Get to know Akilah alum Aline Sano Shengero — better known as Alyn Sano — in conversation with Akilah alum Allen Ingabire.

“Education is a key to success!”

As part of our recent Insta Live series, we were thrilled to host Rwanda’s very own star, Alyn Sano. After graduating from Akilah’s Hospitality Management diploma program in 2017, Sano’s career has gone from strength to strength. She has won numerous awards, including Salax Best Female Artist, Best Upcoming Artist and MADE IN RWANDA best female artist.

What does she attribute her success to? The education she received at Akilah.

Watch the full interview here or read highlights from her conversation with fellow Akilah alum Allen Ingabire below.

Alyn Sano (center) pictured at Akilah’s Class of 2017 Graduation Ceremony with fellow alumnae

Allen: What do you love most in your career?

Sano: I love performing because whenever I’m on the stage I feel like it’s where I belong.

When I sing my song and people in the audience sing along, I feel like the world is mine. I love when I sing and someone comes to tell me that the message in your song has made me change as a person — I feel like I’ve achieved something big that I’ve always wanted to achieve in my life. The vision for my career is to change people’s lives.

Allen: When you were still a student at Akilah, did you know that you would do music as a career or had you thought that you were just singing for fun back then?

Sano: When I joined Akilah, I didn’t know who I was but I had a talent. One day we were in class studying self awareness, setting goals, and self confidence — that made me think about myself. I started asking myself in the mirror, ‘Who do I want to be in three years from now?’ Right after that inner conversation, I had to start testing my abilities and imitating other people’s songs. I came up with a set of goals of being an artist in the future and that’s what led me to be who I am right now. Thanks to that leadership class I took at Akilah.

Allen : Why did you choose to study at Akilah instead of another university?

Sano: I like to say that it was God’s plan! I remember when I finished high school, I had passed with good marks and I was qualified for a scholarship to go to a government university. At the same time, I found out about Akilah and it was affordable. I did the entry exams and I passed, so that’s how I joined Akilah.

Audience: What are the principles that guide you through your daily life as a young successful woman?

Sano:

My principle is to never give up! Sometimes I find so many things that could make me quit, but I like to look myself in the mirror and see that I’ve come very far, which reminds me not to give up now.

Audience: Could you please tell us about your new project Reading with Alyn Sano?

Sano: I wanted to do something for society that’s not singing and that can motivate young kids. I came to realize that children need someone to read inspirational stories to them. This idea came after realizing that my little sister asks me to read the stories for her. I thought that there might be other kids who want someone to read them stories and that’s how I started Reading with Alyn Sano.

Allen: How did your Diploma prepare you for your singing career?

Sano: I want to thank Elizabeth Dearborn Hughes, the CEO & Co-Founder of Davis College. Thank you very much for sacrificing a lot for Akilah because without Akilah, I wouldn’t be the Alyn Sano that people know currently. I would probably be somewhere in a random choir singing from behind. Akilah nurtured me and I am proud of the person I am today.

Allen: Would you send your siblings to study at Davis College?

Sano: Definitely, yes! I have learned a lot from Akilah and I would want all my siblings to get the same experience I got.

Allen: What advice can you give women who are pursuing a career in music?

Sano: I would tell them that education is a key to success! Music is a big industry and there is always an added value when you are educated. For example, I don’t have a manager now because I can manage all of my projects by myself. If I didn’t have my education background, it would have been so hard to know all the accountancy, project management, and all of the other stuff. Education opened my eyes and introduced me to this bigger industry. To everyone who wants to pursue a career in music: invest in being educated first.

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