MARY WANJIRU (Shiru wa GP)
| NAME | MARY WANJIRU |
| AGE | 40 YEARS |
| GENDER | FEMALE |
| OCCUPATION |
GOSPEL ARTIST |
Mary Wanjiru, popularly known as Shiru wa GP, was born on December 28, 1983. She is a prominent Kenyan gospel musician who primarily sings in the Kikuyu language.
To the world, Shiro is fondly referred to as Shiru wa GP, with the “GP” in this case standing for God’s Prophet.
Shiru was born into a humble family and had to take on odd jobs to supplement her mother, Jane Njeri’s, income from her usual hustle.
She started singing in class 5, without a specific genre, but her favourite songs were those of musician Simon Kihara, who is famously known as Musaimo.
In 2018, she won the Central Counties Song of the Year at the Groove Awards for her song Irema.
Early Life and Education Background
She was born in 1983 in Ngegu, Kiambu, as the second of three children.
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Shiru would later move to Githurai in Nairobi to be with her uncle, where she got to learn so much, including the chance to see different Gospel music performances, admiring the Maximum Melodies performance, and later started practicing dancing like them.
When she returned to Kiambu, she joined the A.P. dancing group, and they formed the Kiambu Chosen Generation Dancers.
It was at the Independent Church that her spiritual foundation was laid. Upon her return to Nairobi, she became a full Christian convert and dedicated her life entirely to Christ at Home Care Fellowship in Kahawa, under Ev. Ann Kamau, having been persuaded by a mother, Nyina Wa Mbugua, to get saved.
Music Career and Achievements
Shiru wa GP is known for her powerful vocals and songs that address personal struggles and faith.
Her career highlights include:
Major hits like several popular songs, including ‘Agiginyani,’ ‘Irema, which earned her a Groove Award in 2018, and ‘Mwaki’.
In 2018, she won the Central Counties Song of the Year at the Groove Awards for her song “Irema”.
She was awarded the Head of State’s Commendation (HSC) for her contribution to the music industry.
Apart from being a musician, she is the CEO of Finetune School of Music.
Family Background
Shiru married her partner, Antony Thuo, in a 2005 wedding ceremony at Kiambu Deliverance Church.
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Shiru has been open about their struggles with infertility during the first nine years of their marriage, which led to significant social pressure, which led to her husband fathering a child out of wedlock during that difficult period.
After a nine-year wait, they welcomed twins, a boy and a girl, in 2015, but tragically, their son passed away shortly after birth due to complications, inspiring the song ‘irema’, which translates to “Scars”. Their daughter, Esther, also called Bobo, survived and is a central part of their lives.
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