Eric Wainaina (musician)
Encyclopedia
Eric Wainaina is a Kenya
n singer-songwriter. His career was launched with his debut album, Sawa Sawa, in 2001. Wainaina's music is a blend of Kenyan Benga
rhythm and East African guitars, with some modern harmony.
, Kenya, to George Gitau Wainaina and Margaret Wangari Wainaina. He has one brother, Simon Wainaina. His love for music started at a young age. He got a piano at age 4, originally intended for his brother Simon who instead took keen interest in football. Wainaina thus grudgingly took piano lessons. He actively participated in the choir throughout elementary and high school at St. Mary's School, Nairobi
, save for a short stint in basketball. Whilst growing up, Wainaina was influenced musically by international artists such as Papa Wemba
, Youssou N'Dour
, Lokua Kanza
and Paul Simon
.
When the group disbanded in 1997, Wainaina went on to join the Berklee College of Music
in Boston
—USA, from which he graduated with a degree in Music, majoring in Songwriting and Record Engineering. He graduated with honours.
During his years at Berklee, Wainaina and his band traveled to different parts of the country to perform, as well as holding regular shows in Boston. Together with his producer, Christian Kaufmann, he worked to produce a sound that would be distinctively Kenyan both in the music and the content of the lyrics. In order to do this, he made sure that he released a new track every time he returned home for vacation, This was well received by his growing fanbase, with his performance at Kenya's 'Beats of the Season’ concert in December 2000 being watched live by 15,000 fans and broadcast nationally.
Wainaina returned to the top of Kenya's musical agenda after he released 'Nchi ya Kitu Kidogo' (‘Country of Bribes’) in 2001, a song that launched his crusade against rampant corruption in the country. With the chart success of 'Nchi ya Kitu Kidogo', Wainaina received international accolades. Transparency International
(Kenya) supported him as an artist who would help educate people on the negativity of corruption, appointing him an ambassador. He was also appointed Ambassador for the NGO MS Kenya, Kenya Human Rights Commission
and by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights for his commitment to fighting the abuses to justice through music. This anthem against corruption (Nchi ya Kitu Kidogo) was not so highly appreciated in all quarters, however, with the government of the day putting up resistance to it by refusing to air it on the national broadcaster, Kenya Broadcasting Corporation
. In one instance several attempts were made to keep him from performing at a national event, the Kenya Music Festival, including intimidation and attempts to switch off his microphone.
Following the suspicious death of Father Anthony Kaiser
in 2003, Wainaina was commissioned by the Mill Hill Fathers to write a song about this. This became Ukweli, a call for justice despite efforts that were being made to cover up the true nature of Father Kaiser’s death, which was reported as suicide despite strong evidence to the contrary.
In 2001, Africa Almanac.com listed him amongst the top 100 Africans of the year 2000, which included high profile names such as Nelson Mandela
, Joseph Kabila
, Yash Pal Ghai, Baaba Maal
and Ousmane Sembène
. His first record, Sawa Sawa, released in 2001, remains one of the highest-selling solo albums in the country.
Wainaina returned home from Berklee in August 2002 after his graduation with two degrees. He was also honored with the Jack Maher award for his exceptional performance as a songwriter. The annual award is given to students who have been recognized for their potential to become leaders in the international music industry.
Wainaina's music receives international appeal. He received the MNET
(South Africa) award for favourite male vocalist in February 2001, and was one of the first Kenyans to receive an award for Best East African Artist at the pan-African 7th Annual KORA All Africa Music Awards on 2 November 2002. He is also the only Kenyan artist to have performed live at the KORA ceremony. He was nominated for another KORA Award in 2003, and in 2005 he received his third Kora nomination, this time for the prestigious Artist of the Decade award.
In 2002, he played at the launch of the International Criminal Court
at the UN Headquarters in New York, presided over by Kofi Annan
. He has toured in Switzerland for 4 consecutive years and performed at Holland’s Festival Mundial in 2003. The same year he performed at the Harare International Festival of the Arts
(HIFA). After the concert he criticised Zimbabwe's presiden Robert Mugabe
in a media briefing prompting Zimbabwe's state-owned media to give him unfavourable reviews. He also performed at the 2004 Sauti za Busara
festival in Zanzibar, a celebration of East African Music.
