Akoth Jumadi

Bio

Akoth Jumadi is an architect of the future who crafts her ethereal, dulcet sound with honeyed vocals and multi-instrumental talent. Her uplifting air will enthrall you as she weaves together Luo folk, afrosoul, tribal fusion, jazz, taraab, benga, reggae, and hiphop.

Born and raised in Nairobi of Luo ancestry, Akoth Jumadi started playing at 17 at Maseno University in Kisumu when a friend loaned her an extra guitar. She gained experience from a veteran guitarist and also started teaching herself to play and began to write her own music, practicing and gaining courage to start performing. In 2016, Akoth Jumadi started to perform with a band at different bars, restaurants, weddings, and events.

As she began performing more, in 2018, Akoth Jumadi decided to move away from performing gigs based around covers to focus on her own songwriting, something she felt came naturally growing up listening to great songwriters like Nina Simone, India Arie, Suzanna Owiyo, Nyota Ndogo, Lady Jaydee, JustABand. She felt an urge to explore more forms of musicality and taught herself bass guitar to express her love for funk and jazz, inspired by Esperanza Spalding.

Akoth Jumadi started listening to more traditional and cultural music and saw a need to reflect her ancestry in her art so she decided to start learning nyatiti, an 8-stringed Luo lute that is traditionally only played by men. She met Ati Sanaa, another female nyatiti player, who agreed to give Akoth Jumadi lessons to learn. Later on she also came to learn that her grandfather had also been a nyatiti player.

As she began to incorporate her new sounds into a cornucopia of coalescence, festivals became keen and Akoth Jumadi played at Voices of the Lake Festival 2018, Nirvana Festival 2019, and Kilifi New Year 2020.

“Jangolo” was released in March 2020 as Akoth Jumadi’s first single off her Ere Yo EP, produced by Brian Robin. The song came to her when she would walk around with her guitar and people would call her jangolo or a person who makes music in Luo. In the song, Akoth Jumadi celebrates how music and the people who create it bring us together in joy.

Her second single “Aluoro” was released in August 2020 meaning “I’m afraid.” The song reflects on the feeling of being so full of love that it is overwhelming but its essence sets you free. Akoth Jumadi’s first video release, “Nyar Nam”, was animated by Mel Ogana, about the coming of age of a girl from the lakeside.

“Ere Yo” EP, which was released on 20th October 2020, is a collection of Akoth Jumadi’s experiences growing up, learning about herself and reflecting through her environment “Where is the way?”

Discography

ERE YO
October 2020
Artbeat Music

Nominations
Café Ngoma Awards 2020- African Fusion Artist of the Year
Café Ngoma Awards 2019- Best New Artist

Performances
Thursdays SSO Live at Spasso (October 2020)- Karen, Kenya
Kenyan Renaissance presents INTERSECT at K1 Klubhouse (October...

Posts

Portrait de Akoth Jumadi

Akoth Jumadi a ajouté 3 nouvelles vidéos

Live At Geco Cafe,Nairobi.
Akoth Jumadi Live in Session -Iwalawala.
Jumadi live in Kampala,Uganda.- One 54 Culture.
Portrait de Akoth Jumadi

Akoth Jumadi a ajouté une nouvelle vidéo

Akoth Jumadi - Yo Ni Ka (Full Album Visualizer)
Portrait de Akoth Jumadi

Akoth Jumadi a ajouté un nouveau morceau

Track artwork
Punk Mbedzi
Weche (Frigid Armadillo Remix)
Deezer
Portrait de Akoth Jumadi

Akoth Jumadi a ajouté une nouvelle vidéo

Akoth Jumadi - Mi na We (Official Music Video )

Musique

Track artwork
Punk Mbedzi
Weche (Frigid Armadillo Remix)
08:05
Deezer
Track artwork
Jumadi.
Intro
02:56
SoundCloud
Track artwork
Jumadi.
Lini Utapenya
04:10
SoundCloud
Track artwork
Jumadi.
Saa Kalo
04:41
SoundCloud
Track artwork
Jumadi.
Ere Yo
05:16
SoundCloud
Track artwork
Jumadi.
Jangolo
03:18
SoundCloud
Track artwork
Jumadi.
Aluoro
05:03
SoundCloud
Track artwork
Jumadi.
Nyar Nam
03:36
SoundCloud
Track artwork
Jumadi.
Iwalawala
04:05
SoundCloud
Track artwork
Jumadi.
Akoth Jumadi-Nyar Nam [Re-visited ]
03:36
SoundCloud
Track artwork
Jumadi.
Jumadi - Aluoro (Official Audio).mp3
05:03
SoundCloud
Track artwork
Jumadi.
Jumadi - Jangolo (Official Audio)
03:18
SoundCloud
Track artwork
Jumadi.
IWALA-WALA.
04:09
SoundCloud

Vidéos

Live At Geco Cafe,Nairobi.
Akoth Jumadi - Yo Ni Ka (Full Album Visualizer)
Akoth Jumadi - Mi na We (Official Music Video )
Akoth Jumadi Live at Marafiki Festival Dar-es- Salaam.
Akoth Jumadi - Jangolo. (Official Video)
Akoth Jumadi - Saa Kalo (Official Audio)
Akoth Jumadi - Ere Yo (Official Audio)
Akoth Jumadi - Lini Utapenya (Official Audio)
Akoth Jumadi - Iwalawala (Official Audio)
Akoth Jumadi - Intro (Amanyo Yo) (Official Audio)
Akoth Jumadi-NYAR NAM (Official Video)
Akoth Jumadi - Aluoro (Official Audio)
Akoth Jumadi Live in Session -Iwalawala.
Akoth Jumadi - Jangolo (Official Audio)
Jumadi live in Kampala,Uganda.- One 54 Culture.

Photos

KENairobi, Kenya
Opérationnel depuis: 
2018

Followers (10)

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