Santuri East Africa is a community-focussed music innovation hub based in Nairobi, Kenya.
We exist to bring about a more equitable, authentic and diverse music industry.
Award-winning music education in Nairobi
Studios, Santuri Salon workshop space, gear hire and more
The region’s first music tech and innovation summit
Artist development, events, bookings and more
Incubating creative enterprises
︎︎︎We specialize in providing progressive, globally-focussed music education for producers and DJs through the Santuri Electronic Music Academy (SEMA).
︎︎︎We connect artists to knowledge, music technology, production & recording facilities, and cultural dialogues at our Santuri Salon space.
︎︎︎We create opportunities for sonic artists through showcase events, residencies and collaborations
︎︎︎We provide an environment that lives our commitment to Diversity, Equality and Inclusion
︎︎︎We build partnerships and develop networks globally to support artists and creatives
︎︎︎We host an annual music tech and innovation summit - Kilele
Proposal Submissions Portal for 2026 - Apply now!
A quick look back on Kilele 2025.
Over 6 glorious days Kilele returned to The Mall, and delivered that ‘difficult second album’. It proved to be the step forward we hadn’t dared to imagine - a rich, vibrant, thought-provoking mix of showcases, panels, workshops and installations that truly lived up to our mantra of Kilele being ‘a space for adventurous music and culture in East Africa.
Here’s some highlights while we sift through the various strands that made up the event. We’ll be releasing content over the next months including some of the panels and presentations, radio recordings, a documentary, and more.
First up, the aftermovie is here:
Top Facts - we welcomed 2400 guests, and 87 participants from 20 countries.
50.5% of those were non-male
18 Showcase performances
14 panels and talks
12 workshops
Radio broadcasts listened to in 15 countries
Image Gallery - general impressions
Rooftop / Basscamp - sundowners, showcases and networking
Instrument Makers Lab
This year we initiated a new space for experimentation around instrument building. Safe to say this was a major highlight. Huge shout to Elektron for the support!
Special attention should be paid to the Embaire project, which saw Samuel Karugu, Basile Huguenin-Virchaux and Astrid Bin create a xylophone / synth out of skateboards. This project was supported by Pro Helvetia Johannesberg.
Panels, presentation and workshops
Showcases
There were outstanding showcaes through the week, including the opening ceremony featuring Odd Okoddo,and the return of Mzizi Ensemble amoung others
Sound Communties @Unseen
We took a break to check out some films from the community at Unseen. Some impressions here.
Want to support some of the artists you saw at Kilele? Check out this Buy Music Club list:
https://www.buymusic.club/list/kilele_summit-kilele-sounds
Calotropis Radio
What to say about our roving radio alchemists? This was a wonderful addition to Kilele, bringing not just live streams from the Summit but a new perspective on proceedings. We are thankful!
Collaborators:
The Clearing w/ Bizi Bingi, TCHNO, BYT, COSMOS / Le Guess Who?, Kibera Creative Arts (Kica), Mathare Social Justice Center, Creatives Garage, C&, The Mist, Petriole, Unseen Nairobi, and many more!
With thanks to our donors, partners and friends
Africalia - Africalia's mission is to contribute to the recognition of culture as a
key sector of development cooperation, as a vector for sustainable and
inclusive human development, and as an area where international
solidarity between communities and individuals can be expressed in a
creative and enriching way.
Pro Helvetia - the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia supports and promotes Swiss culture in Switzerland and throughout the world
Australian High Commission Nairobi - the AHC are supporting the FEMX stream of Kilele, fore-grounding non-male participation in the summit
Goethe-Institut - the Goethe-Institut is the cultural institute of the Federal Republic of Germany with a global presence
Santuri Culture is the sister organisation of Santuri East Africa and responsible for delivering Kilele 2025.
Tech Partners
ADAM Audio - ADAM Audio was founded in March 1999 in Berlin. Since then the company has been developing, manufacturing and distributing loudspeakers in the field of Professional Audio.
Elektron - is a Swedish developer and manufacturer of musical instruments founded in 1998, as well as having its headquarters, R&D and production in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Focusrite PLC is an English music and audio products group based. The Focusrite Group trades under eight brands: Focusrite, Focusrite Pro, Martin Audio, ADAM Audio, Novation, Ampify Music, Optimal Audio and Sequential.
