President William
Ruto has challenged young performers taking part in the Kenya Music
Festivals to embrace their talents, saying the events could provide a
launchpad for the next generation of global Kenyan artists.
Ruto said the
country’s music and creative industry had enormous potential to
produce internationally recognised performers, musicians, producers
and other professionals working behind the scenes.
He was speaking
during a State Concert for the 98th Kenya Music Festivals at Bungoma
State Lodge, where he celebrated the talent displayed by learners
participating in the annual event.
Ruto said some of
the young performers on stage could eventually become global stars,
following in the footsteps of successful Kenyan artists who have
taken their work beyond the country.
“You see,
somewhere among you may be the next Bien, Nyashinski or Lupita
Nyong’o, a Kenyan who will one day command the world stage and
screens alongside artists such as Burna Boy, Tems and Tyler, the
Creator,” he said.
The President said
the music festival had played an important role in identifying and
nurturing young talent, with some former participants already
building successful careers in the creative industry.
He cited Kenyan
singer, songwriter and producer Njerae as an example of an artist
whose early exposure to the festival contributed to her development.
“Njerae, for
example, spent her school years participating in this festival and
learning classical music. Today, she is a singer, songwriter and a
producer whose work reaches far beyond the school stage,” Ruto
said.
He said the creative
industry offered opportunities beyond performing, noting that young
people could build careers as instrumentalists, sound engineers,
lighting designers, intellectual property lawyers and owners of
production companies.
“Among you are
tomorrow’s instrumentalists. I saw many on this stage: sound
engineers, lighting designers, intellectual property lawyers and
production company owners,” he said.
Ruto said
technological advancement had fundamentally changed the music
industry, making it possible for artists to reach international
audiences without depending entirely on traditional gatekeepers.
He contrasted the
current digital environment with the experience of musicians a
generation ago, when artists relied heavily on record labels,
physical albums and radio stations to distribute their work.
“A generation ago,
a musician needed a recording label, a physical album and a radio
station to be heard. Today, a song recorded in Bungoma can reach
Nairobi, Lagos, London or Sao Paulo within seconds,” he said.
The President said
the rapid expansion of digital platforms had created new
opportunities for Kenyan artists to build audiences locally and
internationally.
“The opportunity
is real,” he said.
Ruto’s remarks
came as the government continues to emphasise the potential of the
creative economy in generating employment and opening new avenues for
young people.
He encouraged
participants in the music festival to view their performances not
merely as school activities but as opportunities to develop skills
that could support future careers.
The annual Kenya
Music Festivals bring together learners from schools and other
educational institutions to showcase their abilities in music, dance,
drama and other performing arts.
The Bungoma State
Lodge concert provided an opportunity for the President to celebrate
the participants while highlighting the role of arts and culture in
developing young people.
Ruto said Kenya’s
creative industry could play a bigger role in the country’s
economic transformation if young talent was identified early,
nurtured and connected to modern markets.
He urged the young
performers to continue developing their skills and taking advantage
of technology to share their work with audiences beyond Kenya
