VIP ACCESS

Do2dtun aka Energy gAD is Nigeria’s biggest hype master with energy like no other. In fact, in this interview he expounds on how he managed to commercialize hype and energy throughout his notable career in the entertainment industry. He is also one of Nigeria's most respected media personalities and industry movers and shakers. He is an on-air media personality, an actor, a TV Host and media entre...

Barak Jacuzzi is a Nairobi rapper raised in Kenya and the United States. He spent most of his life between Kenya and the US and this has influenced his general outlook and approach to pop culture. In this interview, Barak shares his love for his Nairobi lifestyle and desire to one day settle down and have kids or a baby mama. Over the years Barak has built a steady brand as an all rounded public f...

Kenyan singer-songwriter TheOnlyRosa's music is influenced by 90s Pop music. Her melodic style reflects her love for African Soul and R&B. A career in music was always on the horizon for her as she started writing songs at the age of 12 and everybody she met was struck by her vocals and encouraged her to take music as a profession. Her proficiency in languages was an advantage as she could als...

Akoth Jumadi’s music explores themes of love, healing, spiritual emancipation, political liberation and cultural integration in the arts. She started playing at Maseno University in Kisumu, when a friend gave her a subtle nudge by gifting her a guitar. Under the tutelage of a veteran guitarist, she started her journey as a musician. Over time an urge to explore more forms of musicality, she taught...

Liboi is a Nairobi-based singer-songwriter who uses her creative ability to express human experience, question humanity and improve the well-being of the deprived in the society. It’s funny because at the start of this interview, I am almost conned on phone and she immmediately picks on the con and tells me, “Put down the phone. You are just about to be conned.” It’s almost her second nature how f...

Bakhita is a multi-disciplinary Kenyan artist who vividly delves into descriptive sentences aimed at tugging all of your senses and scopes into perspective through a symphony of Urban Jazz, Afro Funk, and Neo Soul. Their tone is husky and bright as they dominate multiple key ranges. In this interview, Bakhita expounds on how they use their vocals, visual art, set and conceptual design, to create a...

Kenyan pianist, keyboardist, composer and producer Aaron Rimbui is among the most well-known and respected figures in East African Jazz. However he's not your typical jazz artist but a master at improvisation in a class of his own. In this interview, the trailblazer who has shaped and elevated the jazz scene in East Africa for the past 20 years with his unique blend of jazz piano and African rhyth...

June Gachui is one of Kenya’s most sought-after entertainers, she sings, acts both on screen and on stage, offers bilingual MC and hosting services. It has been said that the one thing that distinguishes June Gachui from most of her peers is the truth in her performance; June performs with her entire being, with soul, and doesn’t hold anything back when she is on stage. Those who have listened to...

Ugandan songstress Pia Pounds has been hustling for much longer than you may think, starting off her independence at the age of 15. She however, had been singing and pursuing a music career for much longer and says she always knew that music was her destiny. She's a lover of mashing up sounds of R&B and Afrobeats and says she's recently obsessed with everything African. In this interview we di...

Rwandese singer-songwriter Ariel Wayz started singing at the age of four, explains why she’s got an old soul and such a mature voice for someone born in 2000. She is the fifth child in a family of eight and somehow being a middle child exposed her to many responsibilities at a young age. Her mother sung in Rwanda’s Orchestre Ingeri during the 1990s. This, studying music at Nyundo School of Music a...

Tanzanian rapper Rosa Ree has been on top of her game from the onset of her career. Nearly 10 years later, she’s made a name for herself thanks to her skill and consistency. In fact, this interview comes off the bat of Rosa Ree being profiled by The Recording Academy among Africa’s Top 10 Female Rappers but don’t get me wrong I’ve been down for Rosa Ree right from 2016 when she was introduced into...

Angela Mwandanda is a Kenyan professional actor, singer and voice-over artist who began performing 20 years ago. As an actor, Angela has featured on TV shows, and several stage musicals. At 19, Angela attended her first audition at the then Phoenix Players, East Africa's most reputable theatre that nurtured a lot of raw talent in those days. It is right here that she met Angela Ndambuki and Debbie...

Just like his name suggests Nvirii The Storyteller, Nviiri’s songs tell a multitude of stories with layers surrounding everyday relatable issues like love, loss, heartbreak, romance, debauchery, conflict, reconciliation and growth in different life spheres and dimensions. The Kenyan-Ugandan singer-songwriter came to fame after his signing to Sauti Sol’s record label Sol Generation Records in 2019....

