Kenya: Calvo Mistari, Naiboi share new single ahead of joint album

The track is released through the duo’s publishing imprint, Room 308, and marks the fifth single from the upcoming project, following ‘Rudisha’, ‘All My Dreams’, ‘Zama’ and ‘The Prize’.

Produced by Dillie, with mixing and mastering by Musyoka, Baddest is an Afro-pop record featuring live guitar arrangements by Benjamin Kabaseke, bass guitar contributions from Sedar Malaki and backing vocals from Amileena.

According to the artists, the song centres on a confident woman whose presence immediately attracts attention.

Speaking about the release, the duo said: “‘Baddest’ is all about good vibes. It's about that person who walks into a room and immediately captures everyone's attention. We wanted the song to feel fun, uplifting and make people want to dance. More than anything, we want listeners to enjoy the energy and feel-good spirit behind it.”

The artists said the song was written during an informal studio session while they were preparing dinner together.

“We were actually cooking dinner when the song happened,” Calvo Mistari said. “Naiboi had the beat playing on loop and we just started feeding off each other's energy. We laid the intro, then my verse and from there the song began taking shape.”

The single combines African-inspired guitar melodies with an upbeat rhythm and continues the creative partnership between the two artists as they prepare for the release of 308.

Room 308 serves as a collaborative platform for Calvo Mistari and Naiboi, bringing together their songwriting, production and performance work. The forthcoming album is expected to feature additional collaborations and new material reflecting the duo’s recent creative direction.

Calvo Mistari and Naiboi have divided their time between Kenya and the United States in recent years while pursuing new business and creative ventures. The pair first collaborated on the 2021 single Situation and have since continued working together on a range of projects.

Over the past decade, both artists have established themselves as prominent figures in Kenya’s urban music scene through their work as performers, producers and songwriters.

Contributors: Nkululeko Njapa, Qhawe Shoba, Shaked Khuzwayo and Bakang Mokgaotsi