Image-Line - Makers of the legendary FL Studio, one of the most iconic peices of music software of all time.
Orchestral Tools is a forward-thinking sample library development team with offices in Berlin and Freiburg, Germany. Originally founded in 2005 by Hendrik Schwarzer, the company creates premium-quality sampled instruments that encompass both the traditional orchestra as well as modern sound design, with influences from classic film scores, contemporary orchestral music, post-punk, field recordings, and musique concréte.
Contact:
kilele@santuri.org
East Africa’s music tech and innovation summit is back
The 2nd edition of Kilele will land February 18th to 22nd, 2025. Here’s what you need to know.
Kilele is a space for adventurous music and culture.
With a rich mix of showcases, panels, workshops and installations, Kilele’s purpose is to spark conversations, collaborations and innovations. It’s for musicians, producers, DJs, technologists, activists, academics and anyone interested in the future of East African (and global) music. We bring everyone from international music brands to underground collectives together, and celebrate music and culture in an open and inclusive space.
When and where is it happening?
February 18th to 22nd 2025 in Nairobi, Kenya.
Most of the events will happen at our homebase, The Mall, in Westlands.
We’re also planning some additional (still secret) locations for special events,
so keep an eye out for the full program.
Tickets on sale now
What’s On?
This year we are grouping our programme into distinct thematic areas, which are namely;
![]()
After a year marked by ever increasing climate-related crises in Kenya and the world at large, how are artists and the music industry responding and relating to the issues of climate justice?
Our program at Kilele will include a wide range of responses to this question, from community activism within affected neighbourhoods, workshops on sustainability and creative recycling, as well as focussed sessions connecting and listening to the natural world.
![]()
“Everything sounds somehow Western—very mechanical, not organic like the rough tones and raw drums I heard growing up in Nairobi. Even as I try to break away from the loops and the 1-2-3-4 drive of these music tools, I always end up back there somehow.” - Slickback
At Kilele 2024 we heard Astrid Bin’s comparison of the musical interfaces (midi controllers etc) with ultra processed food - generic, functional and predictable. This year we are diving into instrument creation from another direction. What can instrument builders learn from local creators, and what forms of hybridity are possible and desirable in the instruments of the future?
![]()
Over the past decades community as a concept has been drained of its meaning, co-opted by corporations, governments, state institutions. In our own context around the industry of culture, we paradoxically see the emergence of true social communities that share values, connections, and ways of living, and the unseemly competition for resources, opportunities and recognition.
At Kilele we welcome Sound Communities from outside the mainstream - local, regional and global - to participate, collaborate, and share their passions, seeking new ways to reject polarization and foster understanding.
After a year marked by ever increasing climate-related crises in Kenya and the world at large, how are artists and the music industry responding and relating to the issues of climate justice?
Our program at Kilele will include a wide range of responses to this question, from community activism within affected neighbourhoods, workshops on sustainability and creative recycling, as well as focussed sessions connecting and listening to the natural world.
“Everything sounds somehow Western—very mechanical, not organic like the rough tones and raw drums I heard growing up in Nairobi. Even as I try to break away from the loops and the 1-2-3-4 drive of these music tools, I always end up back there somehow.” - Slickback
At Kilele 2024 we heard Astrid Bin’s comparison of the musical interfaces (midi controllers etc) with ultra processed food - generic, functional and predictable. This year we are diving into instrument creation from another direction. What can instrument builders learn from local creators, and what forms of hybridity are possible and desirable in the instruments of the future?
Over the past decades community as a concept has been drained of its meaning, co-opted by corporations, governments, state institutions. In our own context around the industry of culture, we paradoxically see the emergence of true social communities that share values, connections, and ways of living, and the unseemly competition for resources, opportunities and recognition.
At Kilele we welcome Sound Communities from outside the mainstream - local, regional and global - to participate, collaborate, and share their passions, seeking new ways to reject polarization and foster understanding.
PERFORMERS
(click the images to step through the aritsts’ bios / socials)
and more to be announced.
