Merci Emmanuel Nkomejeyesu, also known as AyoMerci, is making strides towards putting his craft on the global map. With a passion for his country's culture and a determination to showcase its creativity, the artiste seeks to use his talents in music and cinematography to expand his reach beyond Rwanda. Born in Gicumbi District, AyoMerci was brought up in a Christian family that regularly attended church services, where he first discovered his love for creativity. Witnessing the choir and the technical team in action, he dreamed of owning a band that would play music for him and his people one day. He shared that between 2007 and 2012, he recorded himself singing on his mother's phone. Later, while in high school, he discovered that his mother used one of his records as her ringtone, inspiring him to pursue a music career further. AyoMerci said Lil Wayne's music initially drew him to hip-hop, inspiring him to think outside the box and develop his unique sound. However, in 2014, the emergence of Afrobeat changed his perspective, and he began exploring ways to showcase African culture in his art, drawing inspiration from artists such as Fela Kuti, Femi Kuti, WizKid, and Olamide. AyoMerci also finds inspiration in Rwandan artistes such as Bulldog, Jay Polly, and Urban Boys, among others. He believes that anyone whose work contributes positively to society is a source of inspiration for him. Regarding his music career, AyoMerci's inspiration to pursue it came when he joined a studio and started helping other artistes in writing their songs. His producer then encouraged him to create his song, which resulted in his first official release, Vayo. This experience motivated him to plan on releasing his short EP, REDO, to show people his potential and stand out from the crowd. It has five songs including Vayo, Move, Peace of Mind, Commando and Intro featuring Kkarl. Connecting music and cinematography AyoMerci's interest in cinematography began early on, as his family often traveled and had a small digital camera that his mother owned. He said she was the first person to teach him how to shoot, and he quickly fell in love with the process of creating moving images. He graduated from Kwetu Film Institute in 2018 and started his professional career the following year in 2019. With his skills in cinematography, he can direct his music videos to his exact vision and specifications. AyoMerci believes that young artists will continue to develop and produce international-standard products as they gain more experience, declaring that they should take the time to develop their craft, avoid rushing their work, and work closely with production teams to achieve better results. He urged the Rwandan government to offer more support to the country's creative industry by assisting in processing deals that relate to the sector. They are the future of art and the front image representing culture to the world. That good environment is here, he said. AyoMerci acknowledged that everything he achieved was once a dream, and he managed to overcome his fear of not being able to make it by making a list of his goals and working towards them. He believes that by trying, he will become the best version of himself and hopes that one day, the name AyoMerci will be recognised globally. He also plans to start shooting movies that rely on Rwandan history to continue representing its culture globally.
