Seben fever: How Congolese rhythms are turning Kenyan church pews into dance floors

Somewhere between the first guitar riff and the final hallelujah, the pews empty and the aisles come alive.

Across Kenyan churches, the rhythmic beats of Congolese Seben are rolling through sanctuaries like a warm tide. Praise and worship never feels quite the same.

The melodies are bright and the rhythms irresistible. Once-still services now blossom into vibrant celebrations.

Look closely and you will see it. Fists fold like those of boxers and punch the air in time with the drums and whistles. Waists wiggle in perfect unison.

Faces glisten with sweat, and every one of them is smiling.

Behind the music are worship leaders who say the genre has found a home in Kenyan hearts.

"The rhythms are just so infectious. The melodies are uplifting, and the music calls for celebration," says Jeremy Mushagalusa, a worship leader at a church in Embakasi, Nairobi.

For the Congolese-born musician, joy is the point of worship.

"It's hard not to smile and move your feet when that guitar riff kicks in," he says.

Seben, he explains, does not let anyone sit on the sidelines.

"It's not just about listening. Seben demands that you engage with your whole being. Body, mind, and soul," he says.

Beside him, drummer Jonathan Samuel keeps the heartbeat steady. He says the sound taps into something deeply Kenyan.

"The music is high energy, and it taps into the Kenyan cultural love for movement," he says.

To him, it is more than a beat.

"It's the kind of music that unites people in joy... it's a spiritual release," Jonathan adds.

The magic lies in the blend. Jeremy folds Kenya's own sounds, from Mugithi to Benga, into the Congolese groove. The result is a familiar sound with an exciting new twist.

"Blending these with the Congolese style makes the music more accessible to Kenyan listeners while still maintaining the unique vibe of Seben," he says.

Jonathan says Kenyan drumming patterns meet Congolese rhythmic layers in what he calls "a perfect fusion".

Then there is the youth.

At Deliverance Church South City in Nairobi, worship leader Moses Fortune says the younger generation has found its voice.

"Seben is interactive in a way that older gospel styles just aren't," he says.

The slower, older songs that once filled the sanctuary did not always hold their attention. Now they have something to dance to and connect with.

Even beloved hymns are getting a fresh coat of paint. Moses says Tenzi za Rohoni and other traditional favourites are being fused with Seben, giving slow gospel a catchy, danceable pulse.

"For a long time, the worship experience in church was dominated by the older generations. Now, with Seben, there's a sense of belonging for the younger people," he says.

The ripple effect is spreading. Services that were once quiet and fixed now pulse with drums, guitars and voices lifted together.

Jeremy points to Agape Gospel Band, which weaves Congolese Seben into Swahili gospel messages, as proof the sound can thrive here.

"Agape has shown how Seben can thrive in Kenya... music has the power to transcend borders," he says.

Yet beneath the rhythm, the message remains unchanged. For Moses, the genre is still rooted in worship.

"At the end of the day, it's all about lifting the name of God," he says.