Panels, presentations and workshops by:
Mina
Sam Achola / Usanii
Adam Yawe
Mashariki Vibes
Afrikaan Kodo
Tech Workshops:
FL Studio
Focusrite / Novation
Focusrite / Novation
Ableton
ADAM Audio
ADAM Audio
Elektron
Orchestral Tools
Orchestral Tools
Instrument Makers Lab
This year we are delighted to debut the Instrument Makers Lab - for the duration of the Summit
we’ll have a space dedicated to the creation of instruments - building, crafting, coding,
programming and recycling - anything goes. We can’t wait to hear what comes out of this,
and will be presenting as much as possible during Kilele week.
Curators
Over 50% of the Kilele programme is sourced by you, our community.
We received scores of proposals and pitches from around the world,
from which a mix of talks, performances, panels and installations were selected.
The full programme will be out in January.
The programme is curated by a collective of artists and cultural practitioners, including;
Nyokabi Kariũki
[ᴍᴏɴʀʜᴇᴀ]
Bernt Isak WærstadSanturi Culture
Collaborators:
The Clearing w/ Bizi Bingi, TCHNO, BYT, COSMOS / Le Guess Who?, Kibera Creative Arts (Kica), Mathare Social Justice Center, Creatives Garage, C&, The Mist, Petriole, Unseen Nairobi, and many more!
Live streaming and sound art from around the festival by Calotropis
Tickets on sale now!
Contact:
kilele@santuri.org
KILELE 2025 OFFICIAL PROGRAMME
LIVE STREAM
Stream A
Stream B
Calotropis is a community-based radio that believes in the importance of the ongoing pulse of music and making; aiming to stretch the radiophonic by dancing in the archives, collaborating with the underground, and, in their words, ‘never forgetting the skies beyond the sky’.
Calotropis orients the vocabulary of its practice around two principles of faith:
1) access to the event, and
2) the becoming of the radio.
Intuitively somatogenic in their practice, and in their forms of gathering, inviting all ears to experiment, breathe, oscillate, (g)listen — they overall insist that the radio must continue sharing and stretching its loving transmissions all while resisting against all who want to steal/kill ‘our’ sound.
The place of the radio, and so the place of Calotropis in the Kilele Summit 2025, involves a three-part installation that embeds itself to the core of summit — by streaming, recording and thus taking part in the archiving of elements of Kilele [available thru calotropis.xyz] — while altogether radioing into the summit by transforming its space into a playful and restful elaboration of 'the becoming of the radio'.
PROGRAMMING
The Rinse Room
What is the body saying? Are you still enough to listen? Is there tension in your shoulders? Is your jaw clenched? When was the last time you caught up with yourself? Inner ear, what signal are transmitting?
Situated in a room close to the basement elevators
— The Rinse Room is a place to rest the senses, because the radio is a place to rest the senses, because The Rinse Room is a part of the radio.
You may arrive here: one can soothe the senses, rest away while within the radiophonic of the summit and its sounds. In this room you can listen and not see, see and listen/or not, participate in some tactile play through crafting and be held.
Karibuni.
We will be situated in Calotropis HQ at the clocktower where we will also have a merch station right outside on the rooftop. Here, we shall continue to ask ourselves: what does the Inside of a radio look like?
Panels / Talks / Presentations
Tuesday Tuesday Tuesday
Opening remarks w/ Nyokabi Kariũki 11.00 to 11.30 Tuesday 18th - Creatives Garage)
Occupy Kilele! Music and activism in 2025 (11.30 to 12.30 Tuesday 18th - Creatives Garage)
In June 2024 Kenya saw an unprecedented uprising against the government which was a leaderless, youth-powered revolt for a fairer society. Dubbed the ‘Gen-Z’ uprising, many of the people on the streets across the country were creatives, deeply frustrated by rising costs of living, more taxes, and repressive policing. Beyond the street demos, activists in Kenya have used the arts to protest against climate change, femicide and many other injustices. In this opening panel of Kilele 2025, we look at some of the ways art and activism coalesce, and seek ideas and inspiration for 2025.
