We met online, as all good modern stories start. I was doing a weekly series called #eventoftheweek on Twitter before I was ex-communicated. Don’t ask me why because even I don’t know.
One day, Gitonga Mukira sent me his new album. And that is how I discovered this futuristic Kenyan artist.
Love Songs from a Home Studio
The 2023 Kenyan album was Ballads za Joanna. And the cover art is a drawn sketch of his home studio somewhere in Nairobi. Right before he moved to France (spot the Eiffel Tower?)
Gitonga Mukira identifies not only as a Kenyan musician but also as an East African artist. “I grew up between Kenya and Uganda, and my bloodlines connect me to Tanzania as well. On my father’s side, my grandmother was Rwandese, and I’m in the process of reconnecting with that part of my heritage too.”
His debut project opens with a sad breakup ballad, then unexpectedly lifts off—floating through R&B, trap, and kapuka beats. On his choice of language, Mukira is intentional:
“Swahili is culture, history, and resistance. It roots my music in East Africa while allowing it to speak to the world”
Entirely self-produced, Ballads za Joanna features two female voices and one male artist. “Penzi Letu Lisiishe” stands out for its cinematic feel – one of the defining traits of this diaspora East African artist. It even made it to the Best Kenyan Albums of 2023 list.
Conscious Hiphop as Medicine
After Joanna’s Ballads, we lost touch. But behind the scenes he had also produced one of the best Kenyan hiphop albums ever made. Released in 2021 after the plandemic, it offers healing of the mind and soul using conscious Swahili hiphop.
Kenyan rapper Maovete teamed up with Kenyan hiphop legend Kitu Sewer and dropped punchline after punchline. The project is Kiswahealing.
Meanwhile, Mukira not only delivered the hooks but also composed and produced the whole album! But you wouldn’t know unless you read the credits. He cleverly samples Kenyan and international tracks throughout, can you catch them here?
As a prolific music producer, he plays a bit of everything — guitar, piano, drums, percussion, even the adungu. “Basically, if it makes a sound, I’ll try to play it. At one point I even hit spoons together to recreate the sound of karing’aring’a because I didn’t have the real instrument at hand.”
You’ll also hear his tag “Siepna” which in Luo means friend.
“When I was setting up my studio I was living in Kisumu, and that word was everywhere – people calling each other osiepna, osiepna. I liked the energy of it. Now it’s like my sonic fingerprint.”
The tag returns in Kiswahealing 2, a worthy sequel to the critically acclaimed Kenyan album.
Jacaranda Propaganda: Music as Resistance
In late 2025, the Kenyan singer-songwriter and music producer reached out again. He had just released his solo EP. With a name that rhymes, Jacaranda Propaganda.
But what does it mean?
“The jacaranda tree is very symbolic in Africa, especially in Kenya. Lately we’re seeing it disappear not only in Nairobi, but even in my home village, Embu. For me that loss is ecological, but also political and emotional. So propaganda here means using music to spread awareness and hope.
The EP is my way of saying: pay attention, remember, and protect what we’re losing.”
He worked on this conscious EP during a residency in France for about six months. “Parts of it were also shaped in Kenya, and moving between the two places really influenced the sound; each track carries a bit of both worlds.”
The EP artwork which is more colourful than the first is also symbolic. It’s a mix of memory, movement, and contrast.
“The concrete behind me speaks of solitude and change, yet I’m on a motorcycle in African outfits carrying culture, heritage, and pride through it all.
My uncle’s hand-painted artwork on the house connects me to roots and family, while the absence of trees reminds us of what’s disappearing. It’s about resilience, keeping beauty alive, and moving through spaces that are both harsh and full of history.”
A visual echo of this conscious Kenyan EP.
Tayari
The EP opens boldly with “Tayari” which features Samburu chants Gitonga found online. “I was drawn to their energy — the rhythm, the call-and-response, the way they move people. I wanted to bring that spirit into the track, to make listeners feel part of that collective energy, even if they’ve never heard it before.”
In an angry rugged voice, he embodies an African parent ready to fight for their country – as long as they don’t bury their child. It reminds you of June 2024 when many parents lost their children during the GenZote protests.
