Matata set for Nairobi concert on 30 December

The concert will see Matata perform tracks off its recently released debut album Super Morio for the first time in Kenya.

The show will feature five experiential colour zones to represent the different personalities of Matata members, and is expected to bring to life the qualities of the album’s protagonist Super Morio. Super Morio in Kenyan urban slang refers to a hero from the ghetto who strives to bring change in his community despite facing huge adversities.

The concert will feature a stellar line-up of other artists, DJs and MCs, including Wakadinali, Bensoul, Nviiri The Storyteller, Karun, Brandy Maina, Kwambox, DJ Daqchild, Gudah Man, MC Gogo and DJ Munge.

During a meeting with the press in Nairobi this week, the group composed of Freddy Milanya, Festus Mwenda, Richie Mathu, Marcus Ojiambo and Ken Kimathi, talked about its musical journey, the new album and what their fans can expect during the concert.

The group said the songs in the album are a product of their shared experiences in Kenya before they relocated to Norway.

“We just wanted to tell our stories,” Freddy said. “Being able to come from humble backgrounds to where we are at first seemed impossible but here we are, and that’s the story we are telling.”

The group thanked their Kenyan fans for their support despite being away from home most of the time and said the concert will provide the opportunity to interact with them.

“To our fans, we appreciate and don’t take it for granted. The dream is sometimes scary because it’s so big but the support keeps us going,” Marcus said. “We have so much support from our fans and the DJs who play our songs. Watching our videos on YouTube is great, but watching us live is another thing.”

Marek Fuchs, director and founder of AfricaCentric Entertainment (ACE), which is Matata’s representative in Africa, said the event will be a 90-minute set of electrifying performances.

The group was founded in 2016 when the members, who coincidentally knew each other from Kenya, met in Oslo, Norway, where each of them had gone to pursue further education. The members, who were active in the Kenyan dance scene prior to moving to Norway, decided to join forces and form the Matata dance outfit.

In 2017, the group slowly started combining the art of dance and music in their performances. But it was not until 2018 that the group started recording music and released their first single ‘Denge’ in August 2019.

The group has partnered with Rockshore Tropical Beer to bring the Super Morio experience alive.

Tickets for the concert are available here.