Fast-rising musician Nadia Mukami causing a buzz with her electric Afro pop single Ikamate Hiyo

FAITH KYOUMUKAMA

Many people identify you with your 2018 single Si Rahisi. Was it your debut song?

A lot of people think that I launched my singing career with that single. But truth is, I professionally started doing music and singing in 2017 and my first song and video was titled Kesi.

But would you say Si Rahisi was the song that opened doors for you, eventually joining the Coke Studio Africa music show?

Yes. The single was my breakthrough song. It opened a lot of doors for me and gave me a place in the music industry.

However, the song that took me all the way to Coke Studio Africa was African Lover, which also received quite an overwhelming buzz.

It hasn’t been easy for women to make it in the music industry in Kenya. What has been your experience in the three years that you have been musically active?

Being a female artiste needs one to have a bucketful of limitless courage and a lot of patience because you are constantly being criticised. Different kinds of challenges also come your way almost all the time.

There is so much sexism in the industry and a lot of people will judge from that sexist perspective than as an individual.

It, therefore, becomes harder to maintain the pace than getting a breakthrough, so you always must think of how to keep it moving without getting distracted by the semantics.

But you’ve also had your moments. What has been the biggest highlight of your career thus far?

So far, I would say being part of this year’s Coke Studio Africa was a huge deal for me as an artiste.

I was categorised as a big break act artiste and I would say it has come with great opportunities for me.

I have performed in places I couldn’t have imagined and it’s really giving me the motivation; this is what keeps me going.

You recently fell out with your ex-label Hailemed Entertainment, under David Guoro. What were the circumstances surrounding the controversial move?

Hailemed Entertainment was a good place to begin at, but we just didn’t work out businesswise.

I felt my business interests were not being handled the way I would have loved them to be.

Sometimes you must be a little bit selfish and make the decisions that would give you self-improvement and growth.

And that’s what transpired. I did it for myself and I hold nothing against Guoro (the label’s founder); I just had to do what I had to do.

So, have you since signed to a new label or you are just doing your thing?

I am not yet signed for now. I am working with a team that consists a brand manager (who handles things to do with my music business), personal assistant, who also doubles up as my bookings manager and a vibrant social media team for publicity and such matters.

As you continue with your growth as a musician, who are some of the people you would die to work with?

I would give an arm and a leg to collaborate with Vanessa Mdee from Tanzania, Kenya’s Nyashinski and American singer-songwriter Khalid.

On matters production, Lizer from the WCB crew and Kenya’s Cedo and Musyoka would be my ultimate super producers. A girl can only dare to dream. 

What should your fans expect these coming months?

Because I don’t want to let the cat out of the bag yet, I will just say I will make a major announcement soon.