Kevin Bahati: from orphan to Groove Award winner

Kevin was brought up at ABC, an orphanage in the Mathare slums, after he lost his parents. Photo/COURTESY

What you need to know:

  • As soon as he left high school, he recorded his first song, Siku ya Kwanza, which talks about the day he got saved.
  • His other song, Wangu, talks about many friends who disappointed him and how he found a new one in Jesus.

When Kevin Bahati, 19, recorded his first song, Siku ya Kwanza, a year ago, he felt as if his world had crumbled.

He had initially thought that the biggest job in music was writing and singing songs.

Little did he know that there were many other challenges ahead that needed to be faced wisely and with a lot of effort.

“I thought it was going to be easy for me to be declared a star after performing my song in several shows. Things were different. I had to continue working hard to get the song recorded and also get enough publicity. The challenges were enormous and almost broke me. However, I prayed hard for God to help me. Music was the only way out of the hard life I was living. So, it was do-or-die for me. Being an orphan without relatives I had to rely on it for my daily upkeep and it was a major challenge as I tried to excel in my career.”

BROUGHT UP IN AN ORPHANAGE

Kevin was brought up at ABC, an orphanage in the Mathare slums, after he lost his parents.

He says he felt that instead of going to the streets to sniff glue, snatch handbags, and smoke bhang, he would rather go to a children’s home to get shelter and an education.

And that is exactly what he did when he was only seven years old.

The home sponsored him to study at Mercury Academy, where he sat for his KCPE exams.

He then joined Nakeel High School, Kajiado, but dropped out when his sponsor could no longer pay his fees.

“I nearly went to the streets, but I was offered a place at St Theresa’s Boys Eastleigh, where I continued with my secondary education until I completed in 2011 and managed to get a C+ grade. It was hard for me because I depended entirely on friends and good Samaritans,” Bahati says.

RECORDED HIS FIRST SONG

Asked how his talent was discovered, he said: “It was at the 2011 National Music Festival where I sang, much to the amazement of both my teachers and fellow students. That gave me a lot of confidence and I started honing my talent.”

As soon as he left high school, he recorded his first song, Siku ya Kwanza, which talks about the day he got saved.

"The audio was done by J. Blessing while the video was the work of L.B. Films,” he explains.

His music was received well and is, to date, being requested by fans on radio and TV programmes such as Tukuza (KTN), Kubamba (Citizen), Cross Over 101 (NTV), and Replay Show (System Unit).

Bahati intends to exploit his talent to the fullest so that he is able to give Kenyans and East Africans in general good music. Photo/COURTESY

His other song, Wangu, talks about many friends who disappointed him and how he found a new one in Jesus.

He did his second song jointly with Mr Seed, another notable name on the gospel music scene.

He is now enjoying a lot of popularity from his Mama song that mid this year earned him an award in 2013 Groove Award in the category of Best Upcoming Artist.

It is quite an emotional song as it takes him back to the days he had a mother.

In the song, he wants to know what the mother would want to have so that she is happy.
Bahati intends to exploit his talent to the fullest so that he is able to give Kenyans and East Africans in general good music.

He would like to go to college to study radio production and music. He aspires to reach the levels of Juliani, Daddy Owen, Jimmy Gait, and Kirk Franklin.