Supreme Rwandan vocalist Cécile was born in Kigali in 1946 and had a peaceful childhood growing up in the country known as'Land of a thousand hills'. At school in the 1950s she was part of a singing group called Circle of Rwandan Song and Dance - their work was broadcast on Radio Rwanda. Cécile had a very strong interest in finding the origins of Rwandan music and she pursued that during her employment as a social worker after leaving school. She felt determined that Rwandan music should be preserved and shared worldwide. She began to compose songs, including a praise song for Rwandan Queen Rosali.
War broke out in Rwanda in 1973 and Cécile and her husband fled to safety in Belgium where she has been based since then. In 1975 Cécile was part of a musical group called Iyange for 5 years, then she studied Rwandan heritage at the Royal Museum of Central Africa. In 1984 she joined another group, Bula Sangoma, with whom she toured Europe and America and recorded an album. Cécile followed that in 1987 with a concert tour of Rwanda and Uganda with the Ingeli orchestra including a party for King Mutara III.

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