Linnea Mayo ’26
Arts & Entertainment Editor
Rwandan musician Yves Semana Gisubizo ’24, better known by his artist name Sem-G Dile, has been making music for as long as he could remember, and worked hard to establish himself as a musician during his time at Trinity
“I was born a musician. I found myself performing and writing songs ever since I was young. It was something that came to me a long time ago,” Semana Gisubizo shares.
When coming to Trinity, he chose to take music more seriously and build a career out of this talent, because he was inspired by the opportunities it could bring. In pursuing a computer science major and music production minor, Semana Gisubizo has been able to use these skills to influence and enhance the quality of his work.
Semana Gisubizo wrote and released his first song his freshman year titled “Online” and remembers the response to his music fondly. In times of quarantine and coming from abroad, he established a community through the music he shared with others. From his peers coming up and congratulating him on the release, to connecting with Trinity staff and professors who enjoyed his music, this positive response encouraged him.
“Those are the songs you start with and it’s really based on how people perceive them. They gave me the hope to go forward. To be like, this is my thing. The attention they got was amazing, and even back home it was great,” explains Semana Gisubizo
The excitement surrounding his music set a clear tone for who the young artist has since become on and off campus. Semana Gisubizo says his favorite part of being an artist at Trinity is the love he receives and how music has allowed him to find his people on campus. Although he is inspired by artists like Jason Derulo and Tanzanian musician Diamond Platnumz, there are two people that keep Semana Gisubizo grounded most in his work.
“I do it for two reasons and I do it for two people. I do it for me, and I do it for Mama Africa. I do it for the continent.”
Creating and celebrating African music is valuable to Semana Gisubizo because it has helped him stay connected to his African culture and roots, and kept him inspired to represent those who came before him.
“It’s kept me very close to something I think I otherwise would have lost. I can’t imagine myself without doing African music in Trinity or in the U.S. The culture is very different and it’s very easy to get lost into that separate kind of culture, but it’s kept me very close to myself. I think that my ancestors are quite proud,” explains Semana Gisubizo.
Semana Gisubizo has also performed at various on-campus events, such as the International Show and Trinity’s African Students Association (TASA) fashion shows. Getting to share his music with Trinity has been special for him because of the support from his friends and peers who recognize what it took for him to get to where he is today.
“It feels like these people understand me beyond music,” says Semana Gisubizo. “When I go outside Trinity now, I have to be as professional as possible because these people only know my side as a musician. But at Trinity, it’s easy for me to be myself on campus and be a musician.”
Now in his senior year, Semana Gisubizo aims to switch most of his performances off campus to open new doors and opportunities. Considering he is soon graduating, Semana Gisubizo’s goal is to establish himself more widely and take his music career to the next level. He is thankful for the people and musicians he has met and worked with in Hartford who have similar musical interests. He has recorded songs and music videos with local artists such as Tang Sauce and Jupiter, and of his music videos, six of them were shot in Hartford and around Connecticut.
Disappointed by the lack of African music at Trinity, Semana Gisubizo has also formed the AfroVibe Live Club with the goal to create a community for others passionate about African music. This Afrobeats band aims to bring African music to both the Trinity and Hartford community, and is open to anyone on campus who loves African music or is willing to play or learn the music.
“Many people choose to ignore it but any music you hear originated from Africa. Most of the music genres all have an aspect of African music and very traditional African music. I think we give that environment to Africans as well to find their culture and bring it to them,” says Semana Gisubizo. “It started off with amazing people, I love it. It’s been a special connection to be part of the band.”
Despite starting off for fun, the band proved to be a quick success. They were soon being asked to perform at different Trinity and Hartford events, and on April 20, 2024, they will be opening the Samba Festival and then performing at The Mill that same evening. Today, Semana Gisubizo’s time consists of both working on his individual music and practicing with his fellow bandmates every Saturday. Five days of his week are spent focused on classes and academics, while he devotes the weekend to music.
“I love both things. I couldn’t imagine myself without doing computer science. I couldn’t imagine myself without doing music. I couldn’t imagine myself without coding. I think it’s a blessing that everything I do, I genuinely love,” says Semana Gisubizo.
Semana Gisubizo shouts out his band, AfroVibe, his professional team and everyone who has contributed to his music videos and songs. He also appreciates his supporters for making him the person he is today, as well as his parents for instilling trust and support for his goals and career.
After graduating from Trinity, Semana Gisubizo looks forward to starting his full time career as a software engineer at Morningstar in Chicago. He is in the midst of reshaping his music from a college stance into a real world perspective, and is excited to explore the music scene in Chicago and find a new professional team that understands the new direction of his music.
“I feel like I’m just getting started and the real music career is getting started this or next year for me. If I have the right people around me, nobody’s going to ever, ever stop me.”
You can find Semana Gisubizo’s music at @Sem-GDileOfficial on all music platforms, and explore his music videos and content on YouTube and Instagram.
