On February 21, 2025, rising Kenyan Afropop artist Njerae was hosted by Nandi Madida on Apple Music 1’s Africa Now Radio show.
During the interview, Njerae discussed her entry into music through the famous Sauti Academy in Nairobi, how studying psychology impacts her art, and her latest projects, among other things.
Below are the highlights from the interview. You can listen to the full conversation on Apple Music.
On her musical influences
Growing up, I was mostly influenced by R&B music. I used to listen to a lot of Tori Kelly, but at the same time, Sauti Sol was coming up and they had a huge influence on my journey in the beginning.
I was mostly on the singer-songwriter side of things, the alternative/indie type musician. But I knew that as a Kenyan, I had to bring out the ‘Kenyanese’ in me. At that time, I felt there wasn’t anyone who was doing that kind of blend. It was just either gengetone or rhumba-type music. There was no one who was kind of cutting across except for artists like Sauti Sol, and I tried to learn from them.
And by virtue of me being a woman, I also wanted to find women that I can look up to who are doing the same thing. So I guess I’d say my music is mostly influenced by R&B, but as I grow, I’m trying to dabble into all the different kinds of genres to see how Njerae can fit into those different worlds.
On her dream collaborator – Bien
I think Bien is a huge motivation for very many Kenyan artists. He’s doing something that most of us thought would be impossible, so it’s great to live at a time when we can also interact with him. There’s not that barrier between the people that are making it and the people that are trying to make it. It kind of makes the journey easier, because we can have these interactions. He’s an amazing guy. I’ve met him a couple of times and hopefully that song is going to come soon.
On what she gained from attending the Sauti Academy
When I finished high school, there was little in the way of music education in Kenya, but then I came across Sauti Academy. Most people that I knew were going to Berkeley, but I wasn’t interested because I knew I wanted to do music in Kenya and I needed to learn how music is done in Kenya. So Sauti Academy was it for me, and I think that’s where I shaped my career.
It helped me to figure out specific goals. You can say you want to be a singer, but at the end of the day, what specifically is it that you’re trying to achieve? And Sauti Academy really helped in shaping my songwriting, my communication in terms of networking, and how I carried myself. So yeah, I think it was an amazing thing for me to have done.
On how studying psychology impacts her art
When I started songwriting, it was mostly because I am very introverted, so I needed an outlet when I’m feeling an extreme emotion. And because it worked for me, I was like, “Oh my gosh, this thing can actually work for other people who are feeling the same.” So psychology for me was my way of trying to learn about music therapy. But then along the way, I kind of just fell in love with human beings and human interaction, and psychology helped that. I still have the goal and the dream of pursuing music therapy at some point in my life, because I feel like it can help a lot of people. We’re getting there slowly.
On how she manages the surprise success of her track ‘Aki Sioni’
I have to expect to grow. If there’s no growth, then there’s nothing I’m doing. So I think those kinds of surprises prepare me for bigger stages. And I guess I can go back to Sauti Academy, because we were taught about doing small things like elevator pitches –always just being prepared. So even at the point where ‘Aki Sioni’ was becoming a hit, I was just like, “Ah, well, it’s about time. I’ve been waiting.” I’m super, super grateful. It’s an amazing thing that it’s becoming a thing now, three years after it was released. I’m glad that people are relating to it so much. Thinking about the time when I released it, I wasn’t even paying attention to anything about it.
On why she loves taking risks
I usually don’t like being in a comfortable space. I like to challenge myself, because I feel like change is necessary for growth. My 2024 EP, Out with The Old, came out of a space of having always been afraid of writing and collaborating with other artists. So it was supposed to be just a completely collaborative project, to just pull me out of that space of fear. I am always trying to figure out how music can help me conquer small fears I have.