In December 2004 Wainaina premiered a 21- song musical theatre piece, “Lwanda, Man of Stone”, based on a local folk story. One of the first of its kind in Kenya, the show ran for a hugely successful theatre season, and a concert version of the same show continues to be performed at major cultural events. A contemporary adaptation of this musical, 'Lwanda-A Ghetto Story" had a very successful run at the GoDown Arts Centre, Nairobi, in December 2006. Plans are underway to find a permanent home for 'Lwanda' in Nairobi.
Together with Mumbi Kaigwa and Andrea Kalima, Eric co-wrote and arranged the music for Kigezi Ndoto, a Kenyan play written and directed by Kaigwa, which went on tour in Europe under the auspices of the World Theatre Music Festival- 2006. He has also written the music for Owen & Mzee, an upcoming documentary about the touching story of an unusual friendship between a tortoise and a baby hippo at the Kenyan coast. This documentary is based on a best-selling children’s book by the same name.
Wainaina was involved in the 2006 launch of Kenya’s National Civic Education Program (NCEP II), Uraia, which aims at fostering a mature political culture in Kenya: a culture in which citizens are able to exercise their rights and responsibilities—and to participate effectively in the broadening of democracy. Wainaina also performed at the inaugural Nairobi-hosted North Sea Jazz Festival in February 2006, and at the Holland-based version of the same in July 2006.
December 2006 saw the release of "Twende, Twende", his second solo album. He was among 100 most influential Kenyans as selected by The Standard
newspaper in August 2007.
He produced the musical Mo Faya, shown at the 2009 New York Musical Theatre Festival
. Wainaina himself also features in the musical as a singer. It is directed by John Sibi-Okumu.
www.mofayathemusical.com
2009 proved to be a very fruitful year for Eric. He composed the music for the film, from a whisper, which won the Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Picture, Best Original Soundtrack and AMAA Achievement in Editing awards, in the African movie 2009 awards.
Eric was also commissioned in 2010 to write the UN-MDG anthem to be performed at the closing ceremony of the Fifa world cup in South Africa to be performed alongside Jimmy Dludlu, Baaba Maal and Angelique Kidjo
Nominated:
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
n singer-songwriter. His career was launched with his debut album, Sawa Sawa, in 2001. Wainaina's music is a blend of Kenyan Benga
Benga
Benga may refer to:* Benga tree, another name for the Indian Kino Tree Ethnonym:* Benga people, an indigenous ethnic group of Equatorial Guinea* Benga language, spoke by the Benga people...
rhythm and East African guitars, with some modern harmony.
Childhood
Wainaina was born in NairobiNairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
, Kenya, to George Gitau Wainaina and Margaret Wangari Wainaina. He has one brother, Simon Wainaina. His love for music started at a young age. He got a piano at age 4, originally intended for his brother Simon who instead took keen interest in football. Wainaina thus grudgingly took piano lessons. He actively participated in the choir throughout elementary and high school at St. Mary's School, Nairobi
St. Mary's School, Nairobi
St. Mary's School, popularly known to many Nairobians as Saints, is a day school owned by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi. It was founded in the Parklands area of Nairobi in 1939 and was long run by Holy Ghost Fathers from Blackrock College in Dublin in Ireland.-History:In 1946, the...
, save for a short stint in basketball. Whilst growing up, Wainaina was influenced musically by international artists such as Papa Wemba
Papa Wemba
Papa Wemba was born Jules Shungu Wembadio Pene Kikumba in 1949 in Lubefu . He is a Congolese rumba musician, one of Africa's most popular musicians, and prominent in World music.-Zaiko Langa Langa:...
, Youssou N'Dour
Youssou N'Dour
Youssou N'Dour is a Senegalese singer, percussionist and occasional actor. In 2004, Rolling Stone described him as, in Senegal and much of Africa, "perhaps the most famous singer alive." He helped develop a style of popular music in Senegal, known in the Serer language as mbalax, a type of music...
