The Moipei sisters career in music was mapped out at an early age. Mary, Marta and Magdaline are triplets while Seraphine is their younger sister with a two year age gap. By the time they were turning 12 and 10 years they had won the SABC Crown Gospel Awards in Durban, South Africa.
They went on to be appointed as the first UNICEF child ambassadors in Kenya. They relocated to the United States for further studies where they have since graduated and found success in the competitive music scene.
Here is their story as told by WoK.
Moipei Sisters
Mary, Marta and Magdaline were born in 1993 while their younger sister Seraphine was born in October 1995. Their mother Christine Moipei is married to Nicholas Moipei who served as the Chairman Governing Council of the Kenya Cultural Centre.
The siblings discovered that they all have a talent to sing and subsequently formed a musical group which they called ‘Moipei Quartet.’ In 2011, they were the youngest winners of the 4th SABC Crown Gospel Musical Awards which is considered the biggest gospel music awards in Africa.
They were appointed by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) as the first child ambassadors in Kenya. They performed at President Uhuru Kenyatta’s inauguration ceremony in 2013 before moving to America.
The US
They later moved to the United States of America (USA) to pursue music at the St Mary’s University in Antonio, Texas. While at the institution they became the favorite in the campus often been chosen to represent the school in musical events.
The most remarkable event was their performance of the American National Anthem ‘The Stars Spangled Banner’ at the start of a National Basketball Association match between the LA Clippers and San Antonio Spurs.
Apart from singing, the Moipei Sisters also play musical instruments. Mary plays the clarinet and saxophone, Maggy the Flute and piccolo and Martha the trumpet and piano. The triplets graduated with First Class honors from the institution on 13th May 2018.
Finding Success in America
After completing their studies, the group decided to settle and pursue their musical career in the United States. Aged 29 and 27 years old, the siblings are now at the peak of their careers. The trio relocated to New York to join the prestigious Broadway Theatre District as reported by Nation. Broadway stages performances in its 41 professional theatres situated in the Lincoln Centre and Theatre District in the city. During an exclusive interview with Nation, their father Mr. Nicholas Moipei explained that he is proud of her daughters.
“They recently graduated but they have anchored their careers around music. They all studied music and one of them is teaching the subject in Kileleshwa, Nairobi. Anything else they chose to focus on could be a side hustle. Music is their main forte,” he said.
“They’ve been performing cabaret style of music. They have performed in some of the greatest theaters. At the Badlands Jazz Theatre and the Lincoln Centre they performed last Friday. They are now preparing to go and do a series of performances in Indiana,” he added.
The trio won the 2022 Julie Wilson award for, ‘jubilant conquest of diverse stages and cultures; their impact on the entertainment industry and the scope and depth of their many awards and honors,’ their certificate reads in part.
