Country Music Is Wildly Popular in Kenya

“If you want to be happy, you think country.”

“It’s the happiest place anyone can be,” is how Leila Awuor describes Let’s Go Country, a string of roving concerts showcasing Kenya’s best country music talent. The events are becoming what she describes as “a movement,” a new wave of Kenya’s dedicated cowboys and cowgirls that get together every week to listen and dance to covers of old American favorites as performed by local artists.

The Let’s Go Country concerts are also where fans go to discover new music from their favorite performers. Sir Elvis, the most recognizable name on the circuit, has been thrilling bars and concert halls with his commanding baritone since starting in and around Nairobi in the 2000s.

Rocking a tan hat and with guitar in hand, he exudes a calm while delivering covers of Kenny Rogers, Jim Reeves, Don Williams, and other country legends. His voice transports listeners back in time to where and when they first heard those classic tracks. Outside Nairobi Street Kitchen, where he performs some weekends, passersby mistake the flawless covers for the radio.

The Cowboys and Cowgirls

Sir Elvis isn’t a one-off: Jiana, Steve Rogers, Savannah, DJ Rom-Ace, Sammy Jones, Samson Maombi, Esther Konkara, and Ythera Wildflower are just some of the names that light up the Kenyan country music scene. Most Kenyan country singers are heavily influenced by old-school American country singers like Kenny Rogers, Dolly Patton, Jim Reeves, Charley Pride, and Don Williams. Kenyan country singer Ythera Wildflower believes these classic singers and musicians have influenced how she and other Kenyan country musicians live their lives.

“Don Williams’ down-to-earth attitude has really inspired me,” she says. “He inspires me to be myself and people will appreciate me for who I am.”

While very much enchanted by the past, today’s tours and concerts feature an eclectic mix of covers by more recent acts like Shania Twain, George Strait, Tracy Chapman, Darius Drucker, Garth Brooks, and Alan Jackson. Kenyan country singers are still very dependent on covers, relying on American country classics to woo old romantics and curious music fans. Sir Elvis has released one original single,

Singers like Ythera Wildflower and Samson Maombi add a distinctively Kenyan flavor to their version of country music. They combine folk songs in their native Kikuyu language, a genre called mugithi, with American country, as exhibited in the song Toxic Love by artist Samidoh, featuring Ythera Wildflower. It’s a trend that is exciting the old fanbase and winning new fans from dance floors to TikTok.

“We like to call it our own version of country music. It’s done in a similar style as country, similar dressing, but done in our local dialect, Gikuyu,” says Ythera Wildflower. The singer grew up idolizing Dolly Patton and released Kagoti ka Marangi, a cover of Coat of Many Colors, in her native language. She’s also released two original singles, Another Day and Love Me.

Like Awuor, Ythera Wildflower shares the feeling that the movement is bringing together a community of Kenyan country enthusiasts.

“The movement is set to bring out the authenticity of African country music across destinations globally,” says Awuor.

Where to Find Kenyan Country Concerts

Country music was introduced to Kenya in the 1900s, gaining widespread popularity as Kenyans traveled and returned with the music they had heard abroad. Most of today’s avid listeners were introduced to country at home and in their communities, with younger audiences now able discover new music and artists on streaming platforms and online. Although country music has been part of Kenyan culture for over seven decades, there’s still a perception that it inhabits a very niche crowd of rural communities, rich townspeople, and older folk. Awuor is trying to counter that narrative by growing the country music fanbase in Nairobi and beyond. She believes her team has found a solution: bridging older country fans with a much younger audience.

“Build a value of entertainment where young people and old people can spend time together,” says Awuor. “Personally, I had to shape up myself to sit with the old guys. It brings a certain value having spent time with different people, different ages, different tribes, different cultures.”

It’s a fellowship she’s been engineering for over two years. Let’s Go Country has become a fixture on the local entertainment calendar, with shows almost every week and two permanent venues in Nairobi. Next, they’re teaming up with venues across Kenya.

“We want to tap into every sector of the country with country music and shows. Also, we want to be known as one of the happiest shows one can attend. If you want to be happy, you think country,” she says.

Let’s Go Country’s permanent home lives at Shamba Cafe & Shop, a farm outside Nairobi that hosts shows on the last Friday of every month: barn-style concerts where fans turn up in boots, Western shirts tucked in jeans, and hats. The events see patrons ready to link up in a train or dance in a line. The property also runs a farm-to-table menu with indoor and outdoor dining. Their grounds provide the perfect escape from Nairobi noise, giving visitors a great place to relax and recharge before the bands start playing.

The Venue Bar & Bistro, at Karen, Nairobi, is the other permanent home for Let’s Go Country. This spot hosts a full roster of weekly events that include live DJs, sports screenings, and karaoke. They reserve most Thursdays for their Country Thursday gig. Fans can also attend Let’s Go Country’s concerts at roving venues like Nairobi Street Kitchen, Gadern Square CBD by Ashaki, The Scottsdale Bar & Restaurant Karen, and Eden Park Kikuyu.

Organizers of Let’s Go Country have partnered with Simple Tours and Packwego Africa to give travelers an experience that combines music and discovery. Concerts are held at Captain James Camp in the lakeside town of Naivasha, Space Next Door in Nakuru, and Kettle House in Eldoret. These events are mostly free! (Paid events are announced.) 

Awuor says they are working to add more venues and road trips across Kenya as they try to transform the way people and travelers network and engage. She believes the country music crowd is an attractive one for travelers willing to mingle. These interactions, she says, provide opportunities for visitors to learn about Kenyan culture and the sites that curate and preserve it. They also provide opportunities to make new friends and build business networks – enriching relationships for entrepreneurs, investors, and those keen to establish deeper connections with the country and its people.

 “There’s a lot of potential to tap into just by knowing a cowboy or cowgirl,” she says.