Connect with us

MUSIC

On Being a Pianist in Kenya: Bright Dreams of Hope, Inspiration and Determination

Published

on

Cordelia Williams On Being a Pianist in Kenya

Each time you sit at the comfort of your home listening to the bright concentration of higher harmonic, the ambiance overflowing with rich melodies that has been manufactured with piano and skilled fingerprints, remember of the resiliency and the relieved dream that so many do not get to accomplish. This is the inspiring story of what it is being a Pianist in Kenya as Cordelia Williams takes us through this powerful documentary of the lengths pianist in Kenya have to undergo to at least achieve their dreams and some of the challenges they face along the way. In the end, there is so much hope for the classical music scene in Kenya and a viewer will be profoundly touched with their stories that are brimming with inspiration, hard work, passion, resiliency, and determination.

Mission essential for musical excellency and exponential productivity, holding their dreams under the limelight of a vast and scary unknown creating a near-mystical effect; all the pianist and violinist Williams interacted with did not have it easy in their quest to learn how to play these instruments. One of the biggest barriers is access to instruments and as it was pointed out professional tutors are also very few. Most of the classical enthusiasts are forced to seek help from the internet and they find it rough without anyone to monitor their progress and coach them appropriately. Holding their dreams against all odds they set out to accomplish the significant lessons they can muster.

Also Read: On Being a Pianist in Kenya – Against All Odds

The kind of insatiable thirst for knowledge about piano and music and how things fit together in harmony they exhibit will move you vividly as a most start from scratch and are self-taught seeing that they aren’t many classical schools for that, this is a stunningly innovative craft that has been largely ignored and even most people as Williams found out prefer to teach rather than pursue careers as professional pianist or instrumentalist seeing that that field does not pay. Williams stayed in Kenya for 6 months and with the help of Guildhall School of Music and Drama, they are looking at all the possibilities of scholarships to some of these enthusiasts so that they can sharpen their skills and make something out of it. Music is freedom and as one of the pioneers of Ghetto Classics which is a music school that teaches these kids how to play pointed out the future is bright in the world of classical music and it will be nothing short of a glittering future of colossus and metallic granular success. Watch her inspiring documentary and get inspired as you take this journey toward the fullest experience of your highest greatness, step by step, magic, and beauty as obvious as you now witness here will infuse your days and only accelerate with the moving determination on display and valuable lessons you will draw from this documentary.

MUSIC

Angele Lapp Brings Quiet Conviction to Hale’s “Kung Wala Ka”, Turning a Beloved Breakup Song Into Something Personaltitl

Published

on

By

Angele Lapp Brings Quiet Conviction to Hale’s "Kung Wala Ka", Turning a Beloved Breakup Song Into Something Personaltitl

Fast rising 18 year old Filipino artist Angele Lapp steps into familiar territory with a cover of Hale’s “Kung Wala Ka”, and comes out sounding surprisingly sure of herself.

The performance opens gently. Soft keys set the room, and then her voice arrives, smooth, clear, and almost weightless at first. There’s a calm confidence in how she phrases each line, the kind that can make you assume you’re listening to someone who has been doing this for a long time. Then you remember she’s 18, still finding her footing in a crowded music business. Vocally, though, she already sounds like she knows where she wants to go. The control is there, the presence is there, and the emotion never feels forced.

“Kung Wala Ka” has long been a staple for fans of the Filipino alternative band Hale, a breakup song that lingers because it understands how messy moving on can be. The lyrics sit in longing and absence, that hollow uncertainty of imagining life without the person you built it around. In Lapp’s hands, the song stays true to that ache. She doesn’t drain it of what made it resonate in the first place. Instead, she leans in and shapes it around her own voice, and the result feels both respectful and personal. By the time she reaches the bigger moments, she’s fully inside it, and she really does knock it out the park.

The title translates to “If You’re Not Here”, or, “If You Weren’t Here”, and that simple idea carries the whole performance. At 3 minutes and 54 seconds, the cover has a lived in quality, like she’s telling you a story she’s been carrying for a while. It feels close up, almost neighborly, like she’s singing beside you rather than at you.

The video matches that intimacy. It’s a well lit music studio setup, clean and uncluttered. Angele wears headphones, focused, locked into the track as she sings straight into the mic. You can hear how carefully she balances the notes. She starts soft, holds back, and then gradually lets the emotion rise, steady as an undercurrent, guided by the instrumental swell.

The arrangement does a lot of quiet work. Those tender keys at the intro lay the foundation, and the guitar lines slide in with a light touch. Around the one minute mark, the feeling begins to lift, partly because the keys hit with a little more intensity, giving the moment a faintly cinematic edge. By about 1:27, the rhythm fully wakes up. The key driven pulse tightens, percussion and bass join in, and her voice brightens with it, wrapping around the listener in a kind of reassurance. It’s a smart build, and she rides it well.

Somewhere in that climb, it becomes clear she’s working with more than promise. The range, the power, and the sheen of her tone don’t line up with the assumptions people make about a young artist. She sounds like someone ready for bigger rooms, and she carries the song like she belongs there.

With a recent signing to Popolo Music Group and a debut album set for release in September of this year, she’s positioning herself for a real step forward. If this cover is any indication, she’s worth keeping an eye on.

