Gospel musician Betty Bayo passes on / HANDOUT
Gospel musician Beatrice Wairimu Mbugua, popularly known as Betty Bayo, has over the past years continued to command a strong digital audience, with several of her songs ranking highly on music streaming platforms.
Betty Bayo passed away on November 10, following a battle with blood cancer (leukemia) at an advanced stage.
Fellow artists and industry stakeholders have poured in tributes, describing her as a humble, gifted, and inspirational figure whose music touched countless lives.
Current data from Spotify shows the singer’s recent releases and earlier work maintaining steady listener engagement, underscoring her enduring influence in the gospel scene.
Her track 11th Hour leads as the most streamed song, with over 189,000 plays, making it her top-performing single on the platform.
The song, which reflects on divine intervention and hope during difficult moments, has resonated widely with both new listeners and long-time fans.
Close behind it on Spotify’s popularity list are Busy Busy and Jemedari each with more than 110, 000 streams.
Both songs highlight themes of faith, perseverance, and God’s protection, consistent with Bayo’s signature lyrical message.
Other popular tracks currently attracting notable streaming numbers include Siyabonga, Thiiri, Maneno, Ti Mundu, Damu and Anabadilisha
While some of these songs were released in earlier years, their continued presence in digital playlists suggests sustained listener loyalty and renewed discovery among younger audiences accessing music primarily online.
Bayo, who has been active in the gospel industry for more than a decade, remains a familiar voice in churches, concerts and regional gospel radio.
The latest streaming trends indicate that while her personal journey has played out in the public eye, her music continues to attract significant support.
Her digital performance also reflected how gospel listening habits have shifted, with audiences increasingly turning to online platforms rather than relying solely on radio and television playlists.
As gospel continues to adapt to evolving music consumption, Betty Bayo’s catalogue shows a consistent presence, a sign that her message and sound still hold strong appeal among listeners across generations.
As Kenyans are trying to come to terms with her death, many will remember her for the vocals that transformed and uploaded,ifted their lives differently.
On Monday, family spokespersons described the loss as a huge blow to the family and the gospel fraternity.
They said Bayo had been hospitalised since last week after being diagnosed with blood cancer.
“We want to tell the public that today at 1:03 pm, we lost Betty Bayo. It is no longer a rumour; it is the truth,” the family spokesperson said during the briefing.
The family explained that Bayo’s illness progressed rapidly, leading to complications that doctors tried to manage before she passed away.
According to the family, she had been diagnosed with acute mild leukaemia, which resulted in excessive bleeding.
“Betty has been unwell since last week; she was diagnosed with acute mild cancer—leukemia. Betty was transferred to KNH on Friday, as she was suffering from excessive bleeding. The doctors tried their best, but the will of God has prevailed,” the family said.
Bayo’s ex-husband, Apostle Victor Kanyari, was present during the briefing and stood alongside family members as they addressed the media.
