OLIVIER MANZI best known as Oliver The Legend is a gospel artiste who has taken gospel music by storm through releasing the best praise and worship songs like ‘Icyo yavuze’. Born and raised in Kigali, Oliver is the last born of six, and started his music journey in Sunday school. In an interview with The New Times, Manzi explained more about his music career which has made him a household name in the gospel industry. “My mom was a decent singer, that’s what motivated me the most to start music as a career. I grew up with a dream of doing what my mother did best so I found myself writing and singing at a young age” he said. “Making gospel music is something I chose at a young age because it’s what I do the best as a Christian, not that I can’t do secular but praising and worshiping God is my culture” he added. He further described how he joined music as a solo artiste after working with different groups including church choirs and worship teams. “I decided to join the music scene at a very young age from Sunday school to high school where my career started boosting. Later in 2013 I made the best decision and started my career as a solo singer with my first recorded track which was a song to commemorate the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi,” said Oliver. The singer is an upcoming artiste who has worked and shared stage with big artistes in the country including Aline Gahongayire one of the ladies who are on the frontline gospel scene in Rwanda and uncle Austin a top radio presenter and musicians. Having worked with different artistes in Rwanda, his song ‘Icyo Yavuze’ was nominated in Groove Awards in the second category of the best song of the year. The 25-year-old has a lot of ambitions and dreams in his career including taking the Rwandan gospel industry to an international level, the same way secular industry is growing. “I can’t say that I want to see myself taking over in the next five years because God is the creator, but I hope that I will be able to put Rwandan gospel music on the map in the next few years” he said. Producers like Boris, Vicky, X on The Beat and Mok are the touch behind Oliver’s light projects. His best songs include ‘Si Iwacu’, ‘Ingofero’, ‘Wowe Gusa’ and ‘Gira Neza’ ft Uncle Austin.
