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I recently interviewed Udulele, a Kenyan singer and producer, who’s behind the genre he calls Soulful Benga. In our conversation, he spoke about how Soulful Benga grew from traditional Benga, with East African percussion, acoustic arrangements, and a spiritual touch.
Revisiting that conversation got me thinking more about Kenyan music. Also, I have been to Kenya and found its music scene quite unique and diverse, just like its diverse natural landscapes. There’s no single Kenyan sound, and that’s exactly what makes it interesting.
That’s why I got in touch with Udulele again to break down the 15 best Kenyan musicians as per the genre. So, you should expect a lot of great Kenyan singers playing Afropop, Genge rap, global fusion sounds, and some underground Kenyan music artists.
Afropop in Kenya is one of the country’s most commercially successful genres. It blends catchy melodies with urban flair. Many Kenyan singers sing Afropop in the Swahili language, so naturally it appeals locally and across East Africa.
While Afropop has roots in West Africa, especially Nigeria and Ghana, Kenyan musicians have made their own catchy beats. You can read more about the Afrobeat artists, especially from Nigeria.
Bien-Aimé Baraza, as Bien people mostly call him, is a former member of the Kenyan Afropop band Sauti Sol. In 2023, the group announced its split after two decades of success. Since then, Bien has been playing and releasing new music solo.
He released his first EP, “Bald Men Love Bette”, with 6 songs. Later, he released his debut solo album, “Alusa Why Are You Topless?” The album features collaborations with artists like Ayra Starr and Fally Ipupa.
Bien is one of the most-streamed Kenyan musicians on Spotify. Bien has also toured Europe and is now touring Washington, United States. He remains one of the top musicians from Kenya with global influence.
Bensoul is a famous Kenyan singer, songwriter who was the first singer of Sauti Sol’s Sol Generation Records. He released his debut single, “Lucy,” under the label, making him a rising star in East Africa.
As a songwriter, he co-wrote lyrics for “Time Flies” with Burna Boy for the Grammy-winning album “Twice As Tall”. In 2023, he released his debut solo album, “The Lion of Sudah,”.
The album became a success because it advocates for the legalization of cannabis in Kenya. He released his second album, “The Party & The After Party,” in 2024. This album also features a song with Bien.
Charisma is another famous Kenyan singer who blends Afropop with R&B and soul. He was initially part of the Kenyan boy band Le Band. He released his debut EP, With Love, Charisma, in 2020.
In August 2024, he released his debut album, The Motions, a collection of ten tracks featuring collaborations with artists like Trio Mio, Bensoul, and Okello Max. The album has themes of love, heartbreak, and personal growth.
Charisma is one of the recent musicians from Kenya in the Afropop genre who continues to make waves. These days, he is touring in different cities of Australia.
Njerae is one of the best Kenyan female singers and producers. She plays Afro-Indie sound, which is a fusion of folk, afrobeats, and modern indie. She got her earlier success through live performances at festivals like Wazi Wazi and Blankets & Wine.
In 2024, she signed with Universal Music Group East Africa. Her single “Aki Sioni” has well over 3 million streams and remained on Kenya’s Top 100 charts. If you want to know which channel has the most streams, check out YouTube music channels.
Njerae was nominated for “Underground Artist of the Year” at the Africa Choice Awards. She was also selected for Apple Music’s Africa Rising Class of 2025. Four Letter Word is her latest 2025 EP.
Nyashinski is a celebrated rapper and singer who was part of a famous 2000s hip-hop trio, Kleptomaniax. After the group went on hiatus, he moved to the U.S. in 2006, where he worked as a truck driver for a decade.
In 2016, he returned to Kenya, relaunching his music career with the hit single “Now You Know”. He also won the Pulse Music Video Awards for the song’s video.
His solo work blends hip-hop with Swahili lyrics, Afrobeats, and Kenyan instruments. His 2020 debut album, Lucky You, features aggressive street songs.
While his 2024 EP, To Whom It May Concern, has collaborations with Khaligraph Jones and Savara. Nyashinski now lives in Nairobi and remains one of the top Kenya music artists.
Genge is a Kenyan hip-hop genre that gained popularity in the late 1990s. Clemo, a producer, was behind the name and production. Later, Kenyan musicians like Jua Cali and Nonini popularized the genre.
