Jeanjos Parfait

Jeanjos Parfait
Jeanjos Parfait
	Jeanjos Parfait Jeanjos Parfait
Background information
Birth name	Jean Joseph Parfait Niyonkuru
Also known as	Bebeto,le Génie ,le sage
Born	October 2, 1991 (age 33); Gitega, Burundi
Genres	Gospel; R&B; Jazz; Soul; Rap; dance-pop; Kirundi;
Occupations	Singer; Songwriter; Pianist; Composer;
Instrument(s)	Vocals, Bass guitar
Years active	2016–present
Labels	Grands Pictures Production, Fight for your Dreams
Members	CLM Worship & Creative Arts Team
Website	www.jeanjosparfait.com

Jean Joseph Parfait Niyonkuru, better known as Jeanjos Parfait, is a gospel Burundian artist, singer, songwriter and arranger. In 2019, he is designated as the most creative and dynamic artist in Burundi in the Top10 of BeTV.^[1]

Childhood and education

Jean Joseph Parfait Niyonkuru, born October 2, 1991 in Gitega, is the ninth child of Niyonkuru Egide (agronomist of the Institute of Agronomic Science of Burundi – ISABU) and teacher Nayuguhora Dorothée. He did his secondary studies at the International School of Gitega and followed a double course, civil engineering and Ophthalmology, at the University.^[2]

Career

Football career

Jeanjos Parfait is a former Burundian professional football player. With his two big brothers, he played in the team called Maika and was nicknamed "Bebeto" because of the Brazilian football star Bebeto, forming in the 1990s the offensive duo of Brezil with Romário. In 2005, he signed a contract in the first division of the F.C. Fuso in Gitega, currently the political capital of Burundi.^[2]

Musical career

Under the influence of his big brother, Jeanjos later gave up the champinnat after playing only three games to become a chorist in the Living Church of Gitega. He was baptized the same year in the name of Jesus Christ by plunging him in the love of God and then being reborn. He learned to play the basic guitar and work as a sound engineer for the choir in which he sang.^[2]

In 2013, he become member of CLM Worship & Creative Arts Team of the English Church Christian Life Ministries. One year rather, he created a band of bass players with Adjanga Dieu Grâce and François Niyonkuru which did not work as planned. He retires and begins to write his own songs. In 2016 under the name of Jeanjos Parfait, he released his very first song of his career entitled "Urakoze mana", a song which speaks of the marriage as a gift from God.^[3] His second song, titled "Uwera" (from kirundi which means "Saint"), was released in 2017.^[4]

After the launch of the official video for "Urakoze Mana" on January 23, 2019, the song won the Grand finale of the Top10 of the channel Best Entraitement Television in Burundi – BeTV.^[5] He was spotted by the Burundian record company Grand Pictures Production which announced that had signed him for a 6-month contract. The announcement was made during a press conference broadcast on several local television stations including BETV Burundi, Indundi TV, NICKO TV and Bujahit TV.^[6]^[7] The choice to sign Jeanjos Parfait, explains the head of the label and director Landry SB, is a reward to the artist for his remarkable work in the Burundian music industry.^[6]

Jeanjos creates his own label, Fight for your Dreams, in August 2019. Under his new label, he releases his first song entitled "Nd'Uwunesha" (which means "I am victorious").^[8]