Popular Kenyan singer Kevin Kioko better known as Bahati has announced his exit from the gospel music industry. Speaking during an interview with Churchill Raw host MC Jessy, the reality TV star explained that he had to disentangle from the industry after years of antagonism. He added that he has resolved not to, necessarily, identify as a gospel musician anymore.
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“I was fought a lot in the gospel industry so when I do a gospel song, I do it for God, not for the people. I just separated myself from the Gospel industry for a while, but I’m in Christ and the Lord is my personal saviour. I think right now Wanani is the most played song in the country, and it’s because it requested for by secular and gospel fans because I’m still a son of Christ,” said Bahati. Bahati’s revelation comes a few months after announcing the closure of his gospel music record label, Eastlands Most Beloved (EMB).
Explaining the move via his YouTube channel, Bahati said the decision was as a result of frustrations. “Right now in the country as we speak, I have become one of the most talked-about artists, with the highest hate from people,” Bahati said. “Hate is not bad. But what is the need of receiving hate from artists who I am helping from scratch? When I started to support them no one cared, but ones they get famous, they create false stories to make them trend. You know, this ministry of me helping them out, then, they turn one me and soil my name, is there a need for me to do it?” he posed. His sentiments come hot in the heels of a declaration by his music peer, Wilson Abubakar Radido better known as Willy Paul, who recently set the record straight as to why he also shunned the gospel singer tag.
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He explained that the same God that blesses other secular artists is the same God that comes through for dedicated gospel artists as well. “God and I have not split, I’m still his son. But the thing is, the same God that blesses Sauti Sol, Wizkid, Davido, Burna Boy and even Chris Brown is the same God that blesses gospel artistes. So even before I made up my mind to go this route, I was facing a lot of challenges in the gospel industry. I don’t want to mention names but the people in the gospel industry did so much to me. There’s that feeling where you haven’t done anything to anyone but they just want to see you fail. These guys were so against me that they protested against my music being played on several radio stations like two or three of them. There was a time I was solely depending on music for survival, to cater to my mom’s bills and mine. But these people were so heartless they didn’t care,” he said.
