Top UK artiste in Kenya for Mavuno concert

By Jeckonia Otieno

He comes from a family of musicians and his uncle, Maxi Priest, is a reggae musician of long standing.

But Jahaziel Michael’s journey to fame is anything but glamorous.

Jahaziel who was born in London, UK, says he attended college, in the long run had nothing to show for it due to is tumultuous early life.

He is however making it big in the music industry – not just any music but gospel music.

The artiste will be performing in Nairobi on October 9 at the Mavuno Dome in Nairobi during event dubbed ‘The Move Tour’. The show will also feature renowned US gospel artistes such as Da Truth, The Ambassador and Sean Simmonds.

He says the objective of the gig is not to create a buzz but to change people’s lives.

Stopover

When The Standard caught up with him during a stopover en-route to Botswana where they will perform before coming back to Kenya, he couldn’t help but reminisce about the challenges he had to surmount on his road to stardom.

“I come from a family of artistes and many of my cousins are musicians back in the UK,” says Jahaziel who has performed with Craig David and Lemar, both top R&B artistes in the UK.

He says he started out as a rapper before a series of events made him realise his destiny lay elsewhere.

From an early age, Jahaziel says he would be thrown out of home by his mother and this made him become a delinquent.

He says he was always in constant trouble with the police after joining criminal gangs that used to peddle drugs and also engaged in various illegal activities.

“I would peddle drugs in toilets in pubs even as I made a chain of dangerous friends some of whom were robbers,” he states. Before long, he found himself locked up in the rivalry that characterise gangs that operate in cities.

This was the beginning of a chain of events that would later see him turn away from his waywardness and take up a career as a gospel musician.

He says that although he has since gone on to become one of the most celebrated musicians both in the UK and internationally, his focus still remains ministering to people through his music.

But like many artistes, Jahaziel says he has also had his fair share of challenges, which include being the target of negative criticism. He, however, says he has learnt to take it all in is strides.

Although Jahaziel is employed fulltime at St Mark’s Anglican Church in London, he always makes time to record music and also hold live shows.

Some of songs include Still Living, Come Home, Regenerated, Jesus Loves Me and In My Neighborhood.

About his trip to Kenya, Jahaziel says: “I have always wanted to travel to Kenya; I don’t know why but I hope to find out why very soon before the tour ends.”

Move Tour strives to mobilise worshippers “to move to the drumbeat of God.”