Kenyan artist Njerae signs with UMG East Africa

The parties say that the deal is expected to open new opportunities for the artist, with Njerae pointing out that the agreement would “provide resources and expertise that will help me create much better music and grow my fan base.”

Speaking about the development, UMG EA general manager Chinasa Udeala said: “Njerae is a special artist. She is the voice of the emerging music culture in East Africa. Listening to her style of music, she transcends not just East Africa, but internationally in the way it addresses everyday needs and speaks to core life experiences regardless of people’s age, generation or class. We are glad to have her join our robust team. We expect Kenyan music to be on the map with Njerae on the UMG EA roster.”

“To be signed with UMG is one of the most glamorous sounding aspects of the lifestyle of a musician,” Njerae said. “However, I can assure my fans that I still intend to work even harder to produce even bigger hits.”

Njerae’s manager Kefa Odindo congratulated the singer on the deal, saying: “Working together with UMG will ensure that Njerae has increased visibility, allowing her music to reach a wider audience thus providing more stages for her to perform on.” He also commended UMG EA for spotting Njerae and giving her the deal.

Sometimes described as Kenya’s altè ambassador, Njerae’s music identifies as Afro-indie with a touch of R&B and soul. Her journey in the music industry took off in the corridors of Sauti Academy before she forged her name in the live circuit. She has played numerous festivals from DIY events such as Wazi Wazi to more legacy-based ones such as Blankets & Wine. She has also played at Folk Fusion, Jamhuri Jam Sessions, Gig Dynamics Open House and a number of her own curated events

Njerae’s immense talent was captured in her 2022 debut album Unintentional, which was laden with emotive offerings that endeared her to diverse audiences. The album has been labelled as a girl’s handbook to surviving a breakup.

Her late 2023 single ‘OTD’ emerged as a fan favourite, and was listed as one of the Songs of the Year in People Daily’s end-of-year list. In April, she was selected as the face of the Fresh Finds playlist on Spotify Africa.

In May she released her EP Out with the Old – a collection featuring a number of collaborations with artists like Watendawili, Lisa Odour-Noah, Mbithi and Maali.

With a bachelor's degree in psychology, she hopes to one day open a counselling centre where music will be used as a form of therapy.