Kenya: Muthoni Drummer Queen joins Spotify’s Equal programme

The programme forms part of the audio streaming platform’s global Equal Hub campaign, which is geared toward fostering equity for women in music and providing a platform to highlight influential female creators.

Muthoni Drummer Queen’s song, ‘African Fever’, has been added to the Equal Africa and Equal Global playlists. The single is off her fourth album titled River, which was released on 19 November. The compilation features several Afro-diasporic sounds blended with hip-hop, reggae dancehall, R&B, and traditional drumbeats from various ethnic communities around Kenya. The album’s genesis came during a 2019 creative residency in Nairobi and was further developed during a 50-plus date touring season that same year.

“When they don’t give you a seat at the table, make your own with and for the people that love and celebrate you as you are,” Muthoni Drummer Queen said.

Muthoni Drummer Queen represents female artists whose creativity and determination break barriers between Kenyan genres. She uses her voice to spread a message of female empowerment. Her song ‘Power’, which was released last year, is an anthem for women and honours those that paved the way towards equality.

With more than a decade of experience in the creative sector, Muthoni Drummer Queen has achieved acclaim for her music and her broader initiatives in the Kenyan music industry.

In 2008, she launched the Blankets and Wine music festival, which provides a platform for alternative musicians in East Africa and some internationally acclaimed acts. Apart from music performances, the festival also incorporates fashion, art, and literature elements.

In 2019, Muthoni Drummer Queen founded perFORM, a music business and artistic development incubator to enable practitioners in the music industry to filter, order, refine, and master the business and artistic skills required to build a sustainable music career.

Other African artists that have been featured on the Equal programme include Kenya’s Ssaru, Nigeria’s Ayra Starr, and South Africa’s DBN Gogo.