The music video shot in Msambweni Kwale county and directed by Mwachuo Teuzi Ali plays like a short film. Mukira acts as a simple fisherman who monlights as an activist. Sans dialogue, his symbol is an uplifted first standing for truth, justice and freedom.
His antagonist (because every good story has one) follows him from the sea shores to his house because Mukira is also a fisher of men. And on bicycle, because this is the village.
In contrast, the snitch’s sign is crossed fingers. According to Mukira, it’s hoping for blind luck and government security instead of relying on community strength.
Needless to say, Tayari is a revolutionary Kenyan anthem brought to life by powerful visuals, cinematic production and ancestral chants. The message in the song and video is clear. His music stands with the people, not with power.
Nalia
The mood mellows down with Nalia as Mukira sinks into the ocean and comes up with taarab melodies. He says the coastal influence is inspired by his upbringing. Who knew Waswahili people also lived in Embu at a place called Dallas?
At first listen, you’d think it was a post breakup song. But it’s actually about environmental destruction. Nature cries out “Nalia, mbona hauna huruma”. And no matter what you do, you cannot ignore it.
Gitonga weaves Swahili poetry not to miss: nimehangaika kama tewa akijaribu kumpweka mvuvi. Showing how mother nature suffers under our hands yet we are meant to take care of her.
Njeri
The African storyteller then tells the tale of Njeri, a young girl living a difficult life burdened by child labour. Instead of going to school and playing with friends, she works all night and day in her brother’s house. But she still has hope of a brighter future.
Nyota yako ndoto, kwenye moyo kuna moto.
Why sing about child labour?
“Through my music, I share messages of hope, resilience, and awakening. To help my people see beyond their current reality. And imagine something freer, stronger, and more dignified.”
If you’re keen, you’ll also hear the qanun string instrument which is common in taarab orchestras. “I just loved how it vibes with the track, giving it that airy, magical feel while mixing in African rhythms. It’s like tradition and experimentation hanging out together.”
Mwalimu
The fourth track offers even more social commentary on corporal punishment. Mwalimu eh mwalimu ah unanitandika kila wakati, mijeledi bila huruma adhabu za kitumwa.
I know you also want to Google what mijeledi is…
Gitonga reminds us that children need love, not violence. And he encourages teachers to talk to children instead of hurting them. Mtoto ni mtoto, mpende.
As a parent and teacher (by extension) this track hits right home. Especially when your child makes a huge mistake like destroying your only Maasai trophy. While the default response is to raise your voice and hand, Mwalimu asks you to breathe, slow down and think of a better way to correct them.
Upendo Wako
The only love song in Jacaranda Propaganda, Upendo Wako is bright, happy and poppy. Right in time to balance the solemn messages in the previous tracks. The Kenyan artist also sprinkles in some French words as a nod to his current home.
“Today, living in Europe, I see myself as a citizen of the world. Moving between places, languages, and sounds has really defined who I am as an artist. My music is about movement, diaspora, and learning how to belong in more than one place at the same time.”
Sawa Sawa
The 6-track EP closes with this easy-going tune. On top of a catchy gengetone beat, Gitonga shows off his rapping side and proves he’s still in touch with the Kenyan pop scene.
The hook is easy to sing along to “Çava aller, sawa sawa”. It’s going to be okay, a reminder we all need to hear. As we get down on the dancefloor.
Building A Legacy
Jacaranda Propaganda is simply futuristic, cinematic African music. A fusion of African stories and languages with modern experimental production. Rooted in Africa while facing the future.
On his inspirations, “I feel spiritually and creatively aligned with Blinky Bill — for his freedom, experimentation, and world-building through sound. He represents an Africa that is bold, curious, and unafraid to evolve.”
But it’s not just about sound. His fans describe him as an artist with a message. He wants his music to make people think, move, and feel alive at the same time.
On his legacy, “I want people to say my music stood for something legendary. That it awakened minds. That it carried Africa forward. That it spoke the truth when it mattered.”
And success for him is simple: The ability to live from his art with dignity while opening space for conscious African music.
So what’s next for Gitonga Mukira? Kiswahealing 3 is coming – Kenyan hiphop fans stay tuned. He’s also planning to move back to Kenya with his family, reconnect with his East African roots and perform his music where it’s inspired.
In the meantime, listen, absorb and download Jacaranda Propaganda
Or start with Ballads za Joanna like I did…
