Alicios reunites with fellow Congolese singer Ninita to reimagine Nideke, bringing together two generations of African female voices in a fresh musical collaborations.
The new version, written by Alicios and Nairobi-based songwriter Paul Alphajiri, is alreadyavailable across major digital streaming platforms.
Rather than simply reproducing the original, Alicios sees the collaboration as an opportunity to allow the song to evolve while retaining the emotion that shaped it.
“As artistes, we must protect the freedom to create. Or perhaps, more correctly, the ability to be vessels through which art finds its way into the world,” she says.
“I like to believe that music always exists somewhere. It doesn’t begin with us; we simply catch it, then translate it through text, voices and emotions into something the world can feel, enjoy and dance to.”
Ninita’s contribution gives Nideke a new vocal dimension while preserving the character of the original. The collaboration captures Alicios’ interest in creating connections between African artistes and audiences across borders.
For Ninita, the project adds another chapter to a career that has taken her from a church choir in Lubumbashi to some of the major platforms in the Congolese music industry.
Born Anita Mwarabu, the singer, songwriter, performer and dancer developed an early interest in music, drawing inspiration from artistes including Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Koffi Olomide and Lokua Kanza.
She initially studied Nursing Sciences in Italy before returning to pursue music professionally in 2013. Two years later, she gained national recognition after finishing third in the Vodacom Best of the Best talent competition. She subsequently joined Fally Ipupa’s F-Victeam label before signing with Sony Music Africa in 2020.
After taking a maternity break, she returned to music and released a seven-track debut album in 2023, featuring collaborations with Gally, Gaz Fabilouss, Mbilia Bel, Innoss b, Muriel and IDPizzle, among others.
Her music combines Afropop, R&B and Dancehall, with themes often centred on love, passion and everyday experiences.
Alicios, meanwhile, has built her career across several African and European markets. Born in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, she moved to Nairobi with her family following the outbreak of war in Eastern DRC. She later relocated to Sweden, where she is now based.
Her journey across different cultures has influenced a sound that draws from Congolese rumba, Afropop, R&B, Afro-zouk and East African music.
She first gained wider recognition with Mpita Njia, a collaboration with Ugandan singer Juliana Kanyomozi, before releasing songs including Niko Poa and Posa Ya Bolingo.
The Nideke collaboration comes as Alicios prepares for another significant chapter in her career: the release of her second studio album later this year.
The project, which is being produced with Polycarp Otieno (Fancy Fingers), is a departure from simply chasing individual hits.
She says the album has been shaped by the experience she has gained throughout her career and is intended to appeal to a wider audience while maintaining depth and longevity.
“My new project is one I have taken time on. It comes with a new level of growth and also maturity and I trust that it addresses a wider audience than my previous projects,” she says.
“With experience, you learn what is good for the audience; you factor longevity and depth. You create content that will outlive you and your generation. This is what this new album is about.”
The album also brings together many Kenyan creative voices, including Fancy Fingers and rapper and songwriter Femi One, whom Alicios describes as “an amazing creative”. Her mother also features on one of the songs.
She recalls working with Fancy Fingers in Sweden, where he had travelled to collaborate with her in a quiet setting away from the usual studio environment.
“Polycarp came over to Sweden and it was amazing to work on our collaboration here in a little house inside a quiet forest,” she says. “You know he is sort of a biophile and this provided a perfect atmosphere for him.”
The pair later performed at a concert together in Sweden, an experience Alicios says left a lasting impression after Fancy Fingers praised the music they had created.
She plans to return to Nairobi in December to promote the album before its launch, reconnecting with a market she considers home.
Her relationship with the Kenyan audience was also reflected in Ligi Kali, which she released last year as a tribute to Nairobi.
“The song was purely made for Nairobi. I had missed being in Nairobi, where I call home and it is also clear that I had missed my fans there the way they had missed me,” she says.
Although she did not manage to undertake a media tour for the release, she intends to make up for that when she returns, with plans for a major show early next year.