On the last weekend of August 2025, I had the privilege of attending the CeCe Winans Live in Nairobi concert at Uhuru Gardens — and what an unforgettable experience it was! The event, organized by Madfun Events, was a masterclass in planning, execution, and delivering an authentic Christian entertainment experience.

From seamless ticketing and clear communication to an impressive event setup — including tens of clean, accessible washroom facilities — everything was carefully thought through. With a turnout estimated between 8,000 and 10,000 worshippers, it was one of those rare events where everything seemed to align, even the beautiful Nairobi skies blessing the evening. Kudos to Madfun Events for raising the bar and giving Christian music lovers a truly world-class experience.

But for me, attending concerts isn’t just about the music — it’s also about learning and understanding industry practices. And one question always lingers in my mind:

Why do international artists always seem to get it right?

The Magic of Preparation

CeCe Winans’ performance was nothing short of awe-inspiring. Every note, every harmony, every word flowed effortlessly. At one point, I overheard some attendees whispering, “Is this even live? It sounds like a studio recording!” — and honestly, they weren’t wrong.

The secret? Meticulous preparation.

CeCe’s team began rehearsals in January — not just with her band but also with her sound engineers. This level of coordination ensures that by the time she steps on stage, every sonic detail has been perfected.

The sound quality itself was on another level. Credit goes to Homeboyz Sound and locally sound engineering Guru Ken, whose engineering mastery made it possible to literally hear CeCe Winans smile through the speakers. Her microphone alone? A specialized Shure model requested by her sound team, Can cost at an upwards of Ksh. 700,000 per piec including the top capsule in this case a requested ( Capsule sm58 shure)

A Shout-Out to Rising Talent

Before CeCe took the stage, we were treated to an electrifying curtain-raiser by fast-rising star, Vanissy Uwase. Backed by a full live band, Vanissy delivered an unforgettable performance that left the crowd buzzing with excitement. Her future? Undoubtedly international.

This is the kind of investment in craft and precision that creates a transcendent concert experience.

A Lesson in Professionalism

CeCe Winans began rehearsing for the tour as early as January, and it wasn’t just her band preparing — her sound engineers were also fully involved from the start. This level of preparation was evident in the seamless performance we witnessed.

In live performances, there are typically two key production setups:

1. Backline

This covers everything on stage — the drums, guitars, lead vocalist (CeCe), and the backup vocalists’ microphones. Each performer uses in-ear monitors that allow them to hear themselves and the rest of the band clearly. These monitors are individually controlled through different bus channels managed by the onstage (backline) sound engineer, ensuring every musician hears exactly what they need.

2. Front of House (FOH)

This is what the audience hears through the main speakers. It’s controlled by a front-of-house sound engineer who usually sits at the back of the crowd. Their job is to mix all the inputs from the stage into a perfectly balanced sound for the audience.

Line Check

Before the event, every single instrument and microphone goes through a line check to confirm that all signals are working correctly and transmitting the right frequencies.

Soundcheck

On the day of the performance, the artist, band, and engineers conduct a soundcheck — a live rehearsal to synchronize all sound levels. For CeCe’s concert, the setup crew spent a minimum of five days assembling and calibrating everything before the show.

CeCe Winans’ team had rehearsed so thoroughly that they pre-saved all sound settings on a flash drive. Upon arriving on-site, they simply loaded their configurations into the system.

Beforehand, her team had sent a technical rider to the organizers in both Uganda and Kenya — a detailed document outlining their technical requirements. Among the key requests was a Yamaha CL5 Digital Mixer. They even required two units on-site.

On the day of the show, Cece’s sound engineering team worked in perfect harmony to create a flawless audio experience. One engineer, positioned at the backline mixer on stage, meticulously managed all the technical lines from the performers’ instruments and microphones. This ensured a balanced and clear feed was sent to the Front of House (FOH) engineer.

The FOH engineer, acting as the final architect of the sound, then processed this feed with specialized equipment before sending the perfected audio out to the audience through the main speakers.

The result? A sonic experience so pure that it felt like listening to a perfectly mastered studio album — only live.

Important to note that a few elements of her live band were pre recorded, this included loops and Percussions. Every other element was played live.

Takeaway

Attending this concert wasn’t just entertainment; it was an education in how live shows are planned, engineered, and executed.

Locally in Kenya, we have amazing talents that can deliver this quality of production with Sauti Sol always leading the way with exciting performances and meticulous planning. The highest limiting factor locally has been and remains lack of financial muscles  to guide artists towards such preparations and planning.

So, next time you find yourself hesitating about paying premium prices for concert tickets, remember this: behind every minute on stage are months of planning, rehearsals, and engineering precision. For local artists to rise higher, please accept to pay premium when requested and let them have the pain of delivering standard.

For me, The Cece Winans Live – was worth every single coin — and I left with both a renewed appreciation for CeCe Winans and fresh insights into elevating our own production standards locally.