Introducing Kelele Kollectiv
To many, live music albums are a lost art. In the age of technology, an array of sounds can be made in the studio. And while there are both pros and cons to that, when it comes down to it, interpreting that similitude in front of a live audience is a whole different ball game. You must be able to finesse that talent and skill in real time. When I first heard the songs off of “Kelele Kollektiv Vol. 1”, my first thought was how much I had missed watching a live band in concert or in an intimate setting. Granted the pandemic, these experiences were a miss. I believe that at the heart of any musician, goofing around, jamming and experimenting with instruments is usually the most fun part of the process. The organic nature of different sounding artists coming together and creating a natural sonic genus doesn’t come easy. This train of thought highlighted Silk Sonic’s origins and their inherent chemistry, a similar story to Kelele Kollektiv’s.
I spoke to three of the members about their amalgamation, their process and their debut EP:
Who is Kelele Kollektiv?
Hiribae: Kelele Kollektiv is a hybrid live act/ production unit composed of Tugi, Hiribae, Samson and Paps.
Tugi: Kelele is the place where four different musical creatives meet and share their creative dreams and musical knowledge. I am the lead guitarist, singer/songwriter and co- producer in this group. I bring a very light hearted but precise energy to this group coupled with years of live performance experience. The guy who always smiles.
Samson: Kelele Kollektiv is a Kenyan based production and performance ensemble. The members are diverse and versatile, we have played many different roles in the Kenyan music Industry. This is the birth of a new Kenyan sound which is of international standards and high musical approach. Here we come Grammys!
As musicians and instrumentalists you arguably each have your own unique ear and taste for music. How would you describe your sound together as a group/band?
Tugi: Our sound to me is the authentic Nairobi sound. If you ask me, I believe the fact that we are so different and have such unique personal preferences is such a beautiful thing that cannot really be described any other way.
Hiribae: We definitely all reside from different musical backgrounds and influences so our sound encompasses a whole lot. From Benga, Afro Fusion, Swahili Jazz to Hip Hop and Electronic music.
Samson: Our sound is a new Kenyan sound with influences from local Kenyan music fused with old school and new school pop. It communicates a musical journey that is based on live performances as the goal.
Are you a group, a band, a collective or all the above? What’s the difference?
Hiribae: We are definitely a collective hence the name. I say collective because I believe we bring a lot more to the table than just music. We’re all in the events space in various capacities and we collaborate in more ways than one.
Tugi: We are Together. Period. No difference.
Samson: We are all of the above. Paps, Hiri and I have been playing together at their various DJ sets, while Tugi and I have played plenty of live shows together in the past. These interactions never stop and this strengthens our bond as Kelele Kollectiv. It also makes us diverse in our approach to music.
I understand that you play everything live in the studio. What instruments are nuanced in this project and performed by who?
Hiribae: I’m the producer on all the tracks and the executive producer on the EP. I oversaw all aspects of the process.
Tugi: I played guitar, bass, and synth bass.
Samson: I played all the keys/ pianos in the album and directed the music through its creation. I also played drums in ‘Genda’ and sang the song in Abagusii which happens to be my mother tongue. Of course all the trumpets were done by yours truly.
The idea was to create a Kenyan sound by originally composing the music as compared to the usual sampling used by most producers.
You brought out full Afro retro vibes with both the album art and your first music video ‘BAMBI’. Was there any inspiration behind that or was it just natural vibes and gut instinct?
Tugi: Man I really feel that the good and golden times are back and it just felt like the right vibe for the track.. It also brings out that laid back yet classy vibe out so beautifully.
Hiribae: I envisioned it playing from an old radio/system hence the effect in the intro with the crowd before the song drops. We definitely went for that retro 90’s RnB/Hip Hop vibe but not forgetting our African roots.
Samson: Bambi was one of the songs that we collaborated on with many other artists who were not immediately mentioned but credited. The video and approach was curated by EA Wave who we are signed to for this project. The album art was a surprise because it’s actually a photo that was taken while we were shooting the music video. I guess we are good posers.
You’ve all been friends for different periods of time, met at different circumstances and eventually meshed together over that interval. I’d love to know about the moment/day/evening/weekend that you all made the conscious decision to make it official and do this music thing together. Kindly describe that epiphany for us.
Tugi: All I know is that I was called for a recording session and it was such a vibe and honestly I told the boys that I want in! I wasn’t going to take no for an answer, I just knew I wanted in!
Hiribae: We had been working together at Samson’s house for a few weeks and we realised we actually had music and an aesthetic that we all agreed on. We also have played gigs together before and it wasn’t hard to decide on playing the music live together.
Samson: Paps and I were working through studios trying to record something until we met Hiri who came in as a member playing the role of home producer for the ensemble. Tugi joined us as a session musician but by the end of the night, we all agreed that he should be part of the group. We actually produced ‘Tugi Track’ on the same night. When Covid 19 came into Kenya, it provided a good opportunity to meet regularly and organise productive overnight studio sessions which have led to more than 60 songs now.
You mentioned that you released the project under EA Wave the label, who are also a noteworthy collective of their own merit. What led to this decision?
Hiribae: Being part of EA Wave I knew that one of our biggest ambitions was to start a label. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect because Kelele and EA Wave were creating music together already. When I tabled the idea of signing Kelele as our first signing to the wave boys, they didn’t even hesitate.
Tugi: Right time meets the right people (or vice versa) is what happened. I’m thrilled that our first project came out through this iconic label.
Samson: This opportunity was created by Hiribae’s involvement as a member of EA wave. Over the years I have individually worked with EA Wave producers in some of their projects, so generally the social connection was already formed. A business opportunity came in through them which led us to where we are now, good music and excellent videos.
Kelele Vol. 1 is also a breakout role for Paps, who’s known more for Djing than singing. How does it feel introducing him to the world from that angle and at this pivotal phase of his musical journey?
Tugi: Well it's a breakout for all of us if you ask me as we have all had illustrious musical journeys. But the feeling is great! I’m all about people getting from one level to the next and to be able to do it with my friends is so amazing.
Samson: It was actually my idea to do this, I met Paps 11 years ago in high school and I had always known him as an excellent singer. He is a really good DJ, but for me his voice is the gold card. I am keen to make this work because I think he has amazing potential with his voice and his Dj-ing which will influence his growth and benefit the collective in many ways.
The project is suffixed volume one, so does that mean we should be expecting a volume 2 sooner than later?
Tugi: Expect to be blown away for a very long time! And in many more ways than you imagine. The future is very bright.
Samson: Yes of course there shall be Volume 2, 3 , 4 etc. We continue to grow as a
collective and our momentum is picking up exponentially by the day. In fact, I think we shall work on a full album in 2022 but as we prepare for that, look out for our live performances. We are currently milking out the potential of Volume 1 by organising live production sessions and stage performances, so come through when you see us on a poster!
You can find Kelele Kollektiv on Instagram to keep up with what they’ve been up to and stream ‘Kelele Kollektiv: Volume One’ on any of your favourite music platforms.
