16 Days of Activism against GBV: Renwick Duesbury strikes upliftment, healing through gospel music

His ears only resonated with the soundwaves travelling out of a Kirk Franklin song for once in his entire life when he was five years old, but this later translated into an array of talented gospel music that made him become a gospel artist who is soon to help the music industry in Guyana.
This phenomenon happened to Renwick Duesbury, and he told this publication all about it during an interview on Friday.
Renwick Duesbury is a Christian recording artist whose music has charted on the Billboard charts, as well as a music producer and songwriter. He graduated from Full Sail University with a degree in Music Production and Music Business. Born in the United Kingdom (UK), Renwick grew up in Guyana and now resides in the United States (US).
Giving a slight backdrop before this grand vision to incorporate local artists into a bigger stage, he relayed the genesis of his journey.
“I was like 5 years old when I came back to Guyana from the UK. I started singing in church but what drew me in is because my dad had a Franklin CD. The only CD in the house that had the Song Revolution on it.”

He recalled how, within his area in Guyan where he lived, there was an array of music being played which influenced his style and love for music as well.
Watching the juxtaposition between Gospel music and secular Soca music, he decided to mend them together whilst simultaneously staying true to his beliefs.
“Every Saturday morning, them dudes used to play Machel Montano. You know, just the different Caribbean flavours, right? So, I discovered that I like Caribbean music, but I also like choirs and I decided to just blend the two together.”
However, as he grew, he migrated to the US to enter into university.
When this major transition took place in his life, a grand vision of bringing back his talent to Guyana to do something great slowly grew within him.
Renwick recently visited Guyana on a short music tour, where he gathered a team of foreign musicians and ministered in Georgetown, at the 2024 Hosanna Afro Praise Concert and Youth Explosion, a night of praise and worship in Berbice.
During his visit, Renwick developed a strong desire to help Guyanese creatives and the local music culture gain more global exposure.
With limited time, Renwick gathered some of the country’s top producers: Jarmo TIU, AJ Legendary, Joey2kool, Yonnick Adolph, Selector Andre, and singer Ruth Wilson.

In just two days, the song, ‘Joy to The World’, was born this team reimagined the classic Christmas carol, merging Caribbean, Afrobeats, and Gospel sounds, and conveying the message of joy that comes with the birth of Jesus Christ. Mahli Benjamin from Antigua served as the vocal director, while American sound engineer Jonathan Elder, who has Trinidad and Tobago heritage, mixed and mastered the song.
Amid the recognition of his Guyanese counterparts having talent, he exclaimed that they don’t have accessibility to the industry and the information that will help them to get out there – thus the need to continue working with them to send them to higher heights.
16 days of activism
Coincidentally, interviewed within the exact time frame of the ongoing 16 days of activism, he touched on key things that his spiritual music can do for girls who may have been hurt from various forms of abuse.
When asked about what his music can do, he highlighted how it can counter mental health, even in the ongoing 16 days of activism.
“My style of writing is that anyone can relate to the music. I can empathise based on my life experiences and show you how God was able to heal, deliver, and restore. My music would point them back to the healer, it would be a sense of comfort.”
He added that it can provide redirection and healing.
“One of my songs – No more Detours, means that we listen to people and we end up in a cycle because we got distracted and we lost sight of our purpose, however when Jesus comes into your life there are no more diversions.”
Renwick plans to host a series of music education workshops to help the music industry in Guyana. However, works are still proceeding for this venture. (Mishael Henry)