Kenyan born and raised Afro-fusion artist Caleb Muthomi has had a passion for music since the age of 9years. He asserts that his musical influences cuts across genres and generations. We had an opportunity for a brief interview with the fast rising and promising musical talent. Discover more about Caleb.
1. Kindly introduce yourself
1. My name is Caleb Muthomi. I am an Afro-fusion artist, singer, songwriter and guitarist.
2. How long have you been doing music?
2. I developed a passion for music at age 9
3. When did you discover your passion for music?
My parents helped nurture the gift by introducing me to different melodies and musical instruments. Since then, I have been consistent and worked towards getting better everyday. Since I added the guitar to my repertoire of skills, I have performed in front of various crowds and finally decided to release my own compositions.
4. Who do you look up to for inspiration and musical influence?
4. My belief is that music is too diverse for us to be genre-specific. I listen to everything that sounds good; from the 80s western music to Musa Juma, to Afro-beats. Being an Afro-fusion/Alternative artist, I draw my inspiration from artists all around the globe. From Kenya, to Nigeria, to the UK, the West and so on.
5. How has your journey been so far as a budding artist?
5. It’s been both rewarding and draining. It takes a lot of energy to perform before people, and even greater energy to record and release music. On the other hand, music can be quite fulfilling and quite literally place you before kings. The current music industry is very tough for any artist and it requires one to be tenacious and persistent to realize the rewards.
6. Tell us a little about your latest EP project?
6. THE ESQUIRE is the title for my debut short album (EP). It contains three songs; Kamila, I’ve Tried and Highs & Lows. The album is inspired by my experiences, thoughts and worldview. The songs tell stories about love, disappointment, a state of confusion, victory, manifestation, nostalgia, among others. I put in a lot of work, effort and resources into the album and I’m hoping my target audience will love and relate to the song
7. What is the inspiration behind your song titled Kamila?
7. KAMILA is a social commentary on love, disappointment and heartbreak. In Arabic it means “Perfect”. It’s a song about THE ONE WHO GOT AWAY. The perfect one. The one with whom you could talk about anything, whose perfume would fill your lungs with every hug and in whose eyes your gaze would be lost. You’re thinking about them right now, right? Haha. Kamila represents all the people that we meet and fall in love with but the relationship is short-lived. You then go on looking for them in every person you meet, and hoping that they will come back to you.
8. What do you hope to achieve through or in your music career this year?
8. As from next year, I am looking forward to inspire and encourage artists to go out there and release their art. We’ve got some very talented young people in Kenya but they are holding back. If I did it, you can and should do it. I am hoping that as people listen to the songs in the EP, they will know that someone knows the kind of experience they went through or are going through. That they will know that it is normal to be confused, heartbroken, disappointed, feel lonely, and go through the highs and lows of life. Last but definitely not least, I am hoping that my audience will dance along to the amazing beats and melodies my team and I put in the tracks.
9. Where can fans find your music?
9. The Esquire EP is going to be available for streaming and/or downloading as from December 1st, 2023. It will be available on ALL streaming and social media platforms from Spotify to iTunes, YouTube, Boomplay, Audiomack, to Tiktok and the rest.
10. How can you be reached on social media?
10. I go by “muthomi_esq” on all social media platforms; Instagram, Tiktok, YouTube, X
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