Moderator: Gregg Mwendwa
![]()
Panelists:
Njeri (MSJC)
Mwanase Ahmed
Bizi Bingi
![]()
Moderator: Gregg Mwendwa
Panelists:
Njeri (MSJC)
Mwanase Ahmed
Bizi Bingi
Cracks and Hacks - Music Technology and its Role in shaping African Electronic Music (13.30 to 14.30 Tuesday 18th - Creatives Garage)
In the digital era, music production tools proliferated at an unimaginable rate - making and releasing music on the continent (and around the world) was no longer the preserve of big studios and well- funded labels. Digital Audio Workstations and other software were cracked and shared, sample libraries amassed and passed on, and tips and techniques codified broadly into genres or movements. How exactly did some of these tools end up creating the wildly diverse sounds we celebrate now? And what's the role of music tech in the region going forward?
Moderator: Mars Maasai
Panelists:
Lukorito
MPhilo
Cee Schwanz (Ableton)
Jungle dweller, producer, DJ and all around maverick. Over the years, spotted sharing stages with Missy Elliot, Modeselektor, Jimmy Edgar, Dorian Concept, Tokimonsta …
Cee has been in the game for two decades now, involved with projects like Al-Haca with 3 albums, lots of EPs and remixes, plus years of touring and more recently, Bass Sekolah with the radio single “Lighthouse” & “The Dusun Sessions” featuring the likes of Daedelus, Perera Elsewhere, Phon.o and many more good friends.
Cee is the Ableton Senior Marketing Manager for Europe, Middle East & Africa.
Blinky Bill
Outside the Grid: Decolonizing Music Tech (14.30 to 15.30 Tuesday 18th - Creatives Garage)
“Everything sounds somehow Western—very mechanical, not organic like the rough tones and raw drums I heard growing up in Nairobi. Even as I try to break away from the loops and the 1-2-3-4 drive of these music tools, I always end up back there somehow.” - Slickback on Digital Audio Workstations
At Kilele 2024 we heard Astrid Bin’s comparison of the musical interfaces (midi controllers etc) with ultra processed food - generic, functional and predictable. This year we are diving into instrument creation from another direction. What can digital instrument makers learn from local creators, and what forms of hybridity are possible and desirable in the instruments of the future?
Moderator: Astrid Bin
Panelists: Sam Kaguru
Basile Huguenin-Virchaux
DJ Rph
Monrhea
Culture, Capital and Community: Arts Funding in East Africa (16.00 to 17.00 Tuesday 18th - Creatives Garage)
With little to no state funding available for arts and culture, arts organisations in Kenya play a precarious game of chasing the same limited, short-term resources. Some find success pivoting to business models, many others fall by the wayside unable to compete in the marketplace. The funding that is available is dominated by international institutions and platforms, the bar to entry too high for many creatives and collectives not versed in European funding models and challenging reporting requirements. Brands, investors and redevelopment projects offer alternatives, but what are the pros and cons of these relationships? We’ll look into the reality of the current situation, and seek ideas for better futures.
Moderated by: April Zhu
Panelists: Brian Harris (TO Foundation)
Dr. Akati Khasiani (HEVA Fund)
Shamina Rajab (The Mist / Wana Wake)
Biki Kangwana (The Mall)
Independent Label Networking and Sundowner (Tuesday 17.00 - Basecamp)
As major streaming platforms continue to dominate music sales and their questionable business practices squeeze and marginalize independent music makers - why and how should we release music in 2025?
Co-curated with Africa Rising Music Conference, will assemble a wide range of practitioners - label owners, self-releasing artists, global distributors and others - to meet and exchange on the rooftop. This will be a chance for artists and managers to connect with professionals and dreamers, and come away with new ideas and practical networks.
Participants to include;
Ralph Boege (Paradise Worldwide), Auntie Flo, Pwani Tapes, Mina, Endre Dalen, Jane Arnison, Luca Jacob, Tamasha, and more.
Instrument Makers Lab
Workshop Tuesday - Friday
At Kilele 2024 we heard Astrid Bin’s comparison of the musical interfaces (midi controllers etc) with ultra processed food - generic, functional and predictable. This year we are diving into instrument creation from another direction. What can digital instrument makers learn from local creators, and what forms of hybridity are possible and desirable in the instruments of the future?