Genge blends hip-hop with dancehall and traditional African music. Most of the Kenyan singers primarily sing in Sheng, a mix of Swahili, English, and local dialects. Since Genge is a street rap, it addresses poverty, unemployment, and social issues.
Wakadinali is a Kenyan rap trio from Nairobi’s Eastlands. Their lyrics are gritty and raw, describing the harsh realities of urban life. Wakadinali released two albums consecutively in 2017 and 2018.
However, their 2020 album Victims of Madness brought them into the mainstream. The album addresses police brutality, gun violence, and youth struggles.
Wakadinali consistently ranks on Rolling Stone’s Best Afropop Songs every year. In 2023, Wakadinali became the most-streamed Kenyan artist on Spotify. “Geri Inengi” is one of their best Kenyan songs with over 11 million views on YouTube.
Khaligraph Jones is one of the best Kenyan hip-hop singers. He came to the limelight after winning the Channel O Emcee Africa competition in 2009. Kaligraph released his debut album, Testimony 1990, in 2018.
Over the years, he has collaborated with Kenyan musicians like Otile Brown, Rayvanny, and Sauti Sol, making him one of the key singers of East African music. In April 2025, he released his third studio album, The Book of Jones. The album is a mix of hip-hop with Afrobeat.
Mejja is a famous Genge rapper who’s famous for his humorous and street lyrics. He got national attention in 2008 with the hit “Jana Kuliendaje”. His Kenyan music reflects everyday Kenyan life, blending Genge hip-hop with local dialects.
In 2014, Mejja co-founded the group The Kansoul with Kid Kora and Madtraxx, producing popular tracks like “Dabo Tap.” Following the group’s hiatus, he went on as a solo artist. Although he hasn’t released an album yet, he has scores of singles that you can enjoy.
Sylvia Saru, or Ssaru, is a Kenyan rapper and singer who got famous in 2019 after her freestyle videos went viral on social media. Later, she released her debut single, “Nyama”. The interesting part is her use of Gengetone, a genre combining rap, dancehall, and reggaeton.
Her song “Girl Power Freestyle” is one of her best, as it addresses the social issues like femicide in Kenya. In early 2025, she collaborated with hip-hop group Wakadinali on the track “Weza”.
Ssaru became the youngest artist to join Spotify’s EQUAL Music Program at the age of 19. She was also featured in Apple Music’s Up Next program for East Africa.
Maandy is one of the best names in Kenyan music. She started her career as DJ Maandy in 2015 before becoming a full-time musician. Kabaya is her debut EP, which shows her experimentation across genres.
She later released her album Frisky in 2021. In 2023, Maandy released her third album, Flavour. For her continued successful albums, Maandy was also named Spotify’s EQUAL Africa artist.
Sofiya Nzau is one of the best Kenyan singers with international fame. She used to work as a street vendor and domestic helper before becoming a successful musician. Mwaki is one of her best Kenyan songs with Brazilian DJ Zerb.
The success of “Mwaki” brought her a global spotlight. Her unique fusion of electronic dance music with Kikuyu cultural aspects makes her one of the unique Kenyan singers. She has also collaborated with an award-winning artist, TRESOR, for the song “Wale Wale”.
Idd Aziz is one of the top musicians from Kenya in the Afro-House genre, blending traditional African music with electronic music. He has collaborated with global icons such as Angelique Kidjo, Salif Keita, and Youssou N’Dour during his time in Norway. His experiences are very similar to how European bands mix music with other artists.
Aziz’s music uniquely fuses Mijikenda and Swahili traditions with Afro-House. His 2014 hit “Come Dada,” featuring Kenyan rapper Khaligraph Jones, made him mainstream in East African music.
Aziz has performed at prestigious events, including the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington DC, Lamu Art Festival, and Nyege Nyege Festival.
Winyo is one of the best contemporary Kenya music artists. He is credited with revitalizing traditional Luo benga music with contemporary influences. He sings in Dholuo, Swahili, and English. His debut solo album, Benga Blues, made him a critically acclaimed singer of Kenyan music.
In 2024, Winyo collaborated with Grammy-winning producer Fancy Fingers on the album Jawaya Jathum. It is a fusion of indigenous instruments like the nyatiti and orutu with genres such as Afro-pop, jazz, benga, bhangra, and zouk. You can find out about some of these genres in South African music.
