Ethiopia’s Rophnan to play in Kenya

The evening will also feature performances by Kenyan DJ and producer Suraj and DJ B-Town.

“I am excited towards this show in Kenya, more than any other country outside Ethiopia,” Rophnan said. “I believe that the musical connection between Ethiopia and Kenya is essential and should be further developed. My fans should expect an indigenous electronic blend of house, Afro and dubstep.”

Rophnan's show will be the third in Kenya ahead of his performance at the coveted Nyege Nyege festival in Uganda on 8 September.

Earlier this year, he made his debut at Coke Studio Africa and made history as the first act to join the show as both a performing artist and music producer. He was paired with Zambian rapper Chef 187, and the two worked on an original track called ‘All the Way’.

Rophnan is one of the first artists in Ethiopia to release a successful electronic music album following the release of Netsabraq in May 2018. In July 2019, he was featured on the Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 list and was celebrated by the publication for his distinct style of fusing traditional Ethiopian music with modern sounds.

“I was always fascinated by the fusion of different instruments and voices, and created a unique niche for myself by amalgamating traditional Ethiopian sounds from the past with futurist electronic music,” he told Forbes.

The list also features Burna Boy (Nigeria), Karun (Kenya), Petite Noir (DRC), Boitumelo Thulo (South Africa) and Sho Madjozi (South Africa).