Wawesh, the producer

Fourteen years away from home is along time but for Wawesh there is no turning back. He talks to NALIAKA WAFULA about his choice to start over in Nairobi

The guy who brought you Wawero and Mjanja is back and this time for G. With the newly set up Penya records, Wawesh (Robert Waweru), is getting ready to change the industry with a slew of newly signed live artistes.

I have always been a producer. People saw the artiste but I have been working as an producer since 1993. I’m mainly self-taught but I have taken production courses along the way. The artiste thing is just something I did — another way to express creativity. I must say I was surprised by the success of Mjanja because I didn’t record it blow up, I just wanted to do it for fun. As a producer and co-founder of Blao entertainment, I have worked with Taleeb Kweli, Nas, Floetry and Jaqee who garnered two Grammy nominations with songs I produced.

I have lived in Sweden since 1984. I decided to come back because I needed a new challenge, and I wanted to try out ideas in Kenya and Africa. The call had been growing and I decided it was time to take the challenge and make a difference. So by December 12 2007 I had closed down everything in Sweden and was back in Kenya. Then all hell broke loose. It was very sad situation (post election violence) and many are still suffering the aftermath. However, I had already made my decision so there was no turning back, I am back for G. I’m married to director and designer Lisa Forsberg but I like to keep that side of my life very private.

I attended CHAT awards on a mkokoteni. The entertainment aspect of music appeals to me and I think it should never be too serious. I wanted to go against the grain and represent the kawaida Kenyan. To let them know we are all in this together and we all go through the same things. It was a gesture for the people. The following year I came on a boda-boda.

Penya Records is non-governmental organisation with sponsors from Holland and Sweden. It used to be called Penya Rugs To Records but we changed the name because we have new management and strategy. I have a vision to produce high quality Kenyan music and to put Kenya on the map globally. Currently I have signed Sauti Sol, Stan and Della. Sauti Sol, an acoustic band that is the future of African fusion. They are four guys who write songs anyone can relate to. It’s a natural sound with international quality. Stan has more of an experimental afro-soul with electronic elements and Dela is a talented female vocalist whose album is currently being recorded with a live studio band.

Quality in music is a big word. We are talking of originality, song writing, arrangement, image and it goes on. It’s about not always being a slave to the tends and helping others believe in their own ideas. There is quality in Kenyan music but there is still so much that can be done in terms of diversity and development in the music sector (I call it a sector because it’s still far from an industry). In the this sector what we see and hear is not always the reality. From production houses to the media, what we think is there and what is really there are two different things. The talent is already there but we need to find more platforms and avenues.

Seven hundred people turned up for the Sauti Sol album launch at the Kenya National Museum. It was their first album launch but it was very successful, their album, which is now on sale at major supermarkets and music stores, sold 250 copies on the same day. The success of the event was a combined team effort; we sat down and brainstormed with the group and Penya director Nynke. Artistes need to know that someone else is not going to do the work for them. They visit stations with a CD, do no research on what the station plays and hold on to this big hope that once their song gets played everything will fix itself.

Our next step is Africa Unsigned. It’s a website we want to set up to feature five artistes from six different African countries. Fans and believers from all over the world can then buy shares into their music and the with artiste the most shares will get the chance to record an album in South Africa with big producers. So, if you are an artiste with a unique high quality sound send an email to info@penyafrica.com