Boiler Room x Ballantine’s True Music Africa – A Unique Platform Telling The Stories Of The Varied Music Scenes Sweeping The Continent

Kenyan-Collective-Ballantines-True-Music

The Boiler Room x Ballantine’s True Music platform builds on a successful four-year
partnership, championing artists with a pioneering spirit and challenging them to
continue pushing boundaries. The partnership has collaborated with more than 160 artists across more than 20 events seen by more than 70 million people worldwide with one of their stops being in Nairobi last week.

Kenyan-Collective-Ballantines-True-Music
From left; Swiss Producer Jean ‘Hook’ Geissbuhler, me and Muthoni Drummer Queen. Image Courtesy of John Ochieng

Bringing some of the most exciting pioneers of the nu-Nairobi movement to the global online stage and an electic mix of sounds of afro-house, afro-rap and of course Nairobi nu-wave, the show welcomed some of Kenya’s most forward-thinking artists:
o Muthoni Drummer Queen
o EA Wave
o Suraj
o Taio
o Coco EM

Kenyan-Collective-Ballantines-True-Music
DJ Coco Em

Speaking to Muthoni Drummer Queen on the journey of Nu Nairobi’s Music, she applauded the Boiler Room’s efforts with Ballantine’s True Music to support and celebrate artists who do it ‘their way’.

For a long time, Muthoni Ndonga’s way of creating her music was ostracized because it didn’t seem conventional, but looking at how her art has been received over the past years tells you how Kenyans are keen on letting their stories told.

https://youtu.be/GaWwQC-nJXk

Kenya is versatile, full of light and resiliency

The underground music scenes in Kenya are undeniably rich.

The electrified crowd at the Alchemist during the main event would tell you all this and so much more. Walking in, you wouldn’t know what to expect, but at the same time, you knew it was a place bursting with possibilities!

Kenyan-Collective-Ballantines-True-Music-Africa
Dj Suraj, Shappaman and Barack Jacuzzi at the Ball

Also, considering the fact that the live stream was being broadcasted all over the world, this was quite the chance for these artists to show off and boy oh boy, they really did! (You can catch a recap of the show from the link below 😉)

https://youtu.be/GaWwQC-nJXk

As we wound up our discussion with Muthoni Drummer Queen and Swiss Producer Jean ‘Hook’ Geissbuhler, it’s evident that the time for Nu Nairobi is now, the time for them to be heard even more is now and the True Music Africa tour couldn’t come at a better time because these artists have shown that over the years; because there is something very powerful about knowing yourself and there is freedom in living your truth!

#

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here