Interview: Kenyan Afropop Singer-Songwriter Nadia Mukami

Major thanks to Nadia Mukami, a very talented Afropop singer-songwriter from Kenya, who connected with us for an exclusive interview to discuss several topics, including why her personal style/image is as important as her music, as well as her creative process when it comes to song development. We also Nadia’s brain about how she was able to juggle her music as a college student at Maseno University, and whether we’ll hear her new single/video "Radio Love" on an upcoming EP or album.

After reading our Q&A with Nadia, be sure to connect with her on social media, and be on the lookout for much more DOPE music to come from this Afropop songstress on the rise!

We really dig your personal style and aesthetic with your clothes. Would you say that your image and music are of equal importance, especially with music being such a visual medium now with YouTube and Instagram?

Yes. I always say it's the eye before the ear. What the fans are attracted to visually, they will buy. A good image is a plus to an artist’s career especially a female artist.

Describe your creative process when it comes to song development. How do you decide which instrumentals to write to?

My creative process is simple and different from other artists. I always write after I get an instrumental. Most of the time I may get a beat online, a guitar rhythm or the young upcoming producers with instrumentals then I first write the chorus because it's from the chorus where the weight of the song is. Then I move to the bridge and finally I do the verses (my own is kind of weird). I choose an instrumental depending on the melodies the instrumental brings out.

Congratulations on the release of your new video "Radio Love"; it's a very DOPE visual. Can we expect to hear the song itself on an upcoming EP or album this year?

Thank you so much. Yes, I am working on an EP to be released soon, probably before the end of the year.

Tell us about the music scene and music industry in Kenya for artists such as yourself. Why are platforms like Boomplay so important for music discovery and promotion, not just in Kenya but internationally?

The music industry in Kenya is very competitive so you have to work extra hard to stay at the top of the game and thus you need promotions, distributions and online systems whereby your fans can buy and stream your music.

Boomplay has played that amazing role whereby, through their platform they ensure the music reaches a wide range of fan base not necessarily in Kenya but outside Kenya into the global world. Boomplay also ensures artists earn revenues from their music in terms of downloads and streams. Hence, I want to congratulate them for the amazing work they are doing.

You're not just an artist, but also a recent graduate of Maseno University, where you majored in finance. How did you juggle being a student needing to study and take tests, as well as write music and record in the studio?

I graduated last year December from Maseno University but I would say proper planning of my daily school and music activities is what helped me juggle both school and music. I would know I have to study weekdays, and on weekends I work on my music. Planning is very important for an artist who is still in school. You also learn the value of time.

Connect with Nadia Mukami: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube