What if East Africa has been singing the same song all along? Not the same lyrics. Not the same instruments. Not even the same languages. But the same pulse. That question sits at the heart of CHIKKA, an ambitious musical and cultural project conceived by Ethiopian producer, researcher and creative director Guta Wakuma Chimsa. What…
This week’s edition of Nairobi Grooves is less a playlist and more a reflection of a region discovering itself in real time. Every city has a soundtrack. Every generation leaves behind a collection of songs that capture its ambitions, anxieties, celebrations, heartbreaks, and hopes. Every music scene experiences moments of transition. There are periods when…
Every week, Afrobeats Heat Different serves as a snapshot of where African music is, where it is heading, and which artists are helping shape the conversation in real time. For the latest edition, Music Custodian places Tiwa Savage at the centre of that conversation. The Nigerian superstar appears on two records featured in this week’s…
East Africa’s alternative music ecosystem continues to deepen its collaborative language. Kenyan collective We Are Nubia and singer-songwriter Xenia Manasseh have officially announced a new joint single titled Longo Longo, set for release this Friday, May 22. Accompanied by warm, emotionally textured cover art and a deeply intentional rollout message shared across social media, the…
Ayra Starr is entering a new era and she’s doing it on her own terms. The Nigerian star has officially announced her forthcoming album Starr Girl, set for release on August 14, unveiling the project through a striking futuristic cover artwork that immediately ignited conversation across social media. In the visual, Ayra appears in a…
The music industry has encountered disruption before, AI won’t be the first. From the decline of physical sales to the rise of streaming platforms, each technological shift has redefined how music is distributed, consumed, and monetized. Yet the current moment signals something far more fundamental. Artificial intelligence is no longer operating at the margins of…
Lira’s return following her 2022 stroke offers a deeper lens into music as therapy, the reconstruction of voice, and the question of sustainability within African music. The trajectory of an artist’s career is often evaluated through continuity. – measured by sustained output, public visibility, and uninterrupted engagement with audiences. Within this framework, interruption is frequently…
A week before the release of RNB, Bridget Blue walked into KODA Nairobi with a blank board – her album cover, unsigned, unmarked, and unfinished. By the end of the night, it was filled. Every person in the room had left something behind: a name, a message, a trace of presence. That version became the…
Coachella 2026 highlights the rise of Black music and African sound as central forces shaping the global stage and music industry. The 2026 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival is currently underway at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, featuring a historic headlining set by Karol G as the first Latina woman to headline, alongside performances…
In an industry often defined by access, visibility, and power dynamics, the most radical act is sometimes the simplest: like Onerpm is – creating a room and being intentional about who it is built for. Less than a fortnight ago in Nairobi, ONErpm quietly convened over 30 women across the Kenyan music ecosystem for an…
