Rwandan Afro-fusion artiste Mike Kirenga, popularly known as Khire, recently released his debut EP, Lovebirds, a six-track project exploring love, attraction, vulnerability, and human connection. The EP features “Mississippi,” “Take It Off,” “Tena,” “Zombie,” “Better” and “Doucement.” While each song presents a different perspective, Khire said the project was built around emotions that listeners can recognise from their own experiences. “I wanted to give my people something they can relate to. Love has many sides, and I wanted to explore those different emotions instead of telling just one story,” he told The New Times. According to the artiste, “Mississippi” introduces the project through a romantic metaphor about wanting to live in someone’s heart and share a deep connection. “Take It Off” explores attraction and intimacy, while “Tena” continues the focus on the connection between two people. ALSO READ: How Khire blends Rwandan tradition with modern Afrobeat sounds “Zombie” takes a more vulnerable turn, portraying the emptiness that comes with being away from someone one loves and “Better” explores the desire for a deeper relationship, while “Doucement” adds another dimension to the EP. “I didn’t want the songs to feel like the same story. Each of them carries its own emotion, but together they show different shades of love and connection,” Khire said. The project marks another stage in Khire musical journey that began in childhood. Khire was born on November 17, 2001 and he is the eldest of five siblings. He joined his church choir at the age of eight. His mother, a Sunday school teacher and choir leader, played an important role in his early introduction to music. Although he began pursuing music professionally around 2022, Khire has previously described music as an interest that has been part of his life since childhood. In 2024, he released some tracks “Tona,” “Irebe” and “Berwa”, which collectively attracted hundreds of thousands of streams. He also collaborated with Afrobeat veteran Davis D on “250 Girls.” The artiste said his debut EP reflects his continued growth as he experiments with different sounds and approaches to songwriting. “I’m still discovering myself as an artist. Every project teaches me something, and I want to keep experimenting without losing what makes my music mine,” he said. He, however, does not view the project as a complete representation of his artistry. “There is still so much more I want to show people. Lovebirds is one chapter of my story, not the whole book,” he said. Khire’s ambitions extend beyond Rwanda. He wants to build an audience across Africa and eventually reach listeners around the world while maintaining a connection to his Rwandan identity. “I want my music to travel beyond Rwanda without losing where it comes from. I want someone somewhere else to hear it and connect with the emotion, even if our backgrounds are completely different,” he said. That ambition is rooted in his belief that music can communicate across cultural and linguistic boundaries. “You don’t always have to understand every word to understand what a song makes you feel. That is the kind of connection I want to create with my music,” Khire said. His long-term plans include releasing a full album, pursuing international collaborations, and music tours, as well as contributing to the development of younger talent in Rwanda. For now, Lovebirds represents both a body of work and a starting point as Khire continues developing his sound and pursuing a wider audience. “Lovebirds is a beginning. I want people to grow with me and discover something new from me with every project,” he said.
