Kenyan vocalist Mr Lenny is set to return to the music scene with the release of his debut album, Hisia Zangu, a 12-track project that draws from his experiences in music, relationships and personal growth.
The album, released through Sapat Music, will be launched on Saturday, September 5, at Bla Bla Nairobi, Fortis Tower, Woodvale Grove, Westlands.
The event will include a live performance by the singer, with songs from the album being performed for the first time.
Hisia Zangu, which translates to “my feelings”, brings together contemporary Afropop production and live instrumentation while retaining the melodic approach that has characterised Mr Lenny’s music throughout his career.
The singer is best known for songs such as Leo and Baby Don’t Go, which helped establish him as one of the recognisable voices of Kenya’s urban music movement in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
He was among the artistes associated with Ogopa DJs, the influential music label whose roster helped shape the sound that became known as Boomba. The movement became a defining part of Kenya’s popular music culture during the period, with its influence extending across East Africa.
On the new album, he incorporates some of these modern influences while maintaining a focus on melody and songwriting.
The songs move between Swahili and English, with themes centred on love, longing and the experiences that come with growing older.
Rather than attempting to recreate his earlier sound, he says the album reflects where he is at this stage of his life.
“This album is my most honest work. Every song on it comes from something I actually lived, actually felt. Hisia Zangu means my feelings, and that is exactly what this is. I want people to hear themselves in it,” he said.