Nairobi-based DJ and producer Coco EM is no stranger to the taking over dance floors at home and across the globe; from Boiler Room Nairobi, Spotify Colors Nairobi event, Nyege Nyege, Uganda, Nuits d’Afrique in Montreal to Trans Musicales in Rennes, France. Her self-produced debut EP ‘Kilumi’ (Kamba for sacred drum songs and dance) released in 2022, features Kenyan acts: MC Sharon, Wuod Baba, Ndun...

Born in Nairobi and hailing from the Nilotic tribes of Kenya, Adelaide singer, rapper, and producer Elsy Wameyo embraces her cultural heritage through her 2022 groundbreaking EP 'Nilotic' and will continue on the journey this year with the release of her LP ' Saint Sinner' - scheduled for release later on in the year. "Sinner" and "Piny Lara" singles have already been released as a lead up to this...

Wandiri Karimi is an established Kenyan an artist, guitarist, composer and music executive. She has had many lives in the entertainment and an illustrious career, that keeps unfolding, in music industry and in IP Law. From 2016 – 2022 she worked as a director of Kenya Conservatoire of Music. In 2016 she founded African Women's Orchestra with a vision to create a safe space for women to perform and...

An opportunity arises to meet Tina Ardor who I have saved on my phone as Christina DJ when she calls me to book an interview on my podcast for DJ Sbu. This would be a few weeks before her collaboration with DJ Sbu “I’ll Be There”- a mesmerizing Deep House drops. It’s only until she comes to the interview is when I realize that Christina the DJ is Tina Ardor. Somehow, she manages to keep it on the...

Part 2 of my interview with South Africa's DJ Sbu of “Lengoma” hit song that featured the late Zahara. DJ Sbu shares extensively how he has navigated life and work as a DJ, radio, podcaster, entrepreneur and media owner. He always encourages younger artists and the youth to work smart at building solid foundations and lasting brands. Sbu is almost ready to release a new album – enjoy part 1 of our...

In the opener of VIP ACCESS Season 4, I am interviewing a South African all-rounder. DJ Sbu’s song “Lengoma” featuring the late Zahara was a global hit that turned into a classic for many around the continent, and beyond. We talk about this, and how he has navigated life and work as a DJ, radio, podcaster, entrepreneur and media owner. He always encourages younger artists and the youth to work sma...

Couldn't be more excited to present Seas 4 of VIP ACCESS Podcast (premiering Feb 6th 2024). The new season will explore the role of women in the music industry while spotlighting the expansion of African music. Drawn from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, South Africa, Nigeria, Australia and the US, featured artists will include Tina Ardor, Wandiri Karimi, Elsy Wameyo, Barak Jacuzzi, DJ Sbu, Nviiri...

Kenyan musician Kasiva Mutua learned drumming inspired by folktales told by her grandmother. She has developed her own knack for powerful beats and is now one of Africa’s leading percussionists and drummers. She plays music to celebrate her community’s spirit, tell her people's stories and elevate the place of the African woman in music. In this interview, she tells part of her story and that of t...

The last conversation recorded at VIP ACCESS Podcast first pop-up event featured Kenyan rap queens: Nazizi, Sosuun and Femi One in conversation on The Role Of Women In Music & Hip Hop. The event also featured a performance by Groovy Jo - Kenyan rapper, singer, and songwriter. Groovy Jo is a fearless feminist and rapper pushing boundaries with intelligent rap. She has been featured on season 2...

VIP ACCESS Podcast first pop-up event attracted young up and coming artists and PR professionals, who joined an open Q&A session on Branding for Artists by Anyiko Owoko alongside fellow Publicists: Olivia Ambani and Nonsizi Agnes. This was the second conversation recorded at VIP ACCESS Podcast's first live recording event (Dec 3 2023). VIP ACCESS started as a YouTube show produced by the veter...

In conversation with Kenyan music journalist Tela Wangeci on the inception and growth of VIP ACCESS platform and our collective love for promoting arts, culture and creatives. Here is the first conversation recorded at VIP ACCESS Podcast's first live recording and pop-up event (Dec 3 2023). VIP ACCESS started as a YouTube show produced by the veteran broadcaster, with its companion audio podcast l...

Kenyan-Dutch multi-creative artist Steve Biko is a man of many talents and creative infatuations. As a young boy growing up in Kenya creativity was a must to survive and music was always a crucial part of life. From his passion for fashion to his love for music; Steve manages to infuse everything with his relentless energy, transforming dust into gold. I saved the juiciest interview as a special f...