Kenyan Living Abroad

As a Kenyan living in the U.S, there is always a special excitement that comes with attending a concert by one of your own. It becomes more than just music; it reminds you of home.

Recently, we had the chance to attend a concert hosted by a Kenyan artist. Eager to support and connect with our fellow Kenyans, we hyped ourselves and drove 5 hours to the concert. Went as a representative of Radio254, eager to support and connect with our fellow Kenyans in the diaspora and hopefully get an interview for our platform. While the interview didn’t happen, something we were admittedly disappointed about, the overall experience still gave us a lot to think about.

The crowd was intimate, but what it lacked in numbers, it made up for in spirit. The audience came ready to sing along, dance, and show love. There’s something deeply heartwarming about hearing Swahili lyrics echo through a room in a foreign country, surrounded by people who know all the words.

Still, the difference in energy was noticeable. Back home, the concerts are loud, chaotic, and this felt more like a reunion of kindred spirits, a moment for the people to remind each other who we are and where we came from.

From a media and industry perspective, there’s work to be done. Access to artists remains limited at times, and opportunities for platforms like Radio254 to create meaningful content are sometimes overlooked. We hope that as the Kenyan music industry continues to grow globally, artists and their teams recognize the value in collaborating.

Despite the hiccups, the pride remains. Kenyan music is moving. Slowly but surely, our sound is traveling, our artists are touring, and the world is beginning to pay attention. This concert, in its quiet way, proved that. And while we still have a long road ahead, we’re definitely on it.

As Radio 254, we’re here for every step of that journey, supporting, documenting, and celebrating Kenyan music wherever it goes.