Nairobi-based artists Attara and Kemboi have released ‘I Don’t Know’, a trilingual sonic confessional performed in English, Swahili, and Taita, and rooted in emotional honesty and musical warmth.
Blending elements of Afro-soul, amapiano, and pop, the track carries the delicate weight of love lost, misjudged, and maybe still worth saving.
Anchored by African percussion, mellow synth textures, marimba melodies, and laid-back electronic drums, the production provides a soft, groove-filled canvas for the vocalists’ intertwined perspectives. Attara opens the song with emotional candour, admitting regret for ending a relationship too soon: “Najua nilikuambia that it’s over / Sikutaka sikia anything you said.” Her lyrics — part sung, part sighed — express the inner turmoil of someone who realises too late that the problem wasn’t love, but fear.
Kemboi follows with a grounded counterpoint, confronting misunderstandings that often sabotage relationships. “Shida yako we Attara / Unasema nina penda wasichana,” he responds, addressing jealousy and suspicion with a level-headed tone that adds realism to the narrative. He later invokes cultural references like “Msichana wa Taita” — grounding the story in identity and community — and subtly introduces Taita language phrases, further emphasising the regional depth of the track.
The collaboration was produced by Noisey Boi. What makes ‘I Don’t Know’ resonate isn’t its complexity but its sincerity – two people admitting, through melody and verse, that love is messy, beautiful, and often uncertain.
As emerging voices in East Africa’s alternative scene, Attara and Kemboi represent a shift toward genre-blending and storytelling that’s both intimate and accessible. Their use of three languages not only honours their roots but expands their emotional vocabulary — a move that deepens the song’s resonance without alienating its groove.
With ‘I Don’t Know’ they offer a slow-burning reflection on vulnerability, reconciliation, and the ache of possibly walking away from something real. In doing so, they’ve created a love song that doesn’t pretend to have the answers — only the courage to say: I don’t know.
Singer, songwriter, and composer Agnes Attara Maghanga, known by her stage name Attara, hails from Nairobi, Kenya. She began writing songs at an early age and picked up the piano to complement her creative process.
She was introduced to music at a very young age and has an in-depth knowledge of both African and Western music, as both her parents enjoyed genres ranging from Soul and Pop to Rhumba, Bango, and Mwazindika.
She’s known for her catchy melodies, soulful voice, and timeless lyrics. Her music is a combination of Afropop, RnB, soul, and mwazindika, a vernacular style of music from her native tribe, Taita, which brings an unmistakable feeling of home to all her songs.
Attara strives to make timeless music that is authentic, emotional, catchy, and enjoyable, cementing her as a unique and a must-listen-to artist.