Winyo’s international acclaim includes performances at prestigious venues like the Library of Congress and the Musique Métisses festival in France. His contributions to music have earned him recognition as a finalist in the Radio France Internationale Discoveries Music Award in 2010 and 2011.
Suzanna Owiyo is a celebrated musician from Kenya. He blends traditional Luo music with contemporary sounds. Her breakout hit, “Kisumu 100,” composed for the centenary celebration of Kisumu city in 2001, gave her national fame.
She even went on to perform the song at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo in 2004 and Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday tribute in London in 2008.
She has released three albums so far while using traditional instruments like the Nyatiti and Orutu with modern musical instruments. Her music often addresses social issues, promoting African culture and advocating for positive change.
Eric Wainaina is a Kenyan singer-songwriter, famous for his fusion of Afro-fusion and benga. He began his musical journey with a cappella group Five Alive before pursuing formal music education at Berklee College of Music in Boston.
Wainaina’s music often addresses political and social issues. His 2001 song “Nchi ya Kitu Kidogo” became an anti-corruption anthem, leading to both national acclaim and governmental pushback.
Beyond music, he has contributed to musical theater with productions like Lwanda, Man of Stone, and Mo Faya, and composed for films such as From a Whisper. His accolades include the 2002 Kora Award for Best East African Artist and multiple Kisima Music Awards.
John Oriwo (known as Udulele) is a Kenyan singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist who has pioneered Soulful Benga. This innovative style blends traditional Benga with East African percussion and acoustic arrangements. Udulele started his music with the band Black Progression. In 2018, he went solo, coining the term Soulful Benga to describe his unique sound.
His debut album, Soulful Benga Vol. 1, features 11 tracks that merge traditional melodies with modern creativity. In 2023, Udulele released the EP Ololokwe, a project that explores the intersection of indigenous sounds, nature, and cultural stories.
Udulele won the 2023 International Songwriting Competition in the World Music category and received the Latin America Green Award for his composition “Piny Maru”.
He recently released his new track, Wololo, featuring Coster. It’s a song for the people and if you want to be part of this project, he’s currently fundraising for the video clip. You can support him here and get your name (and potentially even a message) featured in a Kenyan music video!
Coster Ojwang is a Kenyan Luo singer and a contemporary impressionist painter based in Nairobi. His music seeks to connect traditional African society with modern urban life. Ojwang’s journey began with painting, and now creates music as well.
He has released albums Tales of the Fisherman, Fweny (Revelations), and ISNM (Imposter Syndrome No More). All of these albums are a fusion of Afrobeat, Afropop, and folk influences.
He has also collaborations with artists like Okello Max, Watendawili, and Bensoul, and he is a member of the music collective Kodong Klan.
Shad Mziki is one of the best Kenyan singers for his emotive storytelling and genre-blending sound. His Kenyan music fuses Afro-soul, indie rock, R&B, and acoustic sounds. He regularly does live performances, including at Nakili Sessions and Tribe Sessions in Nairobi.
In November 2024, Shad released his debut album, Sherehe Ya Disemba.The album shows his ability to blend traditional Kenyan sounds with contemporary influences. His acoustic rendition of “Sherehe Ya Disemba”, makes him one of the promising musicians from Kenya.
Maya Amolo is one of the best upcoming Kenyan musicians that plays alternative R&B with Afro-pop sounds. She started uploading her music on SoundCloud and quickly got attention for her unique sound.
In 2020, she released her debut EP, Leave Me At The Pregame, which topped Kenya’s Apple Music R&B charts. Later, she released her debut album, Asali, in 2022. Her 2024 EP, What A Feeling, is an ode to Nairobi, as she uses dancehall, electronic, and house sounds.
So, what country has the best music in the world? Well, Kenya is not behind as it is a culturally diverse country with 40 ethnic groups. This diversity shows in Benga, Ohangla, Gengetone, Afrobeat, electronic music, other Kenyan music genres. Apart from that, music of Kenya is also attached to different social classes and causes.
Interestingly, different genres also have provincial and urban roots. So, if the Kenyan music is urban, it will be about what the city entails. If the music is provincial, it will be a traditional sound with traditional instruments.
I have discussed the top Kenyan musicians and if you have any recommendations, please share!
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