, Lokua Kanza
Lokua Kanza
Lokua Kanza is a singer, songwriter, and composer from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He is known for his soulful, folksy sound, which is atypical of the dancefloor friendly soukous music that is common in the Congo.-Biography:...
and Paul Simon
Paul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...
.
Early career
Wainaina first stepped into the world of music with Five Alive, a gospel Acappella group. Five Alive consisted of Victor Seii, Bob Kioko, Chris Kamau, and David Mageria, who was replaced by Joe Kiragu. They drew their musical influence from Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Take 6. Dominating Kenya's airwaves in 1995, Five Alive released their debut album ‘Five Alive’ in 1996, and even went on to tour Europe the same year. His experience with the group convinced Wainaina to pursue a professional career in music. In 1996 he performed and appeared in the video for Get in the Driver’s Seat, a song commissioned by the United Nations Drug Control Programme for a highly successful anti-drug campaign spanning 20 countries. This not only set the stage for his eventual emergence as a solo artist, but also got him into the social concern and activism that characterizes much of his musicWhen the group disbanded in 1997, Wainaina went on to join the Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known primarily as a school for jazz, rock and popular music, it also offers college-level courses in a wide range of contemporary and historic styles, including hip...
in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
—USA, from which he graduated with a degree in Music, majoring in Songwriting and Record Engineering. He graduated with honours.
During his years at Berklee, Wainaina and his band traveled to different parts of the country to perform, as well as holding regular shows in Boston. Together with his producer, Christian Kaufmann, he worked to produce a sound that would be distinctively Kenyan both in the music and the content of the lyrics. In order to do this, he made sure that he released a new track every time he returned home for vacation, This was well received by his growing fanbase, with his performance at Kenya's 'Beats of the Season’ concert in December 2000 being watched live by 15,000 fans and broadcast nationally.
Rising popularity
His notable releases include 'Kenya Only', a song that instantly made him Kenya's favourite modern musician. After the 1998 terrorist bombing in Nairobi where over 200 Kenyans lost their lives, 'Kenya Only' was adopted as the unofficial song of mourning, receiving extensive radio and TV airplay nation-wide. His adaptation of a Kikuyu folk tune 'Ritwa Riaku' was added to the playlist of every radio station in the nation soon after.Wainaina returned to the top of Kenya's musical agenda after he released 'Nchi ya Kitu Kidogo' (‘Country of Bribes’) in 2001, a song that launched his crusade against rampant corruption in the country. With the chart success of 'Nchi ya Kitu Kidogo', Wainaina received international accolades. Transparency International
Transparency International
Transparency International is a non-governmental organization that monitors and publicizes corporate and political corruption in international development. It publishes an annual Corruption Perceptions Index, a comparative listing of corruption worldwide...
(Kenya) supported him as an artist who would help educate people on the negativity of corruption, appointing him an ambassador. He was also appointed Ambassador for the NGO MS Kenya, Kenya Human Rights Commission
Kenya Human Rights Commission
The Kenya Human Rights Commission is a non-government organization founded in 1992 and registered in 1994.The Commission campaigns to create a culture in Kenya where human rights and democratic culture are entrenched....
and by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights for his commitment to fighting the abuses to justice through music. This anthem against corruption (Nchi ya Kitu Kidogo) was not so highly appreciated in all quarters, however, with the government of the day putting up resistance to it by refusing to air it on the national broadcaster, Kenya Broadcasting Corporation
Kenya Broadcasting Corporation
Kenya Broadcasting Corporation is the state-run media organization of Kenya. It broadcasts in both English and Swahili, as well as in most local languages of Kenya. The corporation started its life in 1928 when Kenya was a British colony. In 1964, when Kenya became an independent country, the...
. In one instance several attempts were made to keep him from performing at a national event, the Kenya Music Festival, including intimidation and attempts to switch off his microphone.