Connect with Angelee:
YouTube | Website | TikTok | Facebook | Instagram | X

Continue Reading

MUSIC

King Jay Da Blountman Turns Versatile Into A Day Off Fantasy With The Easygoing Pull Of “Fish’n”

Published

on

By

King Jay Da Blountman Turns Versatile Into A Day Off Fantasy With The Easygoing Pull Of "Fish’n"

When a former football player tosses the rulebook for modern music, the results can feel braver than any tidy genre label. That is the lane King Jay Da Blountman keeps choosing, a Florida based St. Augustine artist with one foot in hip hop, one in country, and both planted in sheer hustle. His 2025 album “Versatile” has been picking up momentum as one of the year’s more convincing independent releases, partly because it refuses to sound like it is trying to fit a template.

A clear highlight is “Fish’n,” a 2-minute-and-54-second feel good cut that shows how naturally King Jay can blur styles without turning it into a gimmick. The track grabs you fast with a cadence that feels lived in. Instead of sitting on top of the beat, his voice folds into the groove, so the vocals and the production feel made for each other.

That ease matters because “Fish’n” leans into the space where singing and rapping overlap. King Jay slides between the two with a smooth rap sing touch that keeps hip hop and country in the same frame. The song lands like a snapshot of a mood, one that pulls you outdoors and away from the buzz of everything else.

The imagery is simple and it works. You can picture the fishing gear, the boat that is ready to go, the cooler packed with beer or whiskey, and the sun hanging in the sweet spot. “Fish’n” carries that particular kind of freedom you only get when the day is yours. It makes a fishing trip feel overdue, along with the permission to take a real day off. The music stays relaxed while still earning repeat listens.

There is crossover charm here that recalls Shaboozey’s 2024 hit “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”. The difference is that “Fish’n” stays unmistakably King Jay. It draws from lived experience and unfiltered real talk, and it keeps its own shape even as it nods to multiple worlds. The hookiness is the point, a cadence that lingers after the last note fades.

The best moments come from the tight fit between performance and production. King Jay’s vocals lock in with the beat, reinforcing the track’s quiet confidence and natural flow. It is the kind of song that belongs on open roads and open water, and it rewards listeners who like their playlists with fewer walls.

“Fish’n” sits on “Versatile,” a nine track project that earns its title. The album has been performing strongly, with several songs quickly becoming fan favorites, including “Whisky Man,” “Respect,” “Blue Cheese,” and “Kings.” Each cut shows a different angle of King Jay’s approach, yet the project holds together through a consistent sense of authenticity and risk taking.

You can hear how this run builds on what came before. “Versatile” follows the success of Jay’s 2022 album “Level Up,” which included the track “By the Water,” now with over 104,000 streams on Spotify. That earlier momentum set the table for what he is doing now, expanding his reach while sharpening his sound.

King Jay Da Blountman has always moved across lanes, from drums to raps, funny videos to serious storytelling, and the streets to global streaming platforms. His story reads as growth and openness, an artist still stretching toward the next version of himself. With “Versatile,” and with a standout like “Fish’n,” he shows how music crosses borders through heart, honesty, and a beat you can live inside.

As King Jay keeps spreading his wings globally, one jam at a time, “Versatile” works as both statement and invitation. Come as you are, grab a drink, and press play.

| INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK |

Continue Reading

MUSIC

Omaye keeps it brief and hits hard on “Tell Them”, a focused Afrobeats and Amapiano promise of what is coming

Published

on

By

Omaye keeps it brief and hits hard on "Tell Them", a focused Afrobeats and Amapiano promise of what is coming

Fast-budding Nigerian artist Omaye’s single “Tell Them” arrives with assurance that usually takes artists a few releases to earn. He keeps it tight, too. The track runs 2 minutes and 17 seconds, and it uses every second with purpose. In a lane where bigger often gets mistaken for better, Omaye shows how far a clear idea can travel when the writing and performance stay focused.

“Tell Them” plays like a self-empowerment chant built from a hardened, never-say-never mindset. The message is straightforward: put in the work, stay locked in, and trust destiny to meet you halfway. Omaye delivers it with a calm steadiness, the sort of quiet confidence that suggests he already sees the finish line. You can hear the belief that his moment is on schedule, and that nothing is going to shake him off course.

The sound matches that mindset. Omaye’s Afrobeats foundation gives the record its swing, while gurgling Amapiano synths bubble underneath and add a subtle lift. The production stays clean and restrained, leaving plenty of air for the vocal. Omaye’s delivery is crisp and polished, gliding over the beat with clarity. He never rushes the pocket. Each note feels chosen, each inflection considered, as if he’s more interested in landing the feeling than showing off technique.

What makes “Tell Them” linger is its emotional balance. It’s catchy and undeniably infectious, yet it carries weight. The hook sticks because the sentiment does, and the track rewards replay for more than its bounce. Omaye isn’t reaching for drama or putting on a persona. He’s capturing a mindset shaped by struggle, resilience, and self-belief, then letting that honesty do the heavy lifting. By the time the song ends, the confidence feels earned rather than advertised.

With “Tell Them,” Omaye comes off as a storyteller who knows what he wants to say and how to say it. The track reads as proof that he has the tools to connect with fans of Afrobeats, Amapiano, and Hip-Hop alike, and to do it without diluting his voice. The direction is clear. The hunger is right there in the phrasing.

Now streaming on Apple Music, “Tell Them” lands as a statement of intent and a clean introduction for anyone meeting him for the first time. If this single is a preview, the question around Omaye’s rise is timing, not possibility. Time feels like the only gap between him and the next level.

The release is also a milestone: “Tell Them” is Omaye’s first professionally recorded single, and it sets the stage for his upcoming EP “17EEN,” which is close on the horizon. Keep the name Omaye in your head. You’re going to hear it again.

LISTEN HERE

Connect with Omaye Music:
Instagram | TikTok

Continue Reading

Trending