- 27 June, 2026
June 27, 2026: Can faith be joyful enough to make people dance?
That is the question at the heart of Jesus Zumba, a new song by Fr. Sandesh Manuel that celebrates the joy of knowing Christ through music, movement and a vibrant collaboration with Uganda's viral Masaka Kids Africana. More than just an upbeat tune, the song is a reminder that Christian faith is not only about sacrifice and devotion, but also about rejoicing in the Lord.
In a candid conversation with Catholic Connect, Fr. Manuel shares the inspiration behind Jesus Zumba, what it was like filming with the Dancing Kids of Africa, why he believes joy is an essential witness to the Christian faith, and how music and social media can become powerful tools to spread the good news.
What inspired you to write Jesus Zumba, and what is the story behind it?
The inspiration behind Jesus Zumba is actually the same as behind my Carlo Acutis song that I released last year. For me, one emotion is very important in our Christian life—joy. In our Franciscan tradition, we always say it is a joy to be a Franciscan. In the same way, it is also a joy to be a Christian because Jesus is in our lives.
We also need to rejoice in the Lord. When non-Christians see us, they should experience that joy. There should be an aura that comes from our relationship with Jesus, and that joy should naturally flow to others. If people only see Christians with sad faces, they won't experience the happiness that comes from knowing Christ.
That is one of the reasons I wrote this song. I also wanted to create a dance song because we have very few Christian dance songs, especially for young people. We have many beautiful worship songs, but there are very few songs that young people can enjoy, relate to and happily share with their non-Christian friends.
So I wanted Jesus Zumba to be a lively, energetic song that gets people moving while celebrating Jesus.
How did the collaboration with the Dancing Kids of Africa happen?
The original idea for the music video was actually very different. I imagined a Zumba class taking place in a parish hall. The Zumba instructor doesn't arrive, so the parish priest is asked to conduct the session and plays Jesus Zumba instead. But later I realised I needed really good choreography for the song.
Around that time, Instagram kept showing me videos of the Masaka Kids Africana. I thought, "Why not ask them?" So I sent them a message, and they responded almost immediately.
I've been uploading music on my Father Manuel Music YouTube channel for the last 17 years. I've had a difficult time getting a breakthrough, but I'm not sad about it. Today's world is driven by algorithms, and there is no recipe for making a video go viral.
This time, I decided not to think about algorithms. I simply wanted to make a really good song. I took time to plan everything carefully, wrote simple lyrics and invited the children to collaborate. Once they agreed, I travelled to Uganda to film the video.
I have also stopped recording cover songs and now focus only on original music because I perform concerts across Austria and Germany. I wanted songs that I could truly call my own. The trip required a lot of sacrifice. I spent nearly two years saving money to make it possible, but it was completely worth it because of the beautiful experience I had with the children.
What was the most memorable moment during the filming?
Without a doubt, it was the joy of the children.
They are all orphans who have been taken in by people who provide them shelter and care. What touched me even more was that some of those caring for them were themselves once orphans. Through dance, YouTube and social media, they became popular, earned money and now use that to look after younger children. The chain simply continues.
Despite everything they have gone through, the children were full of joy. They had memorised every word—from the first line to the last—and that made me very happy because it showed they genuinely loved the song. The African rhythm and beat also made it very natural for them.
Another memorable moment was when they realised I was actually going to dance with them. They thought they would be performing on their own, so seeing a priest dancing alongside them was something they really enjoyed.
Since travelling to Africa had taken so much planning and expense, I decided to make the most of the trip by filming three more songs with different dance groups. Those songs will be released over the coming months.
The journey wasn't without challenges. One evening after filming, we were stuck in traffic for almost four hours and barely moved a hundred metres. We even wondered whether we'd make it back because another shoot was scheduled the next day.
It turned into a seventeen-hour day of travelling, filming, dancing and sitting in traffic. Yet I remained thankful and joyful because of the beautiful experience we had with the children. I knew this song would bring smiles to many people.
As a priest, how do you see music helping people encounter God today?
Music is a beautiful language for communicating a beautiful message, and for us that message is Jesus. The wonderful thing about music is that it speaks to everyone. You may not understand the language or even the lyrics, but music itself touches people. It can make you dance, bring peace, entertain you and lift your spirit.
That is exactly what Jesus Zumba is about. Jesus gives us joy, and that joy should make us dance. I also believe social media has become a very important means of evangelisation today. Last year, I attended the Vatican's first Catholic Influencers meeting, where I performed my Carlo Acutis song. That gathering showed me that the Vatican also recognises the importance of social media in spreading the Gospel.
What are your hopes for Jesus Zumba once it is released?
I hope it reaches as many people as possible. As musicians, we're always happy when our songs reach people. But more importantly, I hope listeners smile, become joyful and praise Jesus.
I made Jesus Zumba because I love Jesus, and I want that love to become contagious. His love is always contagious. My hope is that this song reaches every Christian home. If Catholics themselves watch and share it, many more people will discover it.
I also hope youth groups adopt it during Youth Days and parish gatherings. Catholic and Christian schools are always looking for new songs and dance performances. If Jesus Zumba becomes a song that young people enjoy dancing to while celebrating their faith, that would make me very happy.
CLICK HERE to watch the video
By Catholic Connect Reporter
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