MIALive: Season 3 of Vibe na Queen to air in October

Dubbed The Matriarchs, the new edition – featuring June Gachui, Wandiri Karimi, Iddi Achieng’ and the host Kasiva Mutua – is being supported by the Music In Africa Foundation (MIAF) and its Music in Africa Live (MIALive) project.

The sessions, streamed online, are aimed at uniting African women in music, and will see the renowned artists engaging in in-depth conversations interspersed with organic jam sessions.

The initiative, founded by percussionist Kasiva Mutua, was inspired by the symbolism and the spirit found in the traditional hand-woven basket from the Akamba community in Kenya called the nthungi.

“Traditionally, the nthungi has unique symbolism. It represents generosity, abundance, sisterhood and continuity amongst women,” Kasiva said. “When you gift a nthungi to someone – which is usually full of farm produce – you must give it back with something inside and this not only cultivates generosity and sense of community amongst women but also fosters friendships and sisterhood.”

In the same spirit, Vibe na Queen has carried on this tradition through the last two seasons.

“In season three, we feature the pioneering generation of female musicians – the Matriarchs –  who have paved the way for current newer performers, as they share their journeys, stories, wisdom and art. Our guests’ spheres of influence transcend performance to areas such as advocacy, change-making, girl child rights, gender equality and mentorship,” Kasiva said.

Founded at the height of the pandemic, the initiative was Kasiva’s way to check in on her female friends in the music industry. Vibe na Queen gives you a front-row seat to an hour session full of achievers and legends and viewers get to be part of raw fun conversations, tidbits and music performances.

Primarily broadcast on Instagram Live, Vibe na Queen has amassed more than 15,000 views on various platforms.

Vibe na Queen has been made possible by the generous partnership and support from Music In Africa Live Music Advocacy grant. The MIALive project was launched in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic to support music professionals across the African continent. It is supported by the German Federal Foreign Office, Siemens Stiftung and Goethe-Institut.

Production partners include Hi-Synergy, Geco Café and Elmara Apiary, with more partners currently onboarding.

Season three will air in October on Kasiva’s Youtube Channel and Instagram Page.