Have you heard of Anthony Vincent of Ten Second songs? If you haven’t then perhaps you’ve heard of Pentatonix. Both these artists have made names for themselves because of their fabulous cover songs.
Back home, last year, Dela’s cover of Adele’s “Hello” put her in the limelight resulting in a flurry of “Hello” covers by other Kenyan musicians trying to make a breakthrough to the mainstream too. However, besides Adele’s Hello, Kenyans have done splendid covers of other popular songs. Check them out below.
1. Moipei Quartet- Someone Like You
Before Adele’s “Hello”, “Someone Like You” was another popular song by Adele among cover artists. And the Moipei sisters cover of it is absolutely beautiful. The video quality is a bit fuzzy, however the quartet’s lovely voices totally make up for this.
2. Kiu- Aye
Good covers often don’t stick to the original song’s formula. They depart from it and switch things up. Kiu’s version of Davido’s “Aye” does exactly that by giving the song a refreshing new sound that’s different from the original’s.
3. Kenyan Boys Choir- One Love
From Demi Lovato to Nelly Furtado to Ellie Goulding, the Kenyan Boys Choir have done covers from numerous artists. However, their cover of One Love makes it to this list because you won’t believe what it features: a rap section!
4. Chris Adwar- Sina Makosa
Kenyan “Zilizopendwa” classics are pretty popular among Kenyan cover bands and musicians. If you’ve watched a season of Tusker Project Fame you can definitely attest to this. Chris Adwar who usually performs with the Villagers Band gives this classic by Les Wanyika a shot. But for his rendition, he doesn’t perform with his band but all by himself!
5. Manasseh Shalom and Karanja Kiarie- African Love Songs
It’s one thing to do covers, but this duo took it a step further and did a mashup of love songs by Sauti Sol, Elani and Nameless to name but a few. The duo’s pleasant humming and mellifluous voices will leave you mesmerized.
6. Karun- Last Time
Originally by Labrinth, Karun sings in her mellow voice accompanied by an acoustic guitar played by Kato Change. It’s a pleasant departure from the original that had an electro driven beat.
7. Alisha Popat & Diego Ghinati- The Prayer
Celine Dion isn’t the easiest artist to cover but Alisha Popat & Diego Ghinati’s version of “The Prayer” is fairly good. Their duet is wonderful. Inspired by the beauty and magic of Kenya, the song has a crisp video that showcases the country’s beauty.
8. Lindsey Stirling- We Found Love
Like the Pentatonix and Anthony Davis, Lindsey Stirling is another artist who has gained popularity because of her violin covers. She may not be Kenyan, however her cover of Rihanna’s “We Found Love” makes it to this list because she partnered with Kenyan musicians for the project. Also, the video was shot in Kenya. Driven by a violin and a drum beat, the song is refreshingly unlike the original.
9. Barbara Wangui- Nerea
Using an acoustic guitar as an accompaniment, Barbara Wangui has covered several songs by artists like Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift and Sam Smith among many others. And on her cover of Nerea she soars. The “Sahani Yake” part of the chorus is hilarious though. Admit it, you probably got the lyrics wrong the first time too.
10. Ena Kiarie- Who You Are
Like Barbara Wangui, Ena also has a YouTube channel where she covers popular pop songs. And her cover of Jessie J’s “Who You Are” is absolutely stellar.
