Princess Jully, born Lilian Auma Aoka, was a famous Benga musician from Kenya. She passed away on October 12, 2024, after battling illness.
Born in Makalda village in South Nyanza, Lilian was the youngest of nine children. Her father died when she was just a week old, leaving her mother, a small-scale farmer, to raise the family alone. Out of the nine children, only six survived infancy.
Lilian’s grandmother, Benta Nyar Kanyamkago Nyagolima, was a remarkable woman. She was the first female chief in Nyanza Province and also a talented singer. Growing up, Lilian faced many challenges, especially because of the way girls were treated in her community.
In her village, most people believed that educating girls was a waste of resources. They thought girls would leave home once they got married, so boys were given the first chance at education.
Even though Lilian was fortunate to attend school up to Form One (the first year of secondary school) at Bikira Girls’ High School, her mother could not afford to pay for her further education. Lilian’s dreams of continuing her studies were cut short, leaving her frustrated.
At a young age, Lilian became pregnant out of wedlock. The father of her child rejected her, leaving her to face the challenges alone. However, she soon met Julius Okumu, a singer who performed under the name Prince Jully. He accepted her pregnancy, and together they started a family.
After giving birth to their son, Felix, Lilian joined Prince Jully’s band, the Jolly Boys Band, as a backup singer.When Lilian first started singing, she went by the name “Mbilia Bel” because she believed she resembled the famous Zairean singer of the same name.
Tragically, in 1997, Prince Jully passed away. Lilian, now known as Princess Jully, took over leadership of the band after his death. Under her direction, the Jolly Boys Band became even more popular.
One of her biggest hits, “Dunia Mbaya,” was about the impact of HIV/AIDS. This song won her first place in the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) Benga music competition.
She received a cash prize of Sh100,000 for her efforts. Princess Jully’s contribution to Benga music helped inspire many upcoming artists and ensured that Benga music continued to grow.
Over the years, Princess Jully released numerous albums. Her 19th album, Aneno Lek, came out in March 2007, produced by Tabu Osusa at Ketebul Productions. In August of the same year, she released another album, Wangni Wabiro. This album was dedicated to the Orange Democratic Movement ahead of the 2007 General Election, produced by Tedd Josiah at Blu Zebra Studios.
Princess Jully also created her own production company, Jully Productions, which aimed to support and promote young, emerging artists.
She toured several countries, including Switzerland, and in 2010, she released another album called Joluo Migingo to Dhi. The album’s title referenced the disputed Migingo Island.
Princess Jully was also a member of the Divas of the Nile supergroup. This group included other top Kenyan female musicians like Suzzana Owiyo, Achieng Abura, and Mercy Myra. In 2007, they performed together at the Festival Mundial in Tilburg, Netherlands.
Throughout her career, Princess Jully mentored many young artists, including Osogo Winyo and Onyango Alemo, who went on to achieve success. She was awarded the Kisima Music Award for Benga Artist of the Year in 2003.
