Kenyan-Norwegian artist STL releases self-titled EP

On the new EP the singer seamlessly mixes Swahili and English. The singer says the EP is a continuation of the work she had embarked on with the release of the single ‘Lookie Lookie’.

Ahead of the EP’s release on Friday 21 October, STL exclusively released ‘Big Girl’, the lead single on the EP, to the delight of her fans. “I am super excited to finally introduce to you ‘Big girl’. When creating this song, I was just in a playful mood thinking of the fact that I am a grown girl and I can do what I want, when I want,” STL wrote on Facebook. The single is a mix of STL’s distinct and authentic hip hop flow with electronic dance music.

Celebrated for hits like ‘Haba Haba’, ‘Biashara’ and ‘Hoola Hoop’, STL is one of Africa’s most unique female artistes in the genres of hip-hop, Afro-pop, reggae, dance and world music. Drawing inspiration from her father, who used cultural music to teach her different languages, STL began to perform and make music at the age of eight. From 1998 she was active in an African youth group called The Rise and in 2005 the group performed for Nelson Mandela during a campaign for the fight against AIDS. That same year she topped the charts in Senegal and Gambia, with the single ‘Do It’ with the African group Wagëblë.

She released her debut album, Living For Music, in 2008. In 2010 she won the award for best female artist at the now defunct Chaguo La Teeniez Awards that were held in Kenya. STL has had a distinguished career in Africa, the highlight of her career was her participation at the 2011 Eurovision contest with the song ‘Haba Haba’, which won the national final in Norway and went straight to the top of the Norwegian hit chart VG-lista.

STL’s new EP is available on iTunes.