Mombasa-based musician Kelechi Africana expressed his opinions on the Kenyan music industry on Wednesday.
Speaking on Radio47’s Baze 47, Kelechi advised Willy Paul to grow up saying that he has a lot of potential.
“Pozee ni artiste mkubwa anafaa kuacha utoto tu (Pozee is a big artiste he just needs to stop being childish),” he said.
Upon Baze47’s host Manucho the Young Baller probing further, the artiste said that he thinks Bahati is overhyped as a musician.
“Bahati ata huwezi jua anaimba nini, analia kwa ngoma zake zote huwezi jua kama analia ama anaimba nyimbo za mapenzi. Isingelikuwa yule mama yake Diana hangekuwa mkubwa. (It’s hard to establish the genre Bahati songs fall under. He cries in all his songs. Were it not for his wife Diana, his music career would not be as big.)” Said Kalechi.
He also denied claims that he has bad blood with Masauti saying they do not even have a close relationship.
According to Kelechi, a lot of big artistes in Kenya are not as talented compared to the smaller ones.
He said that there are a few factors that contribute to one being an accomplished artiste other than talent.
Factors like having money or being “sponsored” by an older romantic partner.
“Wasanii wengi wadogo ambao wanaeza imba wanavutwa chini na wasanii wakubwa ambao hawawezi kuimba (Many artistes who can sing are dragged down by famous artistes who cannot sing)
Kelechi’s music career
Kelechi has grown his brand releasing hits over the years such as ‘Love Me’ and ‘Ring’.
He is passionate about his music career and this stems from a while back when he was a primary school teacher.
“I stopped because the owner of the school had promised to raise our salaries if we improved the class mean score,
“I did that and nothing happened and I quit,” he said a while back.
He is also a producer, a path that was inspired by frustrations from producers as a new artiste.
“My upbringing was not easy. There is a time I used to record and then producers would delete my work, and then I decided to be a producer.”
