Akoth Jumadi explores themes of love, healing, spiritual emancipation, political liberation and cultural integration in the arts.
Akoth Jumadi started playing at Maseno University in Kisumu, when a friend gave 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 herself bass guitar to express her love for funk and jazz, inspired by Esperanza Spalding and her Luo roots called her to the nyatiti, an 8-stringed Luo lute that is traditionally only played by men, under the guidance of Ati Sanaa, another female nyatiti player, Jumadi took steps that her grandfather had traced many years (he was a nyatiti player).
A ‘wellspent youth’, listening to great songwriters such as Nina Simone, India Arie, Suzanna Owiyo, Nyota Ndogo, Lady Jaydee, JustABand, Angelique Kidjo, Fatoumata Diawara, Somi coupled with her Luo ancestry creates a musician palette that goes hand in hand with our everyday lives; the rollercoaster that is life, love, joy, loss, pain, fears and sorrow.
As she continued to grow in her craft, some of Kenya’s music festivals bookings came calling; Voices of the Lake Festival 2018, Nirvana Festival 2019, and Kilifi New Year 2020. In March 20220, she dropped her debut single “Jangolo” – the song came to her when she would walk around with her guitar and people would call her jangolo or a person who makes music in Luo. The song celebrates how music and the people who create it bring us together in joy.
Her second single “Aluoro” was released in August 2020 meaning “I’m afraid.” The song reflects on the feeling of being so full of love that it is overwhelming but its essence sets you free. Akoth Jumadi’s first video release, “Nyar Nam”, was animated by Mel Ogana, about the coming of age of a girl from the lakeside.
These tracks were part of her first EP “Ere Yo”, which was released in October 2020, is a collection of Akoth Jumadi’s experiences growing up, learning about herself and reflecting through her environment “Where is the way?” The Ere Yo EP Tour made stops at Naam Festival in Kisumu, Peponi Hotel and Mararaha Village in Lamu, Geco Café and SPASSO in Nairobi, Distant Relatives in Kilifi, and The Baobab House in Juba, South Sudan.
2021 brought Akoth Jumadi’s first collaboration with producers Punk Mbedzi and Euggy to make an Afrohouse hit “Weche” which got featured on Black Coffee’s Track IDs,and Spotify’s multiple playlists. The natural urge to explore new territories lead Jumadi on her first Tanzanian tour, including the acclaimed Marafiki Festival in Dar Es Salaam and venues in Arusha and Zanzibar.
Akoth Jumadi’s first full length album ‘YO NI KA’ was released November 2022 and featured in Made in Kenya Spotify Playlist for ‘The New Blood Defining and Shaping East Africa’s Sound’, Apple Music’s Worldwide Groove amongst many others. A second Tour of Zanzibar and Kigali to further promote the Album saw Akoth return to Upendo House Zanzibar and L’espace in Kigali.
