 |
Elani | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Nairobi, Kenya |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2011–present |
| Labels | Record Union |
| Members |
|
Elani is a Kenyan African pop group from Nairobi. It consists of three members; Wambui Ngugi, Brian Chweya and Maureen Kunga. [1] The trio released their debut single"Jana Usiku" in November 2013 that became a great success, [2] paving way for their subsequent singles. In 2014, the trio released numerous singles in the making of their debut album Barua ya Dunia.
Elani met in January 2008 at Alliance Française in Nairobi. It originally consisted of four members; Wambui Ngugi, Maureen Kunga, Brian Chweya and Daniel Kimani. [3] Kimani's departure has never been explained. [4] They became more serious between 2010 and 2011 when they mutually decided to take their careers to the next level. [5]
In 2013, the band released their debut single "Jana Usiku" [6] [7] In March 2014, Elani released their second single "Milele", [8] the song talks about two lovers who live a forbidden passion, thereby the lady's family tries hard to marry her off to a doctor. [9] The video was shot by Sauti Sol's Savara Mudigi in conjunction with Sol Music Entertainment and directed by Enos Olik. [10] In mid 2014, the trio released "Kookoo", a song that was shot in the streets of Nairobi, and is the most successful production the band ever released since it was the most downloaded song in the downloading platforms. [11] As of 16 July 2014, "Kookoo" was ranked second in the respective week's chart just coming right after Bahati's "Barua". [12] The band has also released "hatua", "Zuzu", [13] "Uko Wapi", "Barua ya Dunia" [14] and "Mahindi. In 2016, the band featured Chameleone in their new single "My Darling". [15] [16]
On 12 January 2016, Elani released a statement through their YouTube channel and their other social media platforms, accusing the Music Copyright Society of Kenya(MCSK) of corruption over music royalty disparity. [17] Having paid them KES 31,000 for their royalties for television and radio air play. [18] They later stated, that after addressing their complaints to the relevant authorities of the society, Brian, one of the band members was called by the society's offices and paid a compensatory KES 300,000, [19] making the motive behind the two payments questionable. [20] MCSK later defended itself stating that all said by the band is not entirely true but accepted the fact that the band was paid peanuts but they (MCSK) later discovered a mistake on their (MCSK) part where they failed to monitor the band's songs for the period dated July 2013 to June 2014. Adding that KES 300,000 was compensation for the royalties lost within that period for which their song received massive airplay finalizing that that is a common mistake that happens not only to Elani but also other musicians. [21]
Kunga is a law school graduate (University of Nairobi)
Ngugi is an Actuarial Science graduate (University of Nairobi).
Chweya is a law school graduate (University of Nairobi) and an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya.
| Title | Cover | Album details | Notes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barua ya Dunia |  |
|
|
| Year | Single | Director | Album | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | "Jana Usiku" | Steve Muriungi | Barua ya Dunia | [22] |
| 2014 | "Milele" | |||
| "Kookoo" | Ogopa Videos | [23] [24] | ||
| "Mahindi" | ||||
| "Hapo Zamani" | [25] | |||
| "Hatua" | ||||
| "Zuzu" | [26] | |||
| "Peperuka" | ||||
| "Uko wapi" | ||||
| "Barua ya Dunia" | [27] | |||
| 2015 | "Nikupende" | [28] | ||
| 2016 | "My Darling" (Elani featuring Chameleone) | [29] | ||
| 2018 | "Heartbeat" | Ogopa Videos | [30] | |
| Year | Association | Award category | Nominated work | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Channel O Music Video Awards | Most Gifted - East | "Kookoo" | Nominated | [31] |
| All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) | Best African Pop | Won | [32] | ||
Les Wanyika is a prominent band with Tanzanian and Kenyan members based in Nairobi, Kenya. It was formed in 1978 when drummer Rashid Juma, guitarist Omar Shabani, bassist Tommy Malanga, saxophonist Sijali Salum Zuwa, and Phoney Mkwanyule left the Simba Wanyika Band. They were joined by guitarist John Ngereza and vocalist Issa Juma.
Hubert Mbuku Nakitare, commonly known by his stage name Nonini, is a Kenyan rapper and former radio presenter. He is often referred to as the Godfather because he is very well known.
Virginia Edith Wambui Otieno (1936–2011), born Virginia Edith Wambui Waiyaki, who became Wambui Waiyaki Otieno Mbugua after her second marriage, and generally known as Wambui, was born into a prominent Kikuyu family and became a Kenyan activist, politician and writer. Wambui became prominent in 1987 because of a controversial legal fight between her and the clan of her Luo husband Silvano Melea Otieno over the right to bury Otieno. The case involved the tension between customary law and common law in modern-day Kenya in the case of an inter-tribal union. The various legal hearings this case stretched over more than five months and the final verdict suggested that a Kenyan African was presumed to adhere to the customs of the tribe they were born into unless they clearly and unequivocally broke all contact with it. As Otieno retained some rather tenuous links with his clan, they were awarded the right to bury him, ignoring Wambui's wishes. However, Wambui inherited most of her late husband's estate.
