After last year’s successful event, this year’s festival promises to be even bigger, with an exceptional lineup of Kenyan and international R&B artists.

Boyz II Men have won four Grammy Awards and nine American Music Awards, among many other accolades. They have penned and performed some of the most celebrated and best-known classics of the past two decades, including “End Of The Road”, “I’ll Make Love To You”, and “One Sweet Day”.

The group’s performance is expected to be the greatest music show of the year in Kenya, and the first leg of their first-ever Africa tour, which will also see them perform in Uganda and South Africa.

In addition to Boyz II Men, the festival will also showcase some of the best Kenyan DJs, including DJ G-Money, DJ Forro, DJ Shaky, DJ Grauchi, CNG, and DJ Cream.

Pernod Ricard Kenya joins as the spirits category sponsor, offering a unique portfolio of international premium brands, including Jameson, Chivas, and Absolut Vodka. Sankara Hotel returns as the hotel partner, and Kenya Airways is the official airline partner.

Stanbic Bank and Radio Africa Group seek to leverage music, a powerful human connector, to bring to life Stanbic’s brand promise “IT CAN BE” by creating a soulful and magical live musical experience in Kenya.

The festival aims to make possibilities real and dreams possible for millions of Kenyans, while contributing to the growth of the entertainment industry and the country’s economy.

Standard Bank Group is a leader in supporting arts across Africa, promoting the development of both visual and performing arts, encouraging engagement and social interaction, and embracing diverse initiatives.

Radio Africa is a media conglomerate with a long history in the music industry, with six radio stations in Kenya and affiliations in Nigeria and Uganda. RA Events, its event division, has organized over 250 events featuring top local and international artists.

Last year’s festival, headlined by Anthony Hamilton, was highly successful, with attendees voting it “the best-organized music event in Kenya”.

This year’s festival promises to be even better, with Boyz II Men leading the charge.

Tickets for the Stanbic Yetu Festival are available for purchase at www.ticketyetu.com. For more information about the Stanbic Yetu Festival please visit www.stanbicbank.co.ke and social media pages Twitter, Facebook and IG @StanbicKE.

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LG XBoom was born out of the desire to save on space while delivering high-quality sound. It was molded and crafted with the Meridian Sound Technology that makes it process and optimizes its sound, giving you a great and powerful sound to listen to.

The XBoom is in such a way that it comes with a dual bass action (except for PL2) that delivers a superior bass performance with dual passive radiators and is equipped with a sound boost that helps you boost the overall sound power and widen the sound field.

When it comes to convenience, the LG XBoom has all it takes to make the life of the bearer nothing but full of sweetness with great renditions for those who love music.

It is portable and convenient for outdoor activities making it possible to spend a day with it in almost any environment.

They come with batteries that last up to 24 hours for PL7, 18 hours for PL5, and 10 hours for PL2. They are IPX5 splash and water-resistant with the PL7 coming equipped with a USB charging and a power bank to charge your phone.

LG XBoom GO is compatible and allows bigger parties to get a feel of the sound of music. The capability to partner with other PL Speakers makes for a bigger and more fun party with your friends and family.

For instance, one XBoom GO can connect up to 100 other speakers wirelessly all playing from the same source, except for PL2.

With the LG XBoom speakers, users get greater versatility thanks to its advanced portability and connectivity options that support excellent audio quality at any time or place, keeping the music playing and the good times rolling.

The post Experience Quality Sound and Convenience With LG XBoom Speakers appeared first on Biz Post Daily.

 

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This was going to be Aceda’s first concert since the Covid-19 pandemic slowed things down. Tickets to the event were retailing at Ksh. 1,500.

The Alchemist found themselves on the bad side of publicity after a video emerged on social media of patrons being forced to queue according to race. In the now-viral videos, whites and Asians had a queue that was separate from that of blacks.

The post Dan Aceda Cancels Concert Following Online Uproar Over Racism at The Alchemist appeared first on Biz Post Daily.

The event will feature Kenya’s top artists including Nviiri the storyteller, Bensoul, and top DJs namely DJ Grauchi, DJ Shinski, Moh Spice, DJ Kym and K The DJ in a fire combo geared to keep revellers on their feet. Ticket sales for the Fireboy concert are ongoing @mticketsevents.

Adedamola Adefolahan, known professionally as Fireboy DML, put the Afro music world on notice when his breakthrough single “Jealous” first appeared on YBNL Nation’s collaborative album YBNL Mafia Family (2018), before being re-released on 25 March 2019.

