The Kikuyu community in Kenya is blessed with some of the best musicians in the region. With their soothing Mugithi and Benga music, these Kikuyu singers continue to entertain and educate listeners across Kenya and in diaspora locations with large Kenyan populations.
Here are the best 10 Kikuyu artistes in Kenya at least in 2019.
John De’Mathew
John De’Mathew is a veteran Kikuyu musician who has released some popular hit songs such as ‘Pin Number’ and ‘Tucemanagirie Bara’ in the past. With over 50 albums released under his name in a career spanning decades, John De’Mathew can rightly be viewed as one of the “fathers” of Kikuyu secular music.
His Benga style is characterized by heavy guitar and drum rhythms tangled into a classic Benga music. Other popular songs by De’Mathew include ‘Nduko’ and ‘Njata Yakwa’.
Jose Gatutura
If you heard the song ‘Thie Ukiumaga’ that was a popular hit in Kenya in the last few years then you probably know about Jose Gatutura.
The popularity of this young musician among young Agikuyu men in Kenya is growing exponentially as he reaches his peak. It is for this reason that he appears on the 2nd position of this list of 10 best Kikuyu artistes in 2019.
Other popular songs by Jose Gatutura include ‘Tuirio Twega’ which loosely translates to ‘Good Food’ in English and ‘Mwari wa Muthamaki’ that features another upcoming young talent, Kareh B.
Samidoh
Sam Muchoki aka Samidoh is another popular young Kikuyu musician to watch for in 2019. His music style helps to educate the masses while at the same time providing soothing entertainment as seen in his latest release titled ‘Riari Itheru’ that talks of the predicaments of a poor man who tries to maintain a “high-class” woman.
See also: the best top 10 Luo artistes in Kenya today
His other hits include ‘Kairitu Gakwa’ and ‘Niwe Ndarathimiirwo’ that are popular hits on Kikuyu radio stations every day.
Samidoh also collaborated with Joyce wa Mamma to release ‘Wendo wi Cama’, another popular hit that is banging radio waves in Kikuyu stations countrywide.
Sammy Muraya
Sammy Muraya is another veteran Kikuyu musician who has held the Kikuyu masses in Kenya and beyond hostage by providing quality songs every year, unfailingly. Although not a young blood, Sammy Muraya has released songs such as ‘Mary Lopotio’ and ‘Mucara’ with the aim of targeting the ever-growing young listeners.
He has several albums under his name with some popular songs such as ‘Utaro wa Thii’ and ‘Kari Kii Wonire’.
Even though he passed on back in August 2004, his music still keeps being an inspiration to others musicians and his fans at large, a few weeks ago, his family released posthumously a song dubbed ‘Mucemanio Wa Nyamu’.
It’s clear his music is still powerful to this day. He is like Kikuyu’s very own Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson combined because his music is still relevant to this day.
Sarafina Salim
After a lot of self-pondering on whether to include this princess in this list of 10 best Kikuyu artistes in 2019, a resolution was reached and finally here she is. Therefore, number 5 in this list of top 10 Kikuyu artistes to watch out for in 2019 and the first lady to appear here is Sarafina Salim, sister to legendary musician Salim Junior.
Although she comes from a music family, Sarafina Salim’s humility in the music industry is worth noting as she becomes more and more popular among Kenyan revelers.
Some of her popular songs include ‘Wendo Muguruki’ and ‘Kiss ya Maheni’. She is also the voice behind ‘Mashabiki’, a popular song that was almost turned into a national anthem in Central Kenya and other places dominated by the Agikuyu.
Joyce Wa Mamma
Next in the list is another Kikuyu beauty, JOYCE WA MAMMA. Although not much is known about this attractive songwriter and singer, her music continues to offer comforting pleasure to merrymakers in the busy streets of Kenyan towns.
Some of her major hits include, ‘Wendo Waku Nditoragia’ and ‘Nonguige Gwakwa’. She also the one who collaborated with Samidoh in singing ‘Wendo wi Cama’, a track released in early 2019.
Eddie Gathenge
Eddie Gathenge is an upcoming secular artiste who released the popular song ‘Wanjiru Kihii’ in 2017. This song gained traction all along 2018 and is sure to make revelers twitch their muscles again in 2019 as they try to keep up with the rhythm that Gathenge carefully inculcates. Other songs by Eddie Gathenge such as ‘Matuini ni Guitu’ are also proving to be a success.
It is quite clear that Eddie Gathenge is the “future” of Kikuyu music given by the amount of following he gets in his live performances and in social media platforms. His song ‘Mjanja’ is enviable and overly addictive for young Kikuyus.
John Njagi
Nothing connects with the heart and soul of a Kikuyu like a song composed and sang by legendary musician John Njagi. Growing up playing music with tin cans, John Njagi’s rise to fame has been phenomenal over the years.
Some of his popular songs include ‘Mundu Utoi Ungi’ released in 2015 and ‘Lucy’ also released in the same year. Some of his latest songs include the mugithi song ‘Mutumia Wakwa’ and ‘Korwo Nindakui Tene’.
Gacathi wa Thuo
Gacathi wa Thuo is another young but massively popular Kikuyu artiste that is worth mentioning in this list of top 10 Kikuyu artistes to watch out for in 2019. His songs include ‘Kiura Ruuga’, a populist song that is aimed at advising couples to leave abusive relationships before it’s too late.
Other songs by Gacathi wa Thuo include ‘Rika Riakwa and ‘Athoni a Ciku Ici’.
Kimani wa Turacco
Lastly, it is important to close up by introducing some controversial musician. This is none other than the “the king of controversy” himself, Kimani Wa Turacco.
Although some of his songs can be classified as gospels, Kimani Wa Turacco stands out as the most controversial singer in the current breed of Kikuyu artistes.
His hit song, ‘Hatuna Deni ya 2022, Lazima Kitaeleweka’ brought a lot of controversy in the music scene in Kenya as it directly talks of succession politics of 2022.
The song which gained traction beyond the Kikuyu audience ignited a lengthy national debate and therefore giving the artist immeasurable popularity.
Another controversial song by Kimani Wa Turacco is ‘Bye Bye Raila’, which also has some divisive political undertones in it.
He is also the voice behind ‘Nii Ndiri na Thiiri wa Mundu wa 2022.. Tutirenda Miario Miingi’.