Following the suspicious death of Father Anthony Kaiser
John Anthony Kaiser
John Anthony Kaiser was a Roman Catholic priest who was murdered in Morendat, Kenya by unknown assailants.-Early life:...
in 2003, Wainaina was commissioned by the Mill Hill Fathers to write a song about this. This became Ukweli, a call for justice despite efforts that were being made to cover up the true nature of Father Kaiser’s death, which was reported as suicide despite strong evidence to the contrary.
In 2001, Africa Almanac.com listed him amongst the top 100 Africans of the year 2000, which included high profile names such as Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
, Joseph Kabila
Joseph Kabila
Joseph Kabila Kabange is a Congolese politician who has been President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo since January 2001. He took office ten days after the assassination of his father, President Laurent-Désiré Kabila...
, Yash Pal Ghai, Baaba Maal
Baaba Maal
Baaba Maal is a Senegalese singer and guitarist born in Podor, on the Senegal River. In addition to acoustic guitar, he also plays percussion. He has released several albums, both for independent and major labels. In July 2003, he was made a UNDP Youth Emissary.-Biography:Born 12 November 1953...
and Ousmane Sembène
Ousmane Sembène
Ousmane Sembène , often credited in the French style as Sembène Ousmane in articles and reference works, was a Senegalese film director, producer and writer...
. His first record, Sawa Sawa, released in 2001, remains one of the highest-selling solo albums in the country.
Wainaina returned home from Berklee in August 2002 after his graduation with two degrees. He was also honored with the Jack Maher award for his exceptional performance as a songwriter. The annual award is given to students who have been recognized for their potential to become leaders in the international music industry.
Wainaina's music receives international appeal. He received the MNET
M-Net
M-Net is a subscription-funded television channel in South Africa, established in 1986 by Naspers....
(South Africa) award for favourite male vocalist in February 2001, and was one of the first Kenyans to receive an award for Best East African Artist at the pan-African 7th Annual KORA All Africa Music Awards on 2 November 2002. He is also the only Kenyan artist to have performed live at the KORA ceremony. He was nominated for another KORA Award in 2003, and in 2005 he received his third Kora nomination, this time for the prestigious Artist of the Decade award.
In 2002, he played at the launch of the International Criminal Court
International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court is a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression .It came into being on 1 July 2002—the date its founding treaty, the Rome Statute of the...
at the UN Headquarters in New York, presided over by Kofi Annan
Kofi Annan
Kofi Atta Annan is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the UN from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006...
. He has toured in Switzerland for 4 consecutive years and performed at Holland’s Festival Mundial in 2003. The same year he performed at the Harare International Festival of the Arts
Harare International Festival of the Arts
The Harare International Festival of the Arts is one of Africa's largest international arts festivals. Established in 1999 by Manuel Bagorro the festival takes place each year in late April or early May in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe...
(HIFA). After the concert he criticised Zimbabwe's presiden Robert Mugabe
Robert Mugabe
Robert Gabriel Mugabe is the President of Zimbabwe. As one of the leaders of the liberation movement against white-minority rule, he was elected into power in 1980...
in a media briefing prompting Zimbabwe's state-owned media to give him unfavourable reviews. He also performed at the 2004 Sauti za Busara
Sauti za Busara
The Sauti za Busara , also known as Zanzibar Music Festival, is an African music festival that is held every year in February in Zanzibar, Tanzania. The main venues of the festival are the Old Fort and the adjacent Forodhani Gardens, in Stone Town, the capital of Zanzibar, but side events take...
festival in Zanzibar, a celebration of East African Music.
In December 2004 Wainaina premiered a 21- song musical theatre piece, “Lwanda, Man of Stone”, based on a local folk story. One of the first of its kind in Kenya, the show ran for a hugely successful theatre season, and a concert version of the same show continues to be performed at major cultural events. A contemporary adaptation of this musical, 'Lwanda-A Ghetto Story" had a very successful run at the GoDown Arts Centre, Nairobi, in December 2006. Plans are underway to find a permanent home for 'Lwanda' in Nairobi.
