Celebrated abroad, little known at home: Meet afro-fusion big shot Judith Bwire

Singer, song writer, and dancer Judith Bwire, 44, has a distinct Afro-fusion sound that doesn’t get much airplay locally but often sends fans into a frenzy abroad. She talks about turning a new leaf with a recently released album as she tries to capture the attention of fans in her motherland

The lights were dimmed, the crowd cheered in unison as the tall, dark woman with a distinctive African style took to the stage.

“Ladies and gentlemen, please put your hands together for one of Africa’s greatest performers, Kenya’s Judith Bwire,” introduced the emcee amidst cheers from the 3,000 fans who thronged the open air concert at Confolence Folklore Festival, a world music and dance event in France in July 2017.

Looking healthy, energetic and joyful, Judith picked up her favorite musical instrument -- the nyatiti -- as she stepped up to the microphone. Strummed with passion, the instrument’s strings quivered harmoniously as she switched from one song to another on the well-lit stage. 

At the far end, a group of middle-aged supporters nodded their heads to her tunes while a crowd of younger fans tried to outdo each other with the latest dancing styles. 

Judith showcased her talent, churning out her favourite tunes, among them Mama Africa, Avakone, Epondi, Nmacheke, Siamugera, Polepole, Jakuria and Dodo, amidst cheers as revelers danced and sang along to the scintillating rhythms.

At some point, the hysteria was beyond description --- a male fan surprised the crowd by jumping on stage to get a closer look at his music idol.  Meanwhile, a couple of fans discreetly wiped away tears while others turned on their cigarette lighters and waved flags and handkerchiefs.

Even when her time was up, a large section of fans insisted that she continues. She did not let them down. Judith gave them an encore before she called it a night and was escorted to her hotel room. 

Embracing change

Despite her success abroad that has seen her perform in several European, Asian and African countries, Judith is not as well-known back home.

The singer, who released her first album in 2012 reveals that, locally, she has been struggling to pull crowds as she is little known within Kenyan circles.

“Abroad, musicians get the celebrity treatment -- dozens of fans jostle to get their autographs and to take selfies with they. They get invited to interviews on various radio, television and social media platforms. Back home though, there isn’t as much attention,” reveals Judith.

“I don’t blame Kenyans though. My fate was the result of lack of local airplay and interviews,” says Judith.

This, she says, prompted her to have a switch of mind.

“During the initial stages of my music career, I just wanted to make music for the sake of it because I didn’t have a well-thought-out and clear direction. Recently, however, having grown musically, I made the decision to do an album for everybody,” says Judith who admits she has gone through a process of renewal.

Her new efforts have borne fruit through a recently-released nine-track album titled Safari that is set to be launched mid this year. The title track, Safari (Omuri), has been well received on YouTube where it made its debut one month ago. Featuring songs in Kiswahili, Dholuo and the Luhya dialect Kimanyalla, the album is a reflection of her musical journey; the struggles and how she has managed to cope with them.

“It is also a great lesson learnt that, despite one’s success abroad, it is important to establish a fan base back home,” says Judith.

The journey begins

Judith, the third of seven siblings, says growing up in a polygamous family was tough. Her father, Clement Bwire, a renowned businessman, separated with her mother, Ursula Makokha when Judith was five years old. Life became difficult after her father, the sole bread winner, died. Her mother, then a small vegetable vendor within Nairobi’s Huruma estate, took the children in and went the extra mile to ensure they were taken care of.

As a teenager, having previously grown up without her mother, Judith was ignorant about many things, including the changes in her body and the risks of having sex without protection.

When she was a Standard Eight pupil at 13 years, her school principal sent her to the school matron for a pregnancy test because he had noticed certain changes in her body. The test turned out positive and the principal contacted her mother to pick up her daughter from school.

“Premarital sex was an abomination in my community. It is considered shameful and a bad omen to be pregnant outside marriage. With my mother’s approval, I stayed in the house for the rest of my pregnancy,” Judith says. 

Back to school

One year after giving birth to her baby, she sat the national examinations at Mwanyambo Primary School in Taita Taveta and passed. Her mother then enrolled her at a day school, St Tereza’s High, but she later dropped out when her mother died and she was left alone, at 16, to fend for her child and siblings.

Although her school catered for her education for the remaining term Judith says she felt frustrated with life, having been left with the sole responsibility of taking care of her son and siblings -- something that proved extremely difficult.

Balancing her studies and doing various menial jobs eventually affected her health and she became so stressed, she could hardly concentrate in school. She tried to reach out to her relatives and friends for help but they offered none as they considered her an outcast, having dropped out of school from  early pregnancy.

Judith says, there were times when she contemplated suicide because she felt like a loser who had nothing good to offer. She instead turned to prayer and fasting and with time, her situation got better. She even joined the school drama and music clubs and also became a member of a church choir in Kariobangi.

Eventually though, before the term was over, Judith opted to quit school for a few weeks to take up menial jobs. Most times, she would leave her baby behind -- under the care of neighbours.

Eventually, she joined Kariokor Traditional dance Group with the help of a man named Charles Odhiambo (now deceased). She spent the next one year training with the troupe without pay. To put food on the table, Judith hawked second hand clothes within the neighboring estate.

In 1995, she felt lucky to pass an audition at Nairobi’s Shade Hotel and was hired as a dancer with one of the hotel’s acts, Amani Dance Group, for Sh150 per show. With time, the number of shows increased to 10 a month and soon, Judith was able to take home Sh1,500 a month.

