Gloria Muliro

Gloria Omba
Gloria Muliro(right) with musician Ruth Matete at a dinner party
Background information
Birth name	Gloria Muliro
Born	(1980-09-04) 4 September 1980 Emanyinga, Vihiga County[1]
Genres	Gospel
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	2005–present
Associated acts	Willy Paul, Chris Tomlin, Angela Chibalonza, Kevin Wyre, Jua Cali

Gloria Omba, commonly referred to as Gloria Muliro (born 4 September 1980), is a Kenyan Gospel musician^[2] and songwriter. She debuted in 2005 when she released her first studio album titled Omwami Aletsa (The Lord is Coming). As of 2013, Gloria has four albums to her name, her most successful being Kibali (mandate) which has the popular song "Sitolia" (I Won't Cry) featuring Willy Paul. The album earned her sixth Groove Awards nominations.^[3] She went on to receive the female artist of the year award at the eighth Groove awards, an event that was attended by President of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta.^[4] She was married to preacher Erick Omba, but have since separated.^[5]

Early life

Gloria was born to David Muliro and Esther Muliro. She went to Emanyinga Primary School where she sat for her KCPE exams before enrolling at St. Theresa Academy for her secondary education. She later joined the International Teachers Training College, Dagoretti for a two-year teaching course which she completed but had her final results withheld by the school owing to the huge debt she owed the school in form of school fees she was however able to acquire them after working as house help for a couple of months, her breakthrough finally came when she got a teaching job at a local school.^[1][6]

Music career

Willy Paul with and Gloria at the Grooves

Gloria was interested in music from as far as 1997 when she was still in school but due to financial challenges she was not able to venture into the music industry. She however was able to join many singing group and even joined her church choir with the hope of gaining more confidence to help her earn a place in the Kenyan music industry, which she did upon releasing her first studio album entitled Omwami Aletsa.^[7] The album was not as successful as she had expected which prompted her to start working on her next album Kibali which had the famous hit single "Sitolia" featuring Willy Paul.^[8] In 2013 Gloria collaborated with Willy Paul once more for the song Kitanzi whose music video depicts the life of a young teenager who is almost giving up on life and who is contemplating suicide.Currently Gloria is, alongside other big names in the Kenyan music industry on tour of Kenya, a tour sponsored by Safaricom commonly referred to as Safaricom Live.The tour is aimed at not only promoting local Kenyan talent in music but also reaching out to many people in different counties so as to promote peace and unity in the country

Charity work

Apart from performing in Church and recording songs, Gloria Muliro has a hand at charity,she has established her own foundation, The Gloria Muliro Foundation, which she uses as a conduit to do charity work.The foundation currently runs a children's home in Emuhaya, one of the four constituencies in Vihiga, Western Kenya,"It caters for children who need help from the region, and span from children who have been orphaned to children whose parents are unable to offer sufficient support.Having come from a poor background as a child, both Gloria and her husband Eric Omba, have the same vision for the children they are taking care of and they show it through a documentary they have made for the cause" Chairman, The Gloria Foundation.^[9]

Controversy

Omba's song "Follow You" has been noted for its similarities with the song "I Will Follow" by Chris Tomlin.^[10] Musician Willy Paul has complained that he wasn't making money from the song "Sitolia" because Omba owned the copyright.^[11]

Discography

Gloria Muliro at The Grooves

Singles

• "Sitolia" ft Willy Paul
• "Follow you"(2011)
• "omwami Aletsa"(2005)
• "Kibali"
• "Yesu Ningwedete"
• "Mpango wa Kando"
• "Neno"
• "Msaidizi"
• "Yesu Iroma"
• "Youve Done Well my Lord"
• "Kitanzi" ft "Willy Paul"(2014)

Albums

• Omwami Aletsa (2005)
• Ombi langu (2010)
• Kibali (2012)
• Msaidizi (2013)

Awards

Nominated

• Female artist of the year
• Collaboration of the year for mpango wa kando ft Everlyne
• Western song of the year
• Song of the year for Sitolia ft willy Paul
• Most beautiful Gospel artiste!

Won

• Groove Awards female artist of the year 2013^[12]

References