Speaking during an interview on Radio Maisha’s Konnect Show with presenters Clemmo and Jitabi, Ringtone Apoko was asked why he has managed to record songs with many of the country’s leading female gospel musicians.
Rather than taking personal credit, the singer said the artistes are the ones who approach him because they see something spiritual in him.
“They are the ones who want to sing with me”
Responding to the question, Ringtone said:
“They love me. When they see me, they see someone who has the spirit of God. So I’m not the problem. They are the ones who want to sing with me. They tell me, ‘Young man, we have looked at everyone, and we think you have the spirit of God.’”
He added that he believes the collaborations are a result of shared faith.
“All the women I have sung with have the spirit of God, and I also have the spirit of God. I think our godly spirits are attracted to each other.”
The interview clip was later shared on Radio Maisha’s official Instagram page, where the remarks drew reactions from fans.
Collaborations with top female gospel artistes
Over the years, Ringtone Apoko has built a reputation for working with some of the biggest female names in gospel music in Kenya and the wider East African region.
Among his best-known collaborations is “Walionicheka” with Tanzanian gospel singer Rose Muhando. The song enjoyed widespread airplay in Kenya and Tanzania and has amassed millions of views on YouTube, making it one of the most recognised songs in Ringtone’s catalogue.
He also collaborated with Christina Shusho on” Tenda Wema”, another Kenya-Tanzania gospel collaboration that was well received by audiences and further expanded his regional fan base.
Closer to home, Ringtone teamed up with Gloria Muliro on “Wacha Iwe”, a song that attracted significant attention among Kenyan gospel music fans and accumulated hundreds of thousands of views online after its release.
His list of female collaborators also includes Shiro wa GP, with whom he has released gospel music during his career. Collectively, these collaborations have helped shape his image as one of Kenya’s gospel artistes most associated with joint projects featuring female musicians.
A defining feature of his career
Collaborations have long been an important part of Kenya’s gospel music industry, allowing artistes to combine audiences and spread their messages of faith to a wider listenership.
For Ringtone, however, he believes there is a deeper reason behind those partnerships.
According to the singer, the women he has worked with recognised a shared spiritual connection before choosing to record music with him.
