IDENTITY, MUSIC AND CULTURE: IN CONVERSATION WITH ELSY WAMEYO
Elsy Wameyo is an artist called to create, manifesting music that is deeply rooted in the state of her soul and a profound yearning to embody the essence of her spirit and culture. Born in Kenya and moving to Australia at the age of seven, Elsy’s journey through music has been both a personal and cultural exploration. Her artistry is a testament to her journey to solidify her cultural identity, which she achieved through her self-produced debut EP Nilotic, released in 2022. This project rightfully branded her a “Nilot G,” praying respect to he greatness, prowess and cultural heritage
Shot by Brian Kinywa
Elsy’s musical talent is innate, unveiling itself as a powerful form of self-expression. Her contributions to the music industry have been widely recognized, earning her several prestigious titles at the South Australian Music Awards, including Best Studio Engineer/Producer, Best Music Video, Best Song, Best Solo Artist, and Best Release. In addition, she was awarded as the triple J Unearthed Artist of the Year in 2022.
In 2023, Elsy concluded her Nilotic tour with her first show in Nairobi. This performance not only marked the end of one chapter but also set the stage for the release of her new album, Saint Sinner. We had the opportunity to sit down with Elsy to discuss her artistic journey, the creation of her latest album, and her experiences working with key players in the Kenyan music industry.
Your trip back to Kenya in 2023 was a very intentional one for you, what made you decide to journey back home?
Coming to Kenya in 2023 was because I was tired and I needed the break from the three to four years of touring I did back in Australia. The plasticity of the industry had started becoming a reality for me and I wanted to come to an environment where I could walk outside in my Dera, with my hair up and not feel uncomfortable. I wanted to start on a clean slate, find new creators and artists and open my mind to new possibilities, and this change was what brought about the creation of Saint/Sinner in its entirety.
Towards the end of your trip you did your first show in Nairobi which simultaneously solidified your relationship with your Kenyan audience and marked the end of your Niotic tour. What made you decide to organise the show and what was your experience planning and executing it?
It had always been on my mind and just as I was about to travel for the Genesis tour in Australia I made the decision to do it hence it needed to be done quickly. Due to the time constraints,I felt on edge and like I was putting too much on my plate but it turned out really successful. From the moment I got to the space, saw the response, the people that came out and the love that came from it, it felt so worthwhile. The audience was singing the lyrics back to front, they were genuine true fans and seeing them for the first time really did something for me. I was never going around introducing myself as an artist, I wanted to feel the industry and genuinely interact with the people I was meeting without solidifying myself as an artist and it was nice to close off the year sort of officially introducing who I am and now coming into 2024 I didn’t have to start off from scratch.
When we met for the first time, I was so happy to discover that you had produced your Nilotic album. As a fellow female producer, being in the same space as someone with similar experiences is incredibly empowering. Can you share when you first knew you wanted to produce and what motivated you to begin this journey?
It really came out of trials and tribulations, the seeds were being sown when I sat in a room with producers working on my first single and I was never able to get them to accurately translate the sounds in my mind. I can be a little shy especially in creative spaces to the point where it gets difficult to voice when I don't like something. But during Covid I had a conversation with Polycarp (Fancy Fingers) that steered the decision, I had nothing else to do so I applied for a grant which got approved and I was able to get basic studio equipment. It was so empowering, and nilotic the single was the first track that I made. For the first time, I got an accurate translation of the sounds in my head.
Shot by Brian Kinywa
You’ve sometimes referred to feeling a sense of dislocation and ‘Piny Lara’ was written at a time when you felt the world hated you, as a result how do you generally and deeply perceive yourself?
I am simply a child of God, when everything is stripped back that’s just who I am. I’m already in a crisis being a Kenyan living in Australia and I’ve tried so much to tie myself to a land or a people and as much as there is that connection in some respects, there’s no longevity. There’s time’s I wake up and I’ll feel Kenyan but other days I just won’t because my accent and experiences can result in people treating me differently. If I’m left with nothing, truly it's just God that's by my side and I know that that’s my core.
During the great escape festival in London this year, you played with a fully Kenyan band, was this something that you had been looking forward to doing?
My heart had always wanted to play with a Kenyan band however funds and visas can be a thing because our passports are often frowned upon hence the trip back home, working on the album and meeting new creatives put me in a better position to find people to work with, and revived my spirit enough to fight for that reality and bring them out with me. At the core of it all, I always want to bring us to the forefront and make sure that we’re telling our stories, and the only way to do that is to make sure that we’re in every possible corner of the world.
I can definitely see how the trip revived your spirit to reach new horizons because now we have Saint Sinner to immerse ourselves in. Take me through the genesis of the album and how the concept evolved.
The inspiration for Saint/Sinner emerged from a conversation I had with a friend, before travelling to Nairobi. During our chat, I expressed how I was dealing with a lot of negativity. He mentioned that "sharing the bad only makes the good look better," suggesting that the contrast between light and dark can highlight the brightness of the light. His words really resonated and made me realise that I needed to express what I was feeling. Later, during a writing camp in London, I was struggling to find my voice until I did a journal entry that unexpectedly turned into the first track of the album. It was a turning point, but I still didn't fully understand the direction of the album until I came to Nairobi ang got to work with Polycarp and Ywaya.
Elsy Wameyo snd Ywaya Tajiri shot by Brian Kinywa
Polycarp and Ywaya seem to be big factors in the equation that summed up to ‘Saint Sinner', what has that experience been like?
Coming back home, Polycarp was my primary contact in the music industry. He curated a list of people and helped me connect with artists that would soon become my people in the industry. One of the first people he introduced me to was Ywaya, who introduced me to more artists as well. For the project ,Wuod Omollo, Polycarp, myself and Ywaya retreated for a writing camp in Naivasha to work on music. I was still trying to find a release and trying to understand what the album was and because I was in this creative space, I had to push myself out of typical Elsy who is very saint-like. I had to really pretend she didn't exist just to be as authentic as I could, and I got to honestly understand what my subconscious was saying, about 7 songs in. Working with them gave me so much clarity and I got to express myself more authentically.
The visuals have spoken so much for your artistry especially for those who’ve not listened to your music. What was the concept that birthed the creative direction leading to the visuals?
I’ve always been known to execute such dope visuals cause I’m very particular in everything. My goal is that every movement, colour or whatever you see on screen should tell a story and I think that’s what grounds the visuals that people get to see. The same level of intricacy and preciseness and care you put into every single love when you’re writing is the same that should go into the visuals because why would you write a bomb ass song and the visuals are not doing it justice. So it keeps getting better with every visual I do.
What are you expecting to come out from the release?
Truly and honestly I’m just excited for people to listen to it, mostly because I think I got the release I needed from it.
Stream Saint Sinner here