But with the high cost of living and her baby’s demands increasing, Judith formed a dance group with two other girls. Fortunately, the group secured several shows, and life got a little easier for Judith.

“We earned Sh300 each per show and had four shows a month. I still had my usual income from Amani -- something I did for eight years,” Judith says.

Eventually, Judith left Amani and joined Chatu dance group, comprising 12 members, as their group leader (while still part of the girls group).

The group secured corporate functions, taking home not less than Sh2,000 per person at every performance. The members would share enough money for their upkeep then save the rest of the money aside in a bank account. They would then use it to buy new costumes and instruments.

Eventually, with the money she made from all the gigs, Judith was able to move to a one-bedroomed house in Mathare North’s Area 4. She also registered for adult education classes with an institution in Buruburu estate and later enrolled for a one-year certificate course in Child Psychology at the Welfare Society of Kenya College in Makadara.

“I felt challenged to do so because art and education go hand in hand. I get to interact with different people within and outside Kenya, so I thought it  was important to get an education in psychology,” Judith says.

Finding love

One day after a dance performance, Judith says she met a man named Isaac Masese, who she later learnt was an entertainment manager.

“I had noticed him sitting there, stealing several glances at me,” Judith says. “At first, he was interested in knowing why I chose dancing as a career given the negative perception many people have of dancers,” she narrates, adding that she told him about her struggles, having become a mother and then an orphan at 16.

Touched by her story, Masese slowly opened up to her over several dates and with time, he made his intentions known to her. This, he did one fine evening during a dinner date, by getting down on one knee and proposing to her. She was 21 and could hardly resist his charm.

Masese became a frequent visitor at Judith’s concerts after which he would inquire about the welfare of her siblings. Eventually, he asked to meet them and offered to support them.

“On several occasions he surprised me with gifts – something that made our relationship stronger,” says Judith.

Not willing to go back to her life of poverty, Judith decided to move in with her fiance in 1998. She says the fact that he was loving, understanding and supportive of her dance career made her content with life.

“He would often accompany me to concerts to ensure she was safe and happy,” Judith says.

But despite the good relationship they shared Judith confesses something was amiss. “Being a Christian and a member of the church choir, I received a lot of pressure from my church mates to formalise our marriage,” Judith says.

After 12 years of being in a ‘come we stay’ relationship and having been blessed with five children, they were officially married in 2010.

Upon settling down as Mrs Masese – Judith says she was determined to venture more into music and dance. With support from her husband, she mastered the art of good music, especially in areas of traditional dance and music, afro fusion and playing the traditional Luo instrument, the nyatiti.

“I was mentored by Mzee Nyangweno who lived in Korokocho. It took me  four months tor perfect my skills.  Having been brought up at the Coast, I also made it a point to visit my mentor’s village, Sikhaimalo in Ugenya, Nyanza Province, for four months in order to familiarise myself with Nyatiti and its traditions, ” Judith says.  During the time, Judith also toured the world with traditional Luo music band Kenge Kenge Orutu System.

Expanding her music career

Back in Kenya, Judith composed several songs with the help of producer Charles Othieno who advised her to release an album.

In 2012, she recorded and released her debut album Mama Africa, courtesy of Half Life Production, Nairobi and Namcheke Music Production. She describes her music as Afro fusion with a tinge of Benga.

“During the initial stages of my musical career, I met a lady tourist who was shocked to learn that the clothes they donated abroad in aid of Africa ended up being sold in various markets -- in particular Gikomba,” Judith says.

“Having established a close relationship with her, she asked me to take part in a musical project titled Mitumba, focusing on donations gone wrong in Africa -- something we did in Germany, Kenya and Tanzania between 2013 and 2015,” says Judith who also did a project dubbed Shifting Reality that revolved around Africa and Europe.

In 2018, Judith was recognised as an Extraodinary Woman by Nekita Ink, a celebration of notable women in France. She was also recently recognised as Best Female Artiste in Africa in 2018 by the 3BJ Connex Company, a music production and distribution company in London.

Locally, Judith has received one award nomination for Benga Artiste of the Year at the Kisima Awards in 2012 -- but she is hopeful and believes that the best is yet to come.

Moving forward

Having staged major shows in various countries like Norway, the UK, Denmark, Malaysia and Israel, Judith advises women and aspiring musicians to strive to work smart not hard. She says simplicity, the fear of God, timeliness and relevance are the keys to success.

Her most recent concert at Alliance Francaise, Nairobi, following the release of her latest album Safari, was described as a huge success.

According to the organisers, their target audience is mostly tourists and expatriates from Europe who love and appreciate her kind of music.

She is scheduled for an event on July 27 and 28 in London.

Judith is now a mother of five children aged between 13 and 28 years. She says her children Clement Judith, Debra Mbona, Ursula Makhokha, Lavender Emali and Reagan Kiambona are all supportive of her music.

Looking back at her life, Judith says it is important for parents, especially mothers, to be there for their children.

“As at teen, I faced certain personal issues that I could hardly discuss with my father. Without my mother’s guidance, I mingled with the wrong group and ended up pregnant,” Judith says.

In 2017, she established the Judith Bwire Foundation which specialises in empowering young women, especially street girls and underprivileged young mothers, by nurturing their talents and teaching them about reproductive health.

“I really regret the mistakes I made as a teenager. I wouldn’t want my children or any other girl to go through the same,” she says.