The nexus of this stream lies in the Instrument Makers Lab - a five day workshop involving creators of kalimbas, nyatitis, xylophones and other ‘traditional’ instruments, as well as programmers, technologists and representatives from music technology partners. A flagship project supported by Pro Helvetia will see Samuel Karugu and Basile Huguenin-Virchaux create new hybrid digital-physical instruments inspired by polyrhythms and micro tonalities common in African music. The instruments created during Kilele will be showcased with a series of performances on Friday evening.
Read more here!
Supported by Elektron.
Wednesday Wednesday Wednesday Wednesday
Breathe to Sound - Justin Pflughaupt (USA) (11am - 11.30am - Creatives Garage)
An introduction to electronic wind instruments (also known as wind synths) and an overview of using breath to control MIDI. This presentation will discuss how to use MIDI to enhance the artistry of a performance by controlling parameters for an audio track as well as touching on more experimental techniques.
Justin Pflughaupt is a producer, deejay and performing artist from Houston, Texas, who creates and spins music that spans the sonic spectrum. He specialises in electronic wind instruments to add a unique touch to his compositions and performances.
Pararira - Adam Yawe (KE) (11.30am - 12.00pm - Creatives Garage)
Adam has designed and prototyped a musical instrument using the musical horn systems used in Nairobi's Matatus. Bombarded by the sounds of vehicle horns when traversing Nairobi's cityscape; Adam wonders what it might mean to reclaim agency by not only producing these sounds, but also composing our own sonic patterns with them. This presentation will focus on conceptualising, designing and prototyping the instrument and play some videos of artists using the instrument while it was presented during the Sonic Mass exhibition at Munyu space in the mall.
Adam Yawe is a 3D artist and product designer based in Kenya. Adam’s practice focuses on urban material culture and the objects we encounter on our everyday journeys, where they come from, why they exist, and how they may be reimagined.
Stories in Scapes and Spaces - Muha (Mozambique) (12.00pm - 12.30pm - Creatives Garage)
Sound is one of our earliest connections to the world, and yet, in today's visually dominated cultures, we often overlook its immense power. In this talk, Muha will explore how sound can be a profound medium for storytelling, transporting us to the heart of environments we may never physically visit. Drawing on ongoing work in Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique, supported by National Geographic, I’ll discuss how we can use soundscapes and technology to create immersive narratives that allow us to experience the dynamic changes of a landscape through sound.
Dércio Gomate (Muha) is a composer, aural collector, diver and storyteller from Maputo, Mozambique. As a NEWF Fellow and NatGeo Explorer, his world of sound is rich. Scoring for film, collecting soundscapes and storytelling are just some of his passions. Muha is placing sound at the centerstage of his aural narratives.
A new approach to Qaraami Music - Sven Kacirek (DE) (13.00pm - 14.00pm - Creatives Garage)
Qaraami: The etymology of the word is Qaram, from the Arabic word, love. Somalis used qaram or qaraami to describe the oldest modern music composition, mainly from late forties to mid sixties. The word became a synonym of “old good days music”, or for young people just “old music”. In fact, today Qaraami sometimes is confused by the young generation who use to describe any type of old music (relatively to their age) like even 1980ies.
Sven Kacirek has been working to transcribe the melodies of 30 songs, providing scores and creating midi files to give these songs new avenues for reinterpretation and recognition.
He has collaborated with musicians from different music cultures on several occasions for more than 15 years. His highly praised album “The Kenya Sessions” won the “award of the German Record Critics”. His album “Songs From Okinawa” was nominated for the VIA music award. Furthermore he has closely collaborated with Kenyan singer Ogoya Nengo for several years.
Workshop
Navigating the PR and Promotional Landscape w/ Naila Aroni and Anyiko (KE) (14.00 - 15.00 Creatives Garage - Wednesday)
An educational workshop focused on PR and digital marketing for emerging musicians. This session complements Kilele’s mission by equipping emerging artists with actionable skills by providing emerging artists with the tools and insights they need to effectively promote their music in today's digital landscape.
Naila Aroni will be drawing on four years of experience as a PR and communications specialist in music journalism in Kenya. At the end of the session, Naila will share a valuable asset directory with contacts for music magazines, playlists, and digital platforms so attendees have practical tools to continue their PR journey after the session.