The song; composed of guitar riffs, traditional drums, and percussion; captivated audiences across the continent.

“We are excited to host Fireboy in Kenya for the first time and give an electric performance to our loyal consumers who are looking forward to meeting him. The artist is also part of the ongoing Guinness campaign dubbed “Black Shines Brightest,” a Pan African campaign celebrating the iconic black liquid enjoyed all over the continent for over a century.

Guinness is working with real culture makers from across the continent including Tanzanian Artist Nandy who demonstrates how Black Shines Brightest in a range of different ways. The critically acclaimed artist is set to showcase his talents on the Kenyan stage for the first time”, said Guinness Marketing Manager, Wanjiru Murage.

Fireboy DML has continued to rise as an afro-pop star. The artist has over 250 million streams worldwide, with his greatest hallmark featuring Ed Sheeran to create his latest hit, ‘Peru’ the song has since been a club banger, greatly appreciated among the Kenya audience.

His song Scatter from his debut album Laughter, Tears and Goosebumps was included in the FIFA 21 game soundtrack and his hit “Champion” was used by FC Bayern Munich for their 2021 UEFA Super Cup celebrations.

Fireboy DML describes his sound as “Afro-Life” and said he writes songs that audiences can relate to. His sound has been characterized as “slow-groove pop” and is said to tell stories centred around love and the complicated feelings that go along with it with an adept formulaic structure.

His music has successfully combined African harmonies with elements of country and soul music and is set to thrill his fans during his highly anticipated live performance in Nairobi.

The post Peru Hitmaker, Fireboy, to Perform in Nairobi this Weekend at a Guinness Sponsored Concert appeared first on Biz Post Daily.

The first playlist, called 254 Flow contains the best hip-hop music from Kenyan artists. The playlist comprises a mixture of established artists and new and upcoming acts. The playlist will be updated every two weeks, with different artists being showcased on the cover.

The second playlist is called Eastern Vibes and will showcase alternative music from across East Africa. Targeted at people in their twenties, the playlist will highlight underground alternative and new wave singers. Eastern Vibes will be updated every week, with the artist featured on the playlist cover changing twice a month.

The third playlist is called Zilizopendwa. Taken from the Swahili term for what was loved, the playlist will honour Kenyan classics from the 80s and 90s. It will include music from a variety of genres, including Rhumba, Rock-Rhumba, Chakacha and Benga. Targeted at people aged 35 to 44 and and 45 to 54, it will feature artists from Kenya, Tanzania, and Congo, and will be updated once a month.

All three playlists will be available on both Spotify Freemium and Premium.

Since launching in Kenya in February this year, Spotify has rolled out a number of playlists aimed specifically at fans of East African music, with the latest three just part of a growing library of regional artists. The playlists offer established artists a fresh way to reach fans, while also giving new artists much-needed exposure.

According to a 2021 report from PWC, revenues from Kenyan entertainment, media, and advertising companies are set to hit Ksh.900 billion by 2025. Thanks to high smartphone penetration and internet accessibility, growth rates in these industries will be among the highest in Africa and will be aided by companies such as Spotify.

The post Spotify Adds Three Local Playlists To Its Music Offering appeared first on Biz Post Daily.

The album draws inspiration from his journey as an artiste and minister in the gospel music industry as well as his 40^th birthday which he celebrated earlier this year and consists of 10 records.

Speaking during the launch event, which was sponsored by Safaricom, Daddy Owen said that the songs in the album are about bringing a message of hope and inspiration.

“The thing about life is that the older you get, the wiser you become and having spent close to two decades in the gospel music industry, this album is about reflecting how far God has brought me. It’s also about giving the fans something uplifting during a time when people have lost hope and are seeking to turn a new page”, said Daddy Owen.

The artiste has partnered with Safaricom to have the songs on its Baze content platform which is a mobile-first, video-on-demand service that offers a wide selection of local and regional short form videos in comedy, drama, lifestyle, music, among others.

Daddy Owen is one of Africa’s most consistent and celebrated award-winning gospel Artist. For 19 years, he has shaped the continent’s Gospel music industry through his music and is considered a ‘Father’ in the music industry for his consistency over the years.

Some of his most well-known songs are “Mbona” which was co-authored by Denno, “Foundation”, “Tobina”, “Kazi ya Msalaba”, “Saluti”, and “System ya Kapungala”.

The album will also be available on Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Boomplay, Amazon Music Unlimited and Tidal.

The post Daddy Owen Releases New Music Album appeared first on Biz Post Daily.

