Kenya’s King Kanja drops new single Because of You

The soulful Afrobeats track was produced by Houston-based Kenyan producer Giggz, who recorded Tems’ verse on Wizkid’s monster hit ‘Essence’.

“The new single is inspired by the feeling of being in love and wanting to do whatever it takes to show your partner how meaningfully they impact your life journey,” King Kanja said.

‘Because of You’ is one of the lead singles off King Kanja’s upcoming fifth studio project KanJah, which is currently in its final stages of production. 

“I recorded this song in Houston with Giggz whom I met in Los Angeles at Christian Longomba’s funeral. The song was created on a whim delaying the club appearance to work on this song and the lyrics just flowed through me. I wrote everything except the second verse that my cousin, Big J in London, wrote. I'm the only vocalist on the song,” King Kanja said.

He credits close music associate Bobby V for advising him on the power of having other songwriters involved in the creative process, and has teamed up with his cousin Big J to co-write all his upcoming new hits.

“Working with like-minded people makes the dream work,” King Kanja said. “There are many records on the KanJah album, whose title shows God through me as a creative. My producer and engineer Gilly, aka Real Mckoy, gave the name a twist while we worked together on the Vibrations reggae album. It stuck and I knew then it would be the name of my next album.”

The single’s video, shot in Miami and at the Belaire HQ in New York, was directed by King Kanja’s long-term collaborator Yahu Edits, a Kenyan music director also based in the US. King Kanja said: “The visuals are lush and I am just having a good time with my lady.”

The musician's discography includes two EPs, Vibes (2017) and Muchoki (2019), as well as two albums, Vibe Lord (2020) and Vibrations (2020). Earlier this year, King Kanja met with Brett Berish, the president and CEO of Sovereign Brands, to discuss a brand partnership.