Joseph Mayanja, better known by the stage name Jose Chameleone, is a Ugandan AfroBeat artist and musician. Chameleone sings in Luganda, English, and Swahili.
Maroon Commandos is a musical group from Kenya. It is a military band belonging to 7 Kenya Rifles of the Kenya Army. They are based at the Langata Barracks in Langata, Nairobi. The group performs benga, rumba and other styles of music. They perform both original and cover versions. The band plays often at state functions.
Sauti Sol is a Kenyan Afropop band formed in Nairobi in 2005 by vocalists Bien-Aimé Baraza, Willis Chimano and Savara Mudigi. Initially an a cappella group, guitarist Polycarp Otieno joined before they named themselves Sauti Sol.
Wilson Abubakar Radido is a Kenyan artist and songwriter from Nairobi. He is the chief executive officer and founder of Saldido International Entertainment.
Equity Group Holdings Limited (EGHL), formerly Equity Bank Group, is a financial services holding company based in the African Great Lakes region. EGHL's headquarters are in Nairobi, Kenya, with subsidiaries in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, South Sudan, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo and a representative office in Ethiopia.
Victoria Kimani is a Kenyan singer, songwriter, and entertainer previously signed to the Nigerian record label Chocolate City. Her debut album was released in 2016.
Patricia Wangechi Kihoro is a Kenyan singer, songwriter, actress, radio and reality television personality. She rose into prominence after she participated in the third season of Tusker Project Fame, where she became one of the finalists. In acting, she has appeared in a number of local productions like the 2011 film, Miss Nobody, which saw her being nominated in the 2012 Kalasha Awards for best lead actress in a film. In television production, she has been cast as a lead in Groove Theory, a musical drama and as a regular in Demigods, Changes, Rush and Makutano Junction. As a radio presenter, she has worked with One FM and Homeboyz FM. Patricia is a content creator, influencer and youtuber.
Esther Muthoni Passaris OGW is a Kenyan politician, social entrepreneur and philanthropist. She is the Nairobi County woman representative in the bicameral Kenyan parliament, and a member of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Political Party.
Kelvin Peter Wanjohi professionally known as DJ Fita, is a Kenyan DJ, music producer and music journalist from Thika. He is best known for remixing Kenyan pop music into upbeat electronic dance music. DJ Fita is also a member of Fitemba. He was nominated for the VJ of the Year 2015 during the annual Stylus DJ Awards and Alternative DJ of the Year 2022 at Cafe Ngoma Awards.
Wanjikũ wa Ngũgĩ is a Kenyan writer, who has lived and worked in Eritrea, Zimbabwe and Finland. She is the founder and former director of the Helsinki African Film Festival (HAFF). Also a political analyst, she is a member of the editorial board of Matatu: Journal for African Literature and Culture and Society, and has been a columnist for the Finnish development magazine Maailman Kuvalehti. Among journals and newspapers in which her work has appeared are The Herald (Zimbabwe), The Daily Nation, Business Daily, Pambazuka News and Chimurenga. She is the author of a novel published in 2014 and a contributor to anthologies including New Daughters of Africa: An International Anthology of Writing by Women of African Descent, Nairobi Noir.
Major Nameye Khadija popularly known with his stage name Mejja is a Kenyan Genge artist. He was signed to Calif Records where he released multiple collaborations. His single "Jana Kuliendaje" won him an award at Kenya's Chaguo la Teeni in 2008.
Willie Kimani Kinuthia was a Kenyan human rights lawyer who worked with the International Justice Mission (IJM) in Nairobi and a board member of Right Promotion Protection and also a member of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK)
Nyamari Ongegu, known professionally as Nyashinski, is a Kenyan rapper singer and songwriter. He is a co-founding member of the hip-hop trio Kleptomaniax before successfully launching his solo career during the 2010s. His 2020 full-length debut album Lucky You demonstrated his lyrical skills and songwriting talents, encompassing lighter, more uplifting songs as well as aggressive street tracks.
Mbugua Martin Kimani is a Kenyan government official and diplomat. He has served as Kenya's Permanent Representative to the United Nations since December 2020. He previously served as the Director of the National Counter Terrorism Centre and as a Special Envoy for Countering Violent Extremism in Kenya.
George Barasa is a Kenyan artist, musician, singer, and LGBTQ+ and human rights activist in exile in Canada. Barasa worked as an intern at Centre for Human Rights and as a social media manager at AMSHeR in South Africa. He is currently an undergraduate student at York University for Human Rights and Equity program
Kevin Mbuvi Kioko, known by the stage name Bahati, is a Kenyan singer and songwriter. His latest album, Love Like This, was released in 2021. In the 2022 General Elections, he unsuccessfully vied for the Mathare constituency parliamentary seat. He is also known by his 'Mtoto wa Mama' nickname.
H_art The Band is a Kenyan Afropop band from Nairobi, Kenya formed in 2012 by artists Mordecai Mwini, Kenneth Muya and Wachira Gatama Abednego. They started releasing music in 2014 with their debut single Uliza Kiatu.