I realize that I spend a considerable amount of time each day listening to podcasts on various platforms. It’s at time quite a strenuous job figuring out what you want to listen to.

To make this a little easier, each week I will be sharing a podcast I liked and information on where to get it from. You may use this segment to figure out what to listen to.

To kick us off is BBC’s ‘Death in Ice Valley.’

This is a story of a woman popularly referred to as ‘the Isdal woman.’ The podcast is produced by BBC and NRK (Norwegian Public Broadcaster).

“Some people take their secrets with them when they die, and some graves hold more secrets than others…” so begins the chilling narration that takes us back to 1970 when the remains of a badly burnt unidentified woman were found in a remote spot, Isdal (Ice Valley), near Bergen in Norway.

Her body is surrounded by small artefacts: a watch, some drinking bottles, expensive jewellery. All these items have had their identifying characteristics removed, and there are no labels on the woman’s clothes.

Initially, the police reported the case as suicide, but more evidence perhaps point to espionage activity.

Norwegian journalist Marit Higraff and Neil McCarthy for the BBC, investigate who the woman was, where did she come from and what was she doing in Norway? Is someone somewhere missing her?

This real cold case allows listeners to provide witness evidence.

The podcast itself is beautifully atmospheric: doomy music with a wailing female vocal gives it an unsettling tone, and the sound of pattering rain in the first episode is used to great effect.

It’s a headphone experience; immersive storytelling. This is a mystery, told in the clue-by-clue manner of an Agatha Christie novel.

Will McCarthy and Higraff solve this 50-year-old mystery? Will we find out who the woman was, what she was doing in Norway, Who killed her and why?

Each week, a new episode is released on BBC Sounds (you can download it from Google Play), you can also listen to them on the BBC website. You can also find it on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

It’s currently on Episode 12.

The post PODCAST CORNER: Death in Ice Valley appeared first on Biz Post Daily.

Adrian Washika who rose to fame in the 90’s playing alongside industry heavyweights like Dj Pinye, Dj Chopstick and Dj Space among other notable names will be in Kisumu for the first time to play a gig.

Adrian will be hosted by Dj Slim – one of Kisumu’s veteran Djs also famed for his mastery of grown folk music of different genres. The show is expected to begin from 1.00 PM to 9.00 PM. The Club’s management is promising revellers a mature party with music guarantee to take them back in time as they enjoy drinks and food at affordable prices. Covid-19 regulations on social distancing and mask policies will be strictly adhered to.

Club Da Place which has recently received a face lift is known to host some of the country’s biggest names in entertainment, putting money in artists’ pockets during these these hard economic times.

If you are looking for a place to hang out this weekend then how about you throw on some old school clad and head on to Mamboleo for Kisumu’s biggest party this weekend.

The post Dj Adrian to Perform in Kisumu for the first time on Saturday appeared first on Biz Post Daily.

The station lost presenters and key personnel from May 2019, beginning with the exit of Chris Okinda who was the main host of the breakfast show alongside Diana Kubebea. Another key presenter Myra Anubi left the station to relocate to the UK. Former news anchor and weekend show host Miriam Angil also left the station to join Family Radio before moving over to NRG Radio as a producer/presenter. Other staff members were either laid off during the same period or chose to resign due to pay cuts.

False start

The station was initially founded in 2014 by Ben ‘Japs’ Ogombe, a veteran radio salesman who teamed up with Edward Kwach and Antony Lungaho. The trio was backed up by venture capital firm ‘Aces Global’ under the Zircon Kenya Limited banner.

Lungaho who is a senior creative was the station’s Managing Director and the brains behind the station’s creative imaging. He hired head-hunted and hired all of the station’s on-air talent at the time. Buoyed by the financial muscles of their benefactor – Aces Global, they paid top dollar for the personnel recruited from Nairobi, housed them in a furnished apartment in Kisumu’s Milimani estate, and provided a range of other benefits including regular flight tickets to those who left behind families in Nairobi. Japs was the General Manager.

At the time Urban Radio was the company to work for in Kisumu. When they hit the clubs they partied like they were doing it for TV. That was until their parent company’s board decided to start cutting ties as the station failed to bring in the money they had been promised. Six months into the game, there were no meaningful ads running on the station.

The initial stab which featured top radio presenters drawn from Nairobi like Edward Kwach (who doubled up as the Head of Programs), Jack Omamo, Mung’ala Mbuvi (now at K24), Kevin Mulei (now in SA) and Rosmell Opee (now in the USA) proved to be a false start as the crew failed to strike a chord with the Kisumu audience. The moment cash started getting tight, Lungaho quit his position, relinquishing all the shares he had in the company. The entire crew left before the year ended.

