So Musyoka sent me this track a few days ago and didn’t really offer much explanation. What I like about Musyoka is he knows the type of music I like, so as I assume there are certain tracks he doesn’t even bother bringing my way and there are some he knows – its like a gut feeling that tells him, this track will make Leo go nuts. So lets get the Leo speak out of the way real quick – Monique is a such a chips! I mean right after Coca Cola popstars I was still locked on to her, she has boody and her cat eyes are …. well lets just say Monique is fine. She could sell her appeal a lot more than she has been. But that in itself is just a bad assessment of an artist that’s well deserving vocally than she is physically.
Now lets get the more important details figured out. So if you recall, Monique was one of the finalist of the East African version of Coca Cola popstarts back in the day. After which point she was managed solely by homeboyz entertainment and I think at the time did a couple of tracks in the Fridge and also at R-Kays studios. So to me she is a seasoned musical veteran, in that she’s been through a system and a process that you learn from as an artist in Kenya. She also reminds me of me, coz her background is Ugandan yet she’s spent a lot of her time in Kenya – the mixture of cultures allows her to borrow elements from the different countries in East Africa to make her a unique selling brand.
This track Musyoka has provided is testament of this new sound that I have always liked since I left Kenya. I have been unable to bucket or to classify this sound since there is no general legacy instrumentation to rely on. The Carol Atemi’s, the Wendy Kimani, the Didge and so forth seem to borrow from this theme or genre of music, personally I call it Afrosoul (Afropean soul)/Kenyan Urban Soul. I see a great beginning with her new style and current record label management. Her new album titled Color:Black drops October 7th 2011. If you are in Kenya I urge you to find time and make effort to go for this release party coz I think this is one artist who will change the game.
Now Musyoka ni sambaze namba yake 😉
listen and download the track here:
Monique feat Emmanuel Jal – Goodbye by getmziki