FEMX - Breaking Barriers in Music Production (15.30 - 17.00 Creatives Garage - Wednesday)
Panel Description: Despite emergent conversations about women in the music industry, the spotlight often falls on DJs and producers, leaving out the critical roles women play in music tech. This panel sheds light on the often-overlooked contributions of women who get us moving, on and off the dancefloor, whether it be with live sound engineering, lighting design, graphic production, or mixing.
Join us for a compelling discussion with leading women in the industry as they share their experiences, challenges, and successes in male-dominated fields. From the technical aspects to the broader systemic barriers, this session will explore the realities of working in the industry and strategies for creating a more inclusive and supportive environment.
Featuring a diverse lineup of live sound engineers, lighting designers, graphic producers, and mix engineers, this session will highlight the depth of talent and expertise women bring to the field. Whether you’re in the industry or simply interested in the intersection of technology and music, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.
Panel
Moderator: Sonic Griot
Panelists:
- Sound engineer - Joy Ndinda
- Light engineer - Mwitikia
- Graphics engineer - Mary Beth
- Sound engineer - Daisy Nduta
Exploring Unique Workflows in the Ableton Ecosystem
SOUND COMMUNITIES - screenings at Unseen Nairobi (18.00 - 23.00)
Short music documentaries from different communities around the world. Screening and then after party.
| COSMOS Embassy Film: Karachi, Pakistan |
| Discussion |
| 6SENSE |
| Discussion |
| PAM presents: Off the Map | Steve Happi, Freedom beats from Douala (Jail Time Records) |
| Discussion |
| Come Dance With Me by nwao |
DJ set by nwao
Thursday Thursday Thursday Thursday
Ubuntu in the contemporary music scene Santuri Salon (2.00 PM - 4 PM)
Wycee Wagithi is a multidisciplinary artist based in Nairobi, Kenya. Armed with her Bachelor’s degree in Music from Kenyatta Universtiy, she is a multi-instrumentalist, Cultural Practitioner, Researcher and Music Educator. She is also an underground Dj championing African and Afro-diasporic Electronic Music.
Wagithi is actively involved in both the contemporary and traditional music scene; playing with African ensembles, performing with an all-female metal band, Nova and her energetic Dj sets as Hasira Hasara.
She will be accompanied by The Weavers to share insight on the interconnectedness of the two musical scenes.
Signal Flow 2.0: Global Connections and Opportunities (in partnership with ARMC) Creatives Garage (11.30 PM - 1.00 PM)
Last year we kicked off Kilele with a truly insightful panel on some of the ways artists can connect with different organisations, opportunities, funding, and events. This year we bring this session back with a new set of perspectives. How can artists build effective networks, find like-minded collaborators and build global communities?
Moderator: Sisian
![]()
Sisian is a multi - faceted music maker & lover, with deeply rooted interests and wide visions for both the creator and the climate, culture, and conditions that surround us. She operates both on and off stage, singing and songwriting as Sisian, djing as Naisis, and producing as one half of the experimental electronic duo ¡AC!.
Guests:
Muthoni The Drummer Queen (Goodtimes Africa / Blankets and Wine)
![]()
Muthoni Drummer Queen (MDQ) is a Kenyan, genre-bending singer, rapper and drummer. Hersound sits at the intersection of hip-hop, reggae/dancehall, neopop and soul, with distinct drum patterns from traditional music of Kenya. Parallel To her international music career, MDQ is an acclaimed creative entrepreneur.
Luca Jacob (Piranha Arts)
![]()
Luca Jacob is the CEO of the Berlin based independent creative company Piranha Arts, operating both locally and globally with events such as Karneval der Kulturen and WOMEX. Previously he co-founded Wolf Kino in Berlin in 2017, while steadily engaging as producer and curator at the intersection between music and film.
Mina (Funding with Mina)
![]()
Mina is a producer, DJ, and curator based in the UK. Her vibrant and melodic productions connect the dots between diverse styles, fusing together sounds from her London hometown, with rhythms from around the world.
