Miss Shanel
Ruth Nirere, better known as
Nirere Shanel, is a Rwandan singer and actress.
History
Early years
She began singing as a child and released two successful singles, both meant to comfort and commemorate the survivors and victims of the Rwandan genocide, while a secondary school student. Her songs are regularly played during the annual Genocide commemoration period, and in 2004 she won the "Never Again" competition to select the best commemoration artist.Musical career
She had a major hit in 1998 at the age of 13 with the zouk tune "Ndarota!" off her debut album of the same name released earlier that year. In 2004 she released two a cappella singles to wide success, raising her to national celebrity. Her music during this period reflected a mix of genres, including R&B, soul, zouk and acoustic music.In 2009 she released her debut album, entitled Narrow Road. This album and her subsequent music reflect more traditional Rwandan musical styles. She has collaborated on singles with numerous Rwandan, Kenyan and Ugandan artists.
In 2012 she gave a series of performances for Rwandan peacekeepers stationed in Darfur, Sudan.
In 2013 she moved to France to complete a two-year course in vocal performance.
In 2017 she plays in the movie starring Marc Zinga and Stephane Bak, produced by Joël Karekezi