Singer, songwriter, pianist, guitarist and music lover

There are few Africans whose creative journey has been as wide-ranging, singular and successful as the one travelled by Liz Ogumbo. 

Over the past decade, this formidably focused Kenyan has established herself as creative entrepreneur whose work in music, fashion, television, radio and wine. Through all these, she shares an enviable commitment to excellence while fostering relationships and projects that advance the African creative industries globally. 

Whether it’s writing, recording and performing her original music, designing for her eponymous fashion label, hosting and producing Fashion Lab Africa TV and radio, or penetrating the wine market through her latest venture,, ‘Liz Ogumbo Wines,’ Liz is unquestionably the new face of modern Africa. She is as much rooted in the continent she loves as the global community that is fast embracing her irresistible vision. 

In conveying her creative output, Liz came up with a new, all-encompassing term—KenSoul. “KenSoul represents my Kenyan soul that allows me to stylishly weave stories of my Kenyan origin and global influences into the KenSoul experience,” she says of this description that is as original as the person behind it.

KenSoul is also the title of Liz’s first album, released to acclaim in 2010 - and is the reference point for her recently released follow-up, KenSoul, The Lotus Chapter. Traversing multiple musical influences and expressed in Luo, Swahili, English and French (all of which Liz speaks fluently), Liz’s two albums reflect her genre-agnostic sound, her Kenyan soul and her life experiences. Her humorous writing and skilled storytelling, combined with her smoky, sultry vocal abilities and mature yet playful sound, mark out Liz as one of Africa’s most notable artists.

“I come from a tribe called the Luo, which is one of 42 tribes in Kenya and is rooted in the western part of Kenya, by Lake Victoria,” she explains. “The Luo culture is very rich; music and dance is a part of our DNA.” 

Liz is named after her great-great-grandmother Elizabeth Loye, a talented singer and performer who was born around the 1860s and lived until the 1940s. 

Both of Liz’s albums feature songs from her childhood and traditional melodies – among them “Maro Pamore” off her 2010 debut KenSoul. “I love the melodies of that song and what it stands for,” says Liz of the recording (featuring Zambian-raised rapper, Zubz). KenSoul, The Lotus Chapter maintains the mix of genres that have influenced Liz (soul, hip hop, reggae, jazz, and blues) as well as the roots influence of the likes of Taraab music on songs like “Oringo Bayoyo” and “Msenangu”. As Liz puts it, “When I sing in my vernacular I know what I’m singing about”. 

Another influence on Liz’s creativity and music in particular, is Chakacha—a Swahili cultural dance that Liz learnt growing up in Kenya and which she describes as “the most sensual dance I know of beyond my geographical boundaries”. Those who’ve seen Liz perform live have witnessed how she weaves Chakacha into her live show, adding another layer to what is one of the most uplifting, near spiritual and joyous performances in contemporary African music. 

A standout feature of Liz’s energetic live shows is the visual element which makes full use of her unique fashion sense. The latter takes expression and influence from her fashion brand label highlighted by bold, elegant, timeless pieces that embrace self-definition through sleek cuts and simple yet provocative designs. Established eleven years ago, Liz Ogumbo’s Fashion offering epitomises attitude that comes from the inside—and this part of her creative life is as much a part of Liz’s soul as music is.


Ten years later, and now firmly established as a leading Afropolitan with real vision, Liz is ready to take on the world with all aspects of her KenSoul experience and creativity.  Look out for her new album.

"Her tunes bring a new sense of 'chill' to the African music scene" - OkayAfrica

Maia’s new album, Maia & The Big Sky experiments with coastal polyrhythms, mixing it with funk, reggae, jazz and folk, creating a familiarity and warmth that transcends continents. Her lyrics in both English and Kiswahili touch on power, love, politics and the strength of women.

Maia has shared stages with artists such as Keziah Jones (Nigeria), James Blunt (UK), Habib Koite (Mali), Thandiswe & Mafikizolo (South Africa). Her hypnotic velvet vocals and highly-engaging live act has travelled all over the world highlighting the diversity of Kenyan music.
 
Her previous recordings include 2008's self-titled EP featuring “Oyster” which appeared on Warner Poland's Ladies' Jazz Album Vol 6, and “Uko Wapi” which earned her two African Academy Awards for best sound track. Her Debut album DRIFT was released in 2012 and featured the single “Jellyfish”. 

Maia & the Big Sky will be touring Australia in December 2017 into early 2018 performing at Woodford Folk Festival, Perth International Arts Festival and several other venues. She is also scheduled to perform at Sauti Za Busara music Festival in Zanzibar in February 2018. 

The new album’s first single 'Lola', includes a stop-motion music video and has received radio airplay across the world. The next video single 'Pawa' featuring Blinky Bill will be unveiled shortly. 

Maia & the Big Sky is out now on Spotify, iTunes, Deezer, Google Play and Apple Music.

tipton is following