From gospel to secular music: The Achieng’ Abura story

Lydia Achieng’ Abura. The singer died on October 20, at Kenyatta National Hospital. She was the fifth born in a family of eight children who grew up in Eldoret. PHOTO | FILE

What you need to know:

  • As a child she loved reading poetry and started singing when her parents brought home a piano for the 12-year- old as a present for passing her primary school examinations. Her music teacher was the legendary Ugandan George Senoga Zake.
  • Abura left for studies in the US and graduated with a degree in chemistry and returned home for a master’s degree in Environmental Studies. “Music is a science expressed artistically,” she said.
  • A turning point in Abura’s career came in 1996, when she, along with the group Safari and Mercy Myra, performed a series of concerts dubbed, “Songs of my people” at the Nyayo National Stadium, Carnivore Restaurant and the Kenya National Theatre in Nairobi.

Among the many tributes that have been paid to musician Achieng’ Abura, who died on October 20, there has been little mention of her role, along with other artistes, in drafting the National Music Policy. Tabu Osusa of Ketebul Music recalls that Abura was the secretary of a group that also included John Katana, Suzanne Gachukia and John Kariuki. “We all brought ideas and Abura used her skills and knowledge to diligently draft the document,” says Tabu.

The Music Policy contains some of the issues that Abura cared deeply about, such as a 60 per cent quota of local content on Kenyan TV and radio. Playing more Kenyan music would be good, according to her, as long as there is variety to reflect the diversity of the country and its people. “Music cartels are controlling the airwaves,” she said in a lengthy interview with Ketebul Music in May.  “My view is that we can have even 40 per cent local content as long as it is diverse, good, honest local content.”

Abura disagreed with those who say Kenyan music needs to have a common identity because she supported cultural diversity as the source of strength in the music. “We are blessed with beautiful sounds across the country and we just need to put it out into the world,” she said.

She acknowledged the influence of musicians who ply their trade in Nairobi’s River Road and said all  had a common cause. “We need to stop this snobbish nonsense and find ways to work together.”

Those who knew the composer, writer, pianist and singer will miss her hearty laughter, especially when she talked about her family and her music.

Lydia Achieng’ Abura was the fifth born in a family of eight children who grew up in Eldoret. She attended Hill School Primary School in Eldoret and Kenya High School in Nairobi for her O and A Levels.

SPIRITUAL PERSON

As a child she loved reading poetry and started singing when her parents brought home a piano for the 12-year- old as a present for passing her primary school examinations. Her music teacher was the legendary Ugandan George Senoga Zake (one of the writers of the Kenya National Anthem), who realised that Abura would listen very keenly so that she could play the piano exactly as he had done without reading. So, he started teaching her chords so that she could play on her own. “I have always played my music by ear and I could do music by Michael Jackson within the first year of getting my piano.”

Abura was also exposed to the music of great singers such as Miriam Makeba, her mother’s favourite, and Letta Mbulu, who was loved by her sister. In later years, she was influenced by what she called “heavy-vocal music” by American singers Patti Labelle, Aretha Franklin, and Barbara Streisand. In the last two decades African performers Angelique Kidjo, Youssou N’Dour and Salif Keita have made a huge impression on her.

Gospel music touched Abura because “it comes naturally to me as a spiritual person”, but her concern was with “over-commercialisation” of the genre. “Gospel music makes money but as to whether someone is going into it for the right reasons, I leave it up to their conscience.” She added: “I would encourage those who are in gospel to embrace the message because it will strengthen their music.”

Her music bloomed in high school as she sang in the choir, performed with Life Ministry at fellowships and started her own music club, The Naughty Girls, who would sing songs by the Commodores and other popular groups of the time. As a 15-year-old, she composed a song called Freedom that would be sang during every school day and other events and led the singing of the National Anthem by the school in Form Two. 

After she completed high school, a producer from the Voice of Kenya introduced Abura to the legendary singer Fadhili William, but before she could record with him, the studio that he was running was vandalised during the chaos of the 1982 coup.

Abura left for studies in the US and graduated with a degree in chemistry and returned home for a master’s degree in Environmental Studies. “Music is a science expressed artistically,” she said. “Ida Odinga, who was my teacher at Kenya High, felt that I had a personality to become a lawyer but I loved the sciences.”

TURNING POINT

Her first album, I Believe, was played regularly on the popular KBC TV shows Sunday Music Parade and Joy Bringers and was also seen across many parts of Africa, thanks to the programme exchange, Union of Radio and Television Networks (Urtna). The album, produced by Mike Andrews and Jack Odongo at the Pentecostal Church Studios in Nairobi in 1990, was a radical departure from the traditional gospel style of the biggest acts at the time, Mary Atieno and the Kassangas.

The 1994 album, Way over Yonder, was dedicated to her mother and that was followed by a Christmas collection, Sulwe, in 1995.

A turning point in Abura’s career came in 1996, when she, along with the group Safari and Mercy Myra, performed a series of concerts dubbed, “Songs of my people” at the Nyayo National Stadium, Carnivore Restaurant and the Kenya National Theatre in Nairobi. “I was torn between gospel and secular and I switched to secular because I wanted my music to bring positive change and not just spiritual change, but also peace, environmental protection, women and girl child empowerment.”

When she was asked about her favourite album, the answer was a typical Abura response: “My albums are like my children. Which is your favourite? They all have special meaning. Every album I have done has spoken to something so how does it become best or worst”

She explained that Dhahabu Yangu was recorded for her son, Time for Change was in support of environmental conservation, and the latest album reflected a journey of life and inspiration. “Everyone will find a song in my album.”

Musicians, she said, are the mouthpiece of society: “As long as two or three people listen to my music and change something about their lives, I will have achieved my goals.”

 

Achieng’ Abura was interviewed in May for the forthcoming publication Shades of Benga by Ketebul Music of Nairobi