celebrating pride at Ashton Laurence’s Wunderlust Party
Over the years, the support towards the Queer community in Nairobi has grown increasingly and with this, more and more spaces have dedicated their platforms to celebrate love and the beauty that is Pride.
Singer-songwriter Iyanah Kiragu at Ashton Laurence’s Wunderlust Party (ALWP): Pride Edition – Loud and Proud
Ashton Laurence’s Wunderlust Party (ALWP): Pride Edition – Loud and Proud, has proven to be an experience that reflects this “loudly and proudly”, embracing Pride Month by having Queer artists and Allies alike share the stage to give the most exhilarating performances. The show - which was held at Moov Café along Wood Avenue on the 25th of June 2022 - went from late afternoon to the night, showcasing some of Nairobi’s promising artists, namely; Kahuni, Faith Kimani, Visser O’Brien, Wachira, Sachelah, Rio Kahiro, Iyanah, Myself (what a pleasant surprise), Colour (Zawadi and Clark Keeng), Kemboy, Ode to the Blind, Kasha, Sly Archy, Maali, Ty1ne, and the Eyeliner Monarch. Also giving space to vendors such as Pride Merch Kenya, Mwasaru Jeff, Creatively Kinyagia, and Mondeshi Organics.
Founded by Ashton Laurence in 2019. The Wunderlust Party was initially birthed as a means of promoting his debut album “Wunderlust”. Garnering only 8 attendees during the first show held on the 6th of November 2019, the event quickly gained momentum and by the 4th edition hosted on March 8th 2020, the event amassed 120 attendees which Ashton notes as being his “most successful show”. With Covid dominating the better part of 2020, the event was forced to adjust and took on the form of a stay at home concert. Nonetheless, like all the other events that revived themselves following the worst of the pandemic, ALWP returned in October, 2021, hosted at Spikizi, the most recent edition being the 25th of May. In appreciation of this, it has since grown to what he now describes as a “home to many independent and upcoming performing artists who rarely get platforms to share their stories with the world”
Walking into the venue during sound check, I took a moment to observe the event unfolding through the lens of an audience member, as opposed to one of the performers on the lineup. I watched each artist arrive, clad in vibrant 80’s themed fits. I followed through the line check, witnessing each artists’ pre-conceived sonic choices…all these building up my anticipation for what the evening would unveil.
The performances begin with Iyanah and I warming up the stage with a four song set.. Switching hats from audience member to performer is indubitably a fulfilling experience for me as I am greeted by such beautiful authentic reactions, the faces of people glad to be in the moment, celebrating, appreciating and loving. We are followed by Kahuni who officially opens up the stage, his expressive nature immediately capturing our attention as he grounds us with the rich tone of his voice, and the African influence reflected in his music as he sings phrases in “Agikuyu”. Soon after, Wachira takes us on a completely different journey, opening up his set with his Saxophone, his band, and the classic “Fly me to the moon” by Frank Sinatra. His voice is like a hot cup of coffee and immediately we’re transported to a jazz festival. He ends his set with Michael Buble’s “Sway” leaving the audience in need of more.
Our attention is quickly stolen by Faith Kimani. Looking and sounding like Gold, her voice is like a sunset at the beach as she croons Jessie Reyez’ “Figures”, demanding us to listen and resonate with the emotion carried in the way she performs. Visser O’Brien takes the stage next. He describes himself as a “lover boy” and this proves true through the songs he sings and you can feel the love he alludes to as his vocals soar and settle in our hearts.
In vivid colour, Sachelah, “the lady in red” takes the stage. Her vocals match her dress, deep and elegantly striking. She keeps us in a state of astonishment as she plays the guitar, taking us to the moon and back with her delicate riffs and runs. As if we’re not invested enough, Rio Kahiro performs next and moves us nearly to tears with the raw emotion he presents with his voice as he sings “Stop asking me to come back”.
We’re given an amazing DJ set as DJ Nixx nearly brings the house down with his mix. We dance, we laugh, we vogue, and we celebrate. The air is filled with so much laughter and life and in this moment the importance of Pride is once again established leaving the audience ready for Iyanah’s performance. She begins with the song “Ignited” by Mumbi Kasumba from the Queer Kenyan film “Rafiki, emphasizing the essence of Pride, the reason for this event. Iyanah does not shy away from entrancing us with her unpredictable yet signature riffs and runs. Singing about “not fitting in” with her original song “Code Switch”, the lows sit so beautifully upon us, keeping us locked in and singing along.
I’m required to take off my “audience member” hat once more and put on my “performer” hat during the event. The experience is heartwarming and I cannot help but feel grateful to be a part of this iconic moment. Soon after, the dynamic duo “Colour” perform an enchanting set carried by intricate harmonies and unexpected chants, Kemboy follows, performing the songs “ Maskini”, that takes us on another jazz experience, and reggae-influenced “Butterfly” showcasing his versatility.
Seizing the stage with her guitar and her enthralling musical expression, Ode to the Blind performs like a modern day griot, keeping the audience hooked on every word she sings as she plays around with her tonality. The same pull is felt when Kasha is on stage as she effortlessly captures and tugs your attention towards her with her presence, her voice feeling like mother nature. This leads us to Sly Archy who, after a 3 year break from music, performs new songs that tell of how deeply she loves, making one want to fall in love, her passion for music effortlessly depicted within her set. This passion is left in the air and Maali carries it forward as he takes the stage, awing the audience with his sonic expression, performing songs that instantly make you want to sing along.
We’re then introduced to Ty1ne and his music production skill as he performs over his tracks. He commands the stage giving us hooks to sing and rap to, fully immersing us in the experience that is his performance. Bringing the event to an unfortunate end, Ashton Laurence delivers a powerful set. He emerges singing from the crowd, clad in a vibrant outfit and his signature eyeliner. Admiration emanates from all of us as we experience him in action. We cannot help but voice our gratitude towards ALWP and the happiness that is brought forth by the event.
Seeing so many diverse people converge to celebrate Pride and this show is an honour and of great importance because it proves that the struggle has not been and will never be futile. These same sentiments are shared by the rest of the artists and in Wachira’s words “The show was important to me because I got to share a part of me with many people.” And indeed “It was a soul-fulfilling experience.” Faith Kimani reminisces.
The Wunderlust Pride edition promised great music and great vibes, and it more than delivered. This edition of ALWP brought people together, celebrated love and diversity, and gave many queer artists a space to showcase their art. You definitely would not want to miss any upcoming Wunderlust Parties.