Together with Mumbi Kaigwa and Andrea Kalima, Eric co-wrote and arranged the music for Kigezi Ndoto, a Kenyan play written and directed by Kaigwa, which went on tour in Europe under the auspices of the World Theatre Music Festival- 2006. He has also written the music for Owen & Mzee, an upcoming documentary about the touching story of an unusual friendship between a tortoise and a baby hippo at the Kenyan coast. This documentary is based on a best-selling children’s book by the same name.
Wainaina was involved in the 2006 launch of Kenya’s National Civic Education Program (NCEP II), Uraia, which aims at fostering a mature political culture in Kenya: a culture in which citizens are able to exercise their rights and responsibilities—and to participate effectively in the broadening of democracy. Wainaina also performed at the inaugural Nairobi-hosted North Sea Jazz Festival in February 2006, and at the Holland-based version of the same in July 2006.
December 2006 saw the release of "Twende, Twende", his second solo album. He was among 100 most influential Kenyans as selected by The Standard
The Standard
The Standard is an English free newspaper of Hong Kong with a daily circulation of 231,018. It was called the Hong Kong Standard and changed to HKiMail during the Internet boom, but it changed back to The Standard in 2001....
newspaper in August 2007.
He produced the musical Mo Faya, shown at the 2009 New York Musical Theatre Festival
New York Musical Theatre Festival
The New York Musical Theatre Festival is an annual three-week fall Festival which presents more than thirty new musicals at venues in New York City's midtown theater district...
. Wainaina himself also features in the musical as a singer. It is directed by John Sibi-Okumu.
www.mofayathemusical.com
2009 proved to be a very fruitful year for Eric. He composed the music for the film, from a whisper, which won the Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Picture, Best Original Soundtrack and AMAA Achievement in Editing awards, in the African movie 2009 awards.
Eric was also commissioned in 2010 to write the UN-MDG anthem to be performed at the closing ceremony of the Fifa world cup in South Africa to be performed alongside Jimmy Dludlu, Baaba Maal and Angelique Kidjo
Personal life
Wainaina married his fiance' of five years, Sheba Hirst, on February 29, 2008. They have two daughters, Seben, born in April 2006 and Neo born in October 2009.Others
- 2003 Ukweli (single)
- 2004 “Lwanda, Man of Stone” (musical)
- 2006 Kigezi Ndoto (producer & arranger)
- 2006 Owen & Mzee
- 2006 Lwanda - A Ghetto Story (musical)
- 2010 Tinga Tinga TalesTinga Tinga TalesTinga Tinga Tales is a Kenyan/British 78 episodes children's series based on African folk tales and aimed at 4- to 6-year olds. It was commissioned by the BBC for its CBeebies channel, and by Disney Channel for its Disney Junior block....
Awards
Won:- 2002 Kora AwardsKora AwardsThe Kora Awards are music awards given annually for musical achievement in sub-Saharan Africa. Founded in 1994 by Ernest Adjovi, they are comparable to the American Grammy Awards in intent...
- Best East Africa Artist - 2007 Kisima Music Awards2007 Kisima Music AwardsThe 2007 Kisima Music Awards took place at Marula Manor, Nairobi, Kenya on 8 September 2007.-Winners:-References:**The Standard, September 14, 2007:...
- Best Afro-fusion & Best Song & Best Video.
Nominated:
- 2003 Kora AwardsKora AwardsThe Kora Awards are music awards given annually for musical achievement in sub-Saharan Africa. Founded in 1994 by Ernest Adjovi, they are comparable to the American Grammy Awards in intent...
- Best East Africa Artist - 2007 Pearl of Africa Music AwardsPearl of Africa Music AwardsPearl of Africa Music Awards are annual national music awards in Uganda. The awards were first held in 2003. Since 2006 there has also been categories for musicians from other East African countries ....
- Best Kenyan Male Artiste. - 2008 Kisima Music Awards - Best Urban Fusion
External links
- http://www.ericwainaina.net
- http://www.ericwainainamusic.com
- http://museke.com/node/1929 Eric Wainaina lyrics, audio, etc