My Kenyaness
(Part of the ‘Utambulisho’ Collection)
An artistic music-mix that combines very short yet significant parts of songs that were the soundtrack of more than 30 years of the artist’s life in her homeland Kenya. The artist used the creation of this piece to get her through a depressive state, demonstrating the power of music to not only rejuvenate but also remind.
Remind one of who they were, are, and can be.
Remind one that they are more than just a title.
Remind one that one’s acceptance of any title isn’t a monolithic label.
So through these carefully curated 188 songs, which are a soundtrack to her life, the artist lets you experience her Kenyaness.
188 songs that transport her to the best, worst, and most nonchalant times, with every song connecting to a specific memory that made her who she is today.
188 songs that let her taste, hear, and see her Kenyanness—her Africaness.
188 songs that remind her that her Kenyan/African identity is hers to understand as she chooses.
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(The ‘Utambulisho’ Collection (Swahili for Identity) consists of works that the artist creates to answer three crucial questions she’s been battling with most of her adult life: Who am I? How can I understand my Identity? and Why do I care to do so?)
