerging Rwandan music duo comprising twin sisters Shakira Butoya and Jennifer Bukuru is among those who have and ready to rock Rwandan music and in time will add more fun. The 23- year-old identical twins are up and coming singers and songwriters, passionate about their craft and eager to pursue their dream and add more flavor to Rwandan music. ALSO READ: Ange and Pamela: The twins blazing Gakondo music Music background, working together Music has always been part of their lives as they have always loved singing and writing routinely. They attended schools both in Rwanda and Uganda. After high school, they enrolled at Nyundo School of Arts and Music in 2018. Jennifer focused on vocals, guitar, and production, while Shakira specialized in piano, vocals, and guitar, an extension to their skills and make their dreams come true. Nyundo has been a nurturing ground for many of Rwanda’s musical talents, and the duo was no exception. In 2021, they graduated however, the duo did not venture into professional music making immediately, until late 2023, after getting financial support, understanding the field’s huddles, and were ready to explore the music scene. Produced by Flyest Music and directed by Meddy Saleh, their song ‘Mabukwe’ (Mother-in-law) was their debut single. The track revolves around a family situation where the mother-in-law typically seeks to exert influence over family matters, portraying herself as the husband’s mother thus must be part of the couple’s decisions. This often leads to conflicts between the wife, husband and the mother-in-law within the family. “This situation is real in our society and that’s where we drew inspiration from. We wanted to spotlight this prevalent situation since few or no artists have sung about it yet it has ruined numerous couples, Bukuru said. ‘Hobby’ is their latest song, produced by Prince Kiiz and Serge Girishya. We grasp, appreciate, and cherish one another. The only secret propelling us forward is our emotional connection. This is unique compared to other duos who are not brothers and sisters or closely related. Our shared values and preferences often align, especially in decision-making. This is the uniqueness we possess and it's where our strength lies, she added. Bukuru explained that unlike other emerging and established musicians, the ‘Mabukwe’ singers have no specific role model. The duo grew up watching various local and globally iconic singers but none of them really inspired them in a way that they could point to a specific person and say that is who they want to be like. However, they used to watch iconic American singer Beyonce Knowless’ performances and to a lesser extent they got inspired and decided to take a leap into their dreams. If your music had a flavor, what would it taste like? Sugar! What advantage does it have to be twins? Working together while living in harmony. We’re two but since there’s ‘J-Sha’, we never considered ourselves as two but one. This will take us far. What do you think everyone should know about you? We’re reserved in nature but as soon as we step on stage, things change. Considering that you're identical, have you ever tried to confuse people at any occasion? We once braided the same style. We normally make different hairstyles. In a moment we had matched everything from fashion to hair style and looked copy paste. It was crazy! Looking into the future, what can we expect from your musical journey? Are there any grand plans, or are you just enjoying the ride for now? We plan to produce more music in Rwanda and beyond, aiming for collaborations locally and internationally. Our goal is to show our commitment through actions, and we seek the support of people to make this vision a reality.
