Description
I was born in a small village in Cameroon, central Africa. My Dutch parents worked there as missionaries in
bible translation for over 20 years, and I grew up in the capital, Yaoundé. I
was first taught by my mother, then attended a small missionary-run elementary
school, and finished high-school at a Christian international school (Rain
Forest International School). At that school I was also part of the worship
team, helping to lead the daily assemblies and weekly chapel with music. I
played guitar, piano, and drums and lead vocally. I also sang in the choir and
received voice lessons for some time. I have been writing songs since I was
very young, having CD's from age 7 and age 10 to prove it. Songwriting became a
way for me to express my feelings, usually centered around God, who is the most
important to me and who I believe I am living for. My African artist name, Menkenja, meaning
'light', echoes this desire to share the amazing thing that brings me so much
joy with the world.