Nyokabi Kariũki
![]()
Nyokabi Kariũki (she/her) is a Kenyan composer, sound artist, and artistic researcher. Her sonic imagination is ever-evolving, spanning across various genres from classical contemporary to experimental electronic music, explorations in sound art, pop, film, (East) African musical traditions and more.
SJ Nicholson (ARMC)
![]()
Sarah Jane Nicholson stands at the forefront of the global music industry, spearheading the evolution of African music on an international scale. As the Managing Director of Paradise Worldwide (Africa), Nicholson is dedicated to creating a seamless and transparent infrastructure for revenue collection.
Sisian is a multi - faceted music maker & lover, with deeply rooted interests and wide visions for both the creator and the climate, culture, and conditions that surround us. She operates both on and off stage, singing and songwriting as Sisian, djing as Naisis, and producing as one half of the experimental electronic duo ¡AC!.
Guests:
Muthoni The Drummer Queen (Goodtimes Africa / Blankets and Wine)
Muthoni Drummer Queen (MDQ) is a Kenyan, genre-bending singer, rapper and drummer. Hersound sits at the intersection of hip-hop, reggae/dancehall, neopop and soul, with distinct drum patterns from traditional music of Kenya. Parallel To her international music career, MDQ is an acclaimed creative entrepreneur.
Luca Jacob (Piranha Arts)
Luca Jacob is the CEO of the Berlin based independent creative company Piranha Arts, operating both locally and globally with events such as Karneval der Kulturen and WOMEX. Previously he co-founded Wolf Kino in Berlin in 2017, while steadily engaging as producer and curator at the intersection between music and film.
Mina (Funding with Mina)
Mina is a producer, DJ, and curator based in the UK. Her vibrant and melodic productions connect the dots between diverse styles, fusing together sounds from her London hometown, with rhythms from around the world.
Nyokabi Kariũki
Nyokabi Kariũki (she/her) is a Kenyan composer, sound artist, and artistic researcher. Her sonic imagination is ever-evolving, spanning across various genres from classical contemporary to experimental electronic music, explorations in sound art, pop, film, (East) African musical traditions and more.
SJ Nicholson (ARMC)
Sarah Jane Nicholson stands at the forefront of the global music industry, spearheading the evolution of African music on an international scale. As the Managing Director of Paradise Worldwide (Africa), Nicholson is dedicated to creating a seamless and transparent infrastructure for revenue collection.
Speed Talks Creatives Garage
Harnessing Data Science and Technology to Enhance Music Experiences - (KE) (2:00 PM - 2:30 PM)
A talk/presentation featuring Tish Mwendwa, Urbanus Kathitu, and Risa Okech, on how data science and tech can enhance both the creative and commercial aspects of music.
Sustaining Art Through Connection: The Future of Community-Based Monetization (2:30 PM - 3:00 PM)
Usanii’s Sam Achola will give a talk on the art of community building and monetization options for artists in Kenya.
Surround sound and immersive technology for music performance
Victor Munyaysa will speak on the utilisation of free immersive audio technology as a stepping stone for local production and live performances.
Surround sound and immersive technology for music performance (3:00 PM - 3:30 PM)
A presentation on the utilisation of free immersive audio technology as a stepping stone for local production and live performances by Munyasya.
Where music meets gaming (3:30 PM - 4:00 PM)
A talk by JIWE Studios, a hub for creating, publishing and playing games in Africa.
Workshop:
Not In The Manual 2.0 w/ DJ Rph Classroom (2:00 PM - 2:30 PM)
iNgoMa Liyeza: Exploring Indigenous Instruments as Technologies for Vibrational Healing with Sisonke Papu (SA) Santuri Salon (11.00 AM - 1.00 PM)
This workshop is designed to create a sacred space for deep connection through breath, sound, and movement, using African indigenous instruments as advanced technologies for healing. We aim to showcase how instruments like the adungu harp, marimba, and mbira are not just tools of sound but vibrational technologies grounded in ancient cosmology and quantum principles. Participants will be guided through breath awareness and grounding exercises, followed by a sonic journey with these instruments, each uniquely tuned to different vibrational frequencies.
The workshop will also delve into the mythology, ecology, and cosmology surrounding these instruments, offering participants a multi-sensory experience that opens pathways to healing, balance, and reconnection with the natural world. We believe this is a vital contribution to reimagining how ancient wisdom can interface with contemporary technological approaches for holistic well-being.