The late Grace Makosewe who was hired to turn around the company after the first false start and who reported directly to the chairman of Acess Global board had a very short stint at the station before being fired over gross indiscipline.

Urban Radio 2.0

The second stab dubbed ‘Urban Radio 2.0’ on the inside was actually a successful one – featured a good mix of local talent and upcoming talents picked from smaller Nairobi outfits. This featured names like Myra Anubi, an ex Maseno University student who was also part of the founding crew but now played a bigger role as Programs Manager. Chris Okinda, Yolanda Mulwa, Chito Ndlovu (now with Radio Africa) was poached from One FM together with Brian Oduor. Others included Kev Matara, Miriam Angil, Venencia Akoth and John Paul Odhiambo who were all hired as interns from Kisumu and made their way to the airwaves.

This crew and the personnel who worked with them behind the scenes like editors, content producers, social media curators, music managers, technical staff and salesmen turned the company around to profitability until it started sinking again in 2018.

At the time, most of the company’s staff were blaming the directors of the company for failing to invest in the technical infrastructure needed to take the company to the next level. Mostly, the limited area of coverage and regular transmission cuts that at times kept the station off-air for days on end.

The new outfit that will probably make Urban Radio 3.0 is now known as NINETY POINT SEVEN LIMITED. According to info from the registrar of companies, it is 100% owned by Ben ‘Japs’ Ogombe, who also owns an agency that sells radio ads to stations based in Western Kenya.

‘The Bad Boy Combination‘

Urban Radio 3.0 (if that’s what they will be calling it) is somewhat a re-union of the bad boys of radio. It features the return of names like Edward Kwach who has almost literally worked for and been fired from most (if not all) of the English speaking radio stations in East Africa, including Urban Radio from where he was fired as a presenter despite owning part of the company then. The others are Chris Okinda and Brian Oduor who have also built quite a reputation for themselves in Kenya’s media industry having all worked for and been fired from Nation Media Group, Royal Media Services, and Radio Africa Group, and One FM (in the case of Oduor). The trio however indisciplined, are some of the best radio talents in Kenya and might just be what the station needs for a successful third-time stab. Also working in their favour will be the fact that they have all lived in Kisumu during their previous stints and have a better understanding of the region and its audience.

The station will be competing for a market dominated by national Swahili stations like Radio Jambo and Milele FM, while also going against well-oiled machines like NRG and Kiss for the urban market.

Having been in the industry long enough and operating in the media buying realm, Japs might have just assembled the arsenal to take over the Western Kenya airwaves this time. Whether that will come to pass, only time will tell. For now, we are waiting on 90.7.

The post Will Urban Radio Be Third Time Lucky With Western Kenya? appeared first on Biz Post Daily.

Moelogo presents his vulnerability first hand in the new record. He explains, “The EP is titled ‘ME’ as it is an exploration of the versatile yet real Moelogo. For a while, I always put other people before myself but this EP is all about me,” adding “People usually expect melancholic music from me but this time I want my fans to feel my vulnerability, appreciation, happiness, freeness and relief.”

Inspired by the ups and downs of relationships, life and love, ‘ME’ is written by Moelogo and produced by Nigerian and UK-based producers: Priime Beats, Happi Music and Sess The Prblm and mastered by Turkish. Completing his latest record ‘ME’ was tasking but an experience to grow with his fans, admitted Moelogo, revealing, “I normally don’t sing about my most intimate experiences so I was reluctant to release these songs but in the end I am comfortable in showing myself while creating magic and enjoying putting my thoughts together in beats.”

Moelogo’s latest release is part of a 3-part series titled ME #III, which will explore several aspects that makeup Moelego as an expressive storyteller. He is set to drop two other EPs, “filled with good vibes, some sad songs but most importantly, relatable music”— in his own words.

Moelogo’s new project is preceded by the music videos for “On Me” and “Magic” off his 2019 “Magic” EP. His expansive discography has earned him recognition for his 2017 smash collaboration “We Could Go Back” with British DJ and producer Jonas Blue, amassing over 44 million streams on Spotify. Over the years Moelogo has been consistent, backed by a strong following and successful EPs including “Magic” (2019), “Shine Your Light” (2016) and “Moe Is My Name, Music Is My Logo” (2013).

The post Moelogo’s Fourth EP Titled ‘Me’ is Out Today! appeared first on Biz Post Daily.