Habida unveils the untold side of 'Sunshine', music industry challenges

Kenyan musician and actress, Habida Moloney. (Courtesy)

Kenyan musician and actress, Habida Moloney, recently delved into the archives of her early days in the music industry, sharing intriguing details about the creation of the 2010 hit song 'Sunshine' in collaboration with legendary artist Nameless.

Taking to her X media platform, Habida unveiled a snippet of the 12-year-old track and dropped a behind-the-scenes bombshell. During the song's production, Nameless, fresh into his marriage, faced restrictions from getting too close to her, a revelation that added an interesting twist to the song's video shoot. Habida candidly disclosed that they had to maintain a distance while filming.

"12 years ago, on this song I never shrubbed I said SUNSHINE not SUNSINE ,,,alfu that time Nameless was newly wedded, he was not allowed to get close to me, we shot tuki observe distance," she shared.

This is another 12 yrs ago ,,on this song I never shrubbed i said SUNSHINE not SUNSINE ,,,alfu that time nameless was newly wedded ,,he was not allowed to get close to me ,,we shot tuki observe distance pic.twitter.com/uVPYLheeH1 - Habidasworld (@TheRealHabida) January 12, 2024

Engaging with her X media followers, the 'Sunshine' hitmaker shed light on the protective role played by Kenyan music producer and songwriter R Kay Mwana Abuja, shielding her from the advances of so-called 'team mafisi' within the music industry. She teased future stories, hinting at unraveling details about meeting fellow musician Cannibal and the collaborative creation of their track 'Reason.'

"Ntawepee story vile R kay mwana abuja always protected me from mafisi in the industry and how we met with cannibal and creates the song reason,,,just let me know which story from back then ntawapee" Habida teased her audience.

Ntawepee story vile R kay mwana abuja always protected me from mafisi in the industry and how we met with cannibal and creates the song reason,,,just let me know which story from back then ntawapee pic.twitter.com/mHXDPwyaD1 - Habidasworld (@TheRealHabida) January 13, 2024

Notably, Habida has been open in the past about her traumatic experience with sexual abuse. In a previous interview, she disclosed being a victim of rape by an individual who had been stalking her for an extended period. The singer, who was a virgin at the time, shared the chilling details of a night when she, in an inebriated state, never made it home after the perpetrator offered to escort her.

Addressing the broader issue of sexual abuse on the Iko Nini podcast with Mwafreeka, especially its impact on men, Habida emphasized the importance of providing a platform for men to speak openly about their experiences without fear of judgment. She contended that many men suffer in silence due to societal pressure.

"I'm not an advocate of the 'Me Too' movement because it seems diluted. Men are raped too," she asserted, urging for a safe space where men can share their stories without facing stigma. According to Habida, breaking the silence will encourage more men to come forward and seek support for their own ordeals.