Knowless (born Jeanne d’Arc Ingabire Butera) is a Rwandan

singer Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or without ...

. She has one husband called clement and they have two girls children. Butera writes many of her own songs. Her songs touch on such themes as romantic relationships, societal issues and daily life.

History

Early years and background

Jeanne d’Arc Ingabire Butera was born in

Ruhango District Ruhango is a district (''akarere'') in Southern Province, Rwanda. Its capital is Ruhango town, a large settlement on the road between Gitarama and Butare. Geography The district lies due-north of the provincial capital Nyanza, straddling the ...

, is the wife o
Ishimwe Clement
.the only child of Jean-Marie Vianney Butera and Marie Claire Uyambaje, who are both deceased. Her mother was formerly the lead singer in a local

Seventh-day Adventist The Seventh-day Adventist Church is an Adventism, Adventist Protestantism, Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the Names of the days of the week#Numbered days of the week, seventh day of the ...

church choir. Butera attended ESCAF primary school in

Nyamirambo Nyamirambo is a Sectors of Rwanda, sector (umurenge) in Districts of Rwanda, Nyarugenge District, Kigali Province, Rwanda, Kigali Province, Rwanda. Location It is located in the southwest part of the city of Kigali. The coordinates of Nyamirambo ...

, APARUDE secondary school in Ruhango and APACE secondary school in

Kigali Kigali () is the Capital (political), capital and largest city of Rwanda. It is near the nation's geographic centre in a region of rolling hills, with a series of valleys and ridges joined by steep slopes. As a primate city, Kigali has been Rwa ...

with a focus on computer sciences and management. As a teenager she sang in the local choir. In 2012 she began to pursue a university degree at

Kigali Institute of Science and Technology College of Science and Technology - University of Rwanda, the former Kigali Institute of Science, and Technology (KIST, rw, Ishuri Rikuru ry'Ubumenyi n'Ikoranabuhanga rya Kigali, french: Institut des Sciences et des Technologies de Kigali) in Ki ...

. In 2019, she graduated with an MBA at the

Oklahoma Christian University Oklahoma Christian University (OC) is a private Christian university in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It was founded in 1950 by members of the Churches of Christ. History Oklahoma Christian University, originally named Central Christian College, w ...

. She is a mother of two girls named Or & Inzora Butera.

Musical career

Knowless released her debut album, ''Komeza'', in December 2011. Her second album, ''Uwo Ndiwe'', was released in March 2013. Knowless is managed under the label Kina Music. She has performed throughout

Rwanda Rwanda (; rw, u Rwanda ), officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley of Central Africa, where the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa converge. Located a few degrees south of the Equator ...

and in neighboring countries, including Uganda, and has collaborated with numerous artists, including Rwandans Danny, Paccy, Ciney, Jay Polly, Kamichi and Urban Boyz, and Ugandan group Vampos. She has named Belgium-based Rwandan musician Cecile Kayirebwa and American R&B singer-songwriter

Brandy Norwood Brandy Rayana Norwood (born February 11, 1979), better known by her mononym Brandy, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, actress and model. She is known for her distinctive sound, characterized by her peculiar timbre, voice-layer ...

as inspirations. in 2021 she released new album called Inzora.

Awards

Knowless won "Best New Artiste" in the 2010 Salax Awards competition. In August 2013, she took third place in the annual Primus Guma Guma Super Star talent competition, held at

Amahoro Stadium The Amahoro Stadium ( rw, Stade Amahoro; french: Stade Amahoro; Kinyarwanda for "Peace Stadium"), officially known as Amahoro National Stadium, is a multi-purpose stadium in the Gasabo district of Kigali, Rwanda. With a capacity of 25,000, it ...

. In March 2013 she won her second Salax Award, this time in the category of "Best Female Artist". In 2013, Knowless was one of three Rwandan acts to perform at the "Rwanda Day" event held in London. in 2015, Knowless Butera won the Primus Gumma Gumma Superstar 5th Edition, and she is the first woman to win such a competition. She currently working in Kina Music House was also contain Christopher Muneza until 2022.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Knowles Living people 1990 births Rwandan women singers People from Ruhango District