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Valentine's Day specials: Finally, the much-awaited Atemi and Kasiva albums out
Atemi Oyungu, whose love-themed album Mahaba Hewani will be released on Valentine's Day. She and her special guest artists will be performing the album at the Love Unplugged concert in Nairobi on Valentine's Day.
Two of Kenya’s most accomplished musical talents release new albums today, coinciding with Valentine’s Day. One is a renowned percussionist/singer, dropping her long-awaited debut album, while the other is a seasoned performer clocking 25 years as a professional singer with a new collection of love-themed songs.
After five arduous years of working on her first full-length project, Desturi (Swahili for ‘customs’), the internationally acclaimed percussionist and singer celebrates the official release of her debut album today
“In this album I explore my relationship with different cultures, how I coexist with them and in the way that I have experienced them,” she tells the BDLife in an interview this week.
“No one culture is superior to the other so I have carefully woven multiple cultures in the songs, creating a feeling of home, and of Africa.”
For instance, the West African djembe drums, are infused with the sounds of Qraqeb, a large percussion instrument made of iron that is popular in North Africa, and paired with a drum set, horns and guitars.
Her exposure to diverse influences while participating in international projects, from Coke Studio Africa to The Nile Project, have shaped the rich spectrum of sounds on the album.
“I spent many years collaborating with musicians across the world and was exposed to diverse musical cultures which have influenced my approach to music,” she says.
To create the album, she tapped into her pan African network of artistes and the influence of her idols like Ivorian Dobet Gnahore, Khadja Nin of Burundi, Cameroonian Charlotte Dipanda and Kenyan singer, guitarist, Suzanna Owiyo (it is impossible to ignore the similarity in vocal style to the latter).
Ndikweteela (Kamba for “I will not wait for you”) is an expression of love and loss, through the pain of a long-distance relationship. As Kasiva reveals, “It is true story of a bittersweet personal relationship and my decision to move on and find happiness.”
Her long-time collaborators Nairobi Horns Project, bless the song produced by Ireland-based audio engineer, Hermann Ogulla, with their extraordinary rhythms.
Kasiva delivers her strongest vocal performance on the rousing Twende Mbele, an anthem of African empowerment featuring a lively interplay of guitar, drums and cello.
Percussionist and singer Kasiva Mutua releases her debut album Desturi on Valentine's Day. She will perform the album for the first time at the Sauti za Busara festival in Zanzibar this weekend.
Photo credit: Pool
Other highlights among the 11 songs include the exquisite ballad Mbio za Sakafu, and Al Nuba featuring Wd Abbo, a group formed by Sudanese musicians who fled the war back home in 2023. For very personal reasons Kasiva picks, Mwaula, named after, and dedicated to, her father who died in 2007, among her favourites.
“Now I have a Valentine’s date for good,” Kasiva says cryptically referring to the date of her debut album release. “Desturi is love in ways unexplainable.”
As her fans start streaming the music today, Kasiva and her band are enroute to play at the world-renowned music festival, Sauti za Busara, in Zanzibar, where she will be playing the album for the first time. “Expect Kasiva 2.0. I am stepping into a new phase of musical expression, but of course, I will always be playing my drums,” she reassures.
Atemi Oyungu
Mahaba Hewani
In 25 years as a professional artiste, Atemi Oyungu has gone from late-1990s girl group Intu to a soul singer of exceptional standards. She takes her time between her albums and that is why Mahaba Hewani, released today, is only her third solo project
She had toyed with giving it the English title “Love in the Air” because in her words, ‘love is always in the air, wherever you are, you are in some kind of loving or romantic situation.’
What forced the change? “I felt that mahaba was a stronger word than just ‘love’, because it conveys passionate affection and deep emotion.”
The 15 songs on the album portray different aspects of love. “I see love in all its forms, liking someone, suffering heartbreak, learning to love yourself, these different themes of love…I felt that these themes were universal and this body of work speaks to all of this.”
Fittingly, the album opens with a powerful spiritual interlude, He Walks, which recalls Atemi’s gospel roots, and attains its highest point on Love on Me, a piece of sensual ‘grown-up music’ written by Sara Mitaru.
There’s some edgy R&B on Good while H_art the Band add their outstanding harmonies to Kwaheri. The rumba guitar riffs on Let Him Go are irresistible and Atemi returns to the love of God as the album winds down with Yesu.
“Valentine’s Day gets a bad rap because people feel the pressure of having to celebrate with a romantic partner and I always try to create a space where you can bring your romantic partner, or a sister, brother, parent, friend, and celebrate with them,” she says.
Atemi will perform the songs live and share the stories behind the music, accompanied by guest artistes during her Love Unplugged concert tonight at the Broadway Residency in Parklands.
