PROFILE:
Mercy's first musical influence was Gospel music and the inspiration and encouragement to perform came from her talented musical family.
In 1994, while studying in college, Mercy made her first professional appearances at some private nightclubs in the centre of Nairobi (East Africa) called LUKES and later at GALLILEOS.
In 1996 she performed the first time in a group called CALABASH who became very popular and toured successfully throughout Kenya; they were not given the opportunity to record and later in the year Mercy left the group to join the Rn'B group called Destinee. In 1997 she joined Bruce Odhiambo, board, and guitarist Gido Kibukosya, in a band called Black Ice. Mercy then recorded a song, produced by Bruce Odhiambo - AFRICAN WOMAN which was chosen as the theme song for the first M-MET Face of Africa Model competition.
After this first success on her own, she joined forces at the end of the year with Samawati Studio, one of the leading studios in Nairobi, Kenya.
After a lot of work Mercy released her first single "SITAKI" at the end of the year 1998, to radio stations only, where it enjoyed the number one position on METRO FM's chart show and was also number one on the PEPSI EAST AFRICAN CHART SHOW, on CAPITAL FM.
Working on her first album and performing in the East Africa Region throughout the years 2000 and 2001, finally her first complete album "TABA SAMU" was ready to be released. Two singles "MANENO" and "LIFE" of the album not only received loads of airplay in East Africa, but also in South Africa, where "MANENO" became a number one and "LIFE" a Top 10 Hit.
After the success of her first album, Mercy also engaged herself in the fight against HIV/ AIDS and is currently a representative of the VCT campaign in Eastern and Southern Africa.
MERCY attributes her success so far to the many people who have guided, inspired and encouraged her to keep going and never to give up. Her ambitions are to keep recording, performing and to travel the world, so that she can create Awareness in the world that also the less privileged people in her country receive support in their struggle against the social challenges.
With her immense talent, excellent stage presence and her driving ambition, MERCY MYRA will succeed and become an internationally recognized artist in the music world.
MERCY MYRA, now in her twenties and already established as one of the leading female vocalist in East Africa, has just released her second album "NYISRI MALONG'O". With "NYISRI MALONG'O" MERCY has recorded a worthy successor of her first album. "NYISRI MALONG'O" means "show yourself" and Mercy will definitely show herself on the African music scene. MERCY is performing live on a regular basis in Kenya with an 8 piece band and every single person who has watched her was dazzled by her performance, talent and charm. It is now time for the rest of the world to be dazzled by MERCY MYRA.
1996:
performances
first performances with CALABASH
Did the 1st ever TRUST CONDOM ever done in AFRICA on screen and the
theme song
1997:
performances
at the Beats of Season concert, Nairobi, Kenya with world
famous Congolese artiste PAPA WEMBA
Various performances in Kenya alongside artiste like US
HIP-HOP boy Band Lost Boys and US Rapper Coolio
Sang a theme song against DRUGS-UNDCP
Awareness against WOMENS ABUE-UNDCP
Awarness:SEND YOUR GIRLCHILD TO SCHOOL UNEP
Awareness concerning ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMM
1998:
performances
with the group Swahili Nation in Nairobi and Mombasa,
Kenya.Performed at the Benson and Hedges Golden Tones
Nairobi, Kenya
1999:
performances
Benson & Hedges Golden Tones Concert, Nairobi, Kenya
Benson & Hedges Golden Tones Concert, Lagos, Nigeria
Beats of Season concert, Nairobi, Kenya with Maxi Priest
2000:
performances
at the ICC World Knockout Cricket Tournament
Beats of Season concert, Nairobi, Kenya with Awilo
Longomba
Kiko Romeo "Hot Season 2000" Fashion Show
recording
Theme song for local mobile phone company formerly known as
KENCELL now known as CELTEL, Guest of Honour at the
launch was the then President of Kenya, H.E. D. Moi
2001:
performances
7th Mbalamwezi Theatre Awards in Nairobi, Kenya
Safari Park Hotel, Kenya, with Koffi Olomide
awards
Best Female Artist and Personality of the Year at the WHERE YOU @
AWARDS Kenya, an event sponsored by MNet, Sounth Africa
releases
Single-release, titled "SATURDAY NIGHT"
1st Album: "TABA SAMU"
2002:
performances
at the Festival Mundial, Tilburg, Netherlands, as part of Zanaziki.
KORA AWARDS in Johannesburg, South Africa with
KORA Award Winner Eric Wainaina.
1st Maboom Boom Festival, Nairobi, Kenya
"les artipique de Ouagadougu", Burkina Faso.
Aids Awareness Concert, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
releases
music video for "SITAKI" and "WAONGO"
others
spokesperson for the VCT Campaign, Voluntary
Councling and Testing twice Co-presenter on South African Music Channel
"CHANNEL O",Johannesburg, South Africa
2003:
performances
at the FESTIVAL MUNDIAL, Tilburg, Netherlands
releases
August: NEW ALBUM "NYISRI MALONG'O"
September: Single and Video: "Nyisri Malong'o"
Released an AIDS AWAWERNESS song with Dutch rock
Band ……………………. Concerning PAND PIERI AIDS PROJECT in Kisumu, Kenya
awards
Best Kenyan Rn'B Artist at the KISIMA AWARDS, Nairobi, Kenya.
nominations
KORA AWARDS 2003: Best East African Artist
Jo'Burg, South Africa
2004:
performance
ZIFF-Zanzibar International Film Festival, Zanzibar.
Chief judge at the pre-selection for the All African music
Awards, KORA:
Jo'Burg, South Africa.
Alongside COOL AND THE GANG AIDS
AWARENESS benefit concert: Nairobi, Kenya.
Alongside Harry Belafonte at a dinner Aids awareness
benefit.
2005:
performance
GENERAL MOTORS launch of a new
truck brand: Nairobi, Kenya.
Launched DON FOUNDATION which stands for DIVAS OF THE NILE. Consisting of the 4 top female artistesACHIENG ABURA, SUZANNA OWIYO, MERCY MYRA and PRINCESS JULIE: Nairobi, Kenya.