Sisonke Papu is a multi-disciplinary artist, breathwork facilitator, iGqirha (traditional healer), and founder of NgoMa Technologies. Hailing from Mthatha in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, Sisonke bridges the ancient and the modern, blending indigenous knowledge, African healing traditions, and contemporary sound technologies to explore the power of vibration in healing and consciousness. Self-taught in sound and instrument-building, he crafts instruments like the uhadi, xitende, nyatiti, adungu and n'goni and reimagines them for modern therapeutic applications.
FRIDAY FRIDAY FRIDAY FRIDAY FRIDAY
How to start a DIY Club - w/ Mina, Raph and guests (UK / KE) Creatives Garage (11.00 AM - 1.00 PM)
Join Mina, curator, event promoter and DJ, and Raph, co-founder of the Mist for a workshop on running DIY spaces and events. Following a research trip to the UK where they visited a variety of DIY spaces, Mina and Raph will share case studies and findings from the trip, and insights from their experience working in grassroots venues in the UK and Kenya. Following this, there will be an open forum for participants to share ideas and insights with each other.
Climate Convos - Past versus present perspectives on Climate Change Santuri Salon (11.00 AM - 1.00 PM)
Mashariki Vibes, a newly formed East African collective dedicated to creating music with a purpose will host a 2-hour workshop that combines a short skit, an engaging panel discussion, and a live music performance, all focused on the pressing issue of climate change.
The panel will feature Kenyan climate experts, who will enlighten the audience on traditional methods of conserving the environment alongside contemporary solutions being applied today. To close the workshop, Mashariki Vibes will perform original music which delivers powerful messages about climate change while engaging youth through captivating beats and melodies.
Mixing in Flow w/ Jane Arnison (Australia) Creatives Garage (2:00 PM - 2:30 PM)
This session will see Jane Arnsion expand on her recently released book ‘Mixing in Flow’ through a talk and practical demonstration of her philosophy of mixing. Not to be missed!
Jane is a multi-disciplinary artist and technician. She divides her time between working on her own artistic projects, working commercially as a composer, engineer or producer as well as offering her expertise as a university lecturer in music.
Jane has finished writing a book on Mixing Sound signed by publisher Routledge/Taylor & Francis that is slated for release in early 2025.
New Jit Wave w/ Joshua Madalitso Chiundiza (Zimbabwe) Creatives Garage (3:30 PM - 5:00 PM)
A talk/listening session on New Jit Wave, a new Zimbabwean electronic music genre, that has strong connections with Kenyan Benga music. New Jit Wave pays homage to the Zimbabwean traditional and contemporary sounds of Chimurenga, Jiti and Sungura music. Jiti and Sungura music in particular, claim the closest link to Benga music and the late great Kenyan music producer Phares Oluchi Kanindo. The Sungura genre took its name from a famous Kenyan music label and Benga music is ultimately known as Kanindo in Zimbabwe and is a sub-genre of sungura.
Joshua Madalitso Chiundiza is a music producer, artist development strategist, audiovisual artist and music researcher from Zimbabwe. Crafting unique music brand identities, Joshua has created and scaled local music concepts internationally, signing off projects with acclaimed record labels, touring and publishing houses such as BBE Music (UK), Parma Recordings (US), Nyami Nyami Records (FR) and Bi:pole Productions (FR).
Plant Music with Brian d’Souza (UK) Santuri Salon (2:00 PM - 4:30 PM)
Brian d’Souza’s compositions fuse field recording from around the globe with electro-acoustic production techniques to create ‘acoustic ecologies’ that are centred on exploring the psychological and physical benefits of sound. Join us in the Salon for this unmissable workshop and performance!
A State Of Flo - his blog and record label is an exploration into the biological and ecological basis for music. It achieves this by releasing music which incorporates sounds from the natural world with cutting edge technology and new formats. A State Of Flo supports the environmental charity Earth Percent. Its first release, Mycorrhizal Fungi, incorporated the sounds of various fungi and was featured on the BBC, New Scientist, Glastonbury Festival, Tate Modern and more.