Vic West 'Kuna Kuna', Bahati Ft Prince Indah 'Adhiambo' and Other Hit Songs That Topped Music Charts In 2022
14 December 2022
[Image Source: Screengrab/YouTube]
Written By: Brian Sikulu
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The Kenyan music industry underwent a major revolution and upgrade in 2022. It is during this period that Kenyan music made its breakthrough in the global market. The breakthrough was catalyzed by increased diversity in the music genres and the quality of music production.
As the year rolls to an end, we review 10 hit songs that stood out and dominated music charts.
Adhiambo - Bahati & Prince Indah
Released at the beginning of the year, Bahati's 'Adhiambo' featuring the king of Ohangla music Prince Indah has accrued over 19 million views. The hit song dominated trending music charts for weeks and became an anthem across the country. What made 'Adhiambo' a hit was the combination of two diverse styles of music to create a blend of fresh music that had not been seen on the music scene for a while.
Kishash - Lil Maina Ft Ndovu Kuu
Music star Lil Maina took Kenyans by surprise with a unique feel-good song in the name of 'Kishash'. The song which features sensational rapper Ndovu Kuu combines hardcore hip-hop with Gengetone. What made it even more unique was the creativity that was invested in the music video. The cinematic transition between the artists and the dancers was super seamless. 'Kishash' became the one song that cannot miss at any party or club. It topped charts and maintained its virality for a long time gaining millions of views and streams.
Mbona? - Khaligraph 'OG' Jones
BET nominee Khaligraph Jones dominated headlines and airwaves in the second half of the year courtesy of 'Mbona'. The song which was produced by Vinc On The Beat under Blu Ink studio won over the hearts of many Hip-Hop fans. Khaligraph's effortless and flawless rap got everyone jamming to the song from the start to the end. Approximately half a year later, the track has gained more than over 3 million views on YouTube.
Inauma - Bien
As the year rolled to an end, the media was dominated by club bangers and other feel-good hit songs. It had been a while since music lovers experienced an emotional song that spoke to the heart. Sauti Sol's lead man Bien Aime understood this aspect and gifted his fans with the emotional'Inauma' song. The track which reflects on the pain of a heartbreak touched the hearts of many and had everyone sing along to it. Bien's artistic approach of doing the music video in an old-school way spiced the song up even more.
Kuna Kuna - Vic West Ft. Fathermoh, Savara, Brandy Maina & Thee Exit Band
Vic West's 'Kuna Kuna' song may probably rank as the most viral song of the year with over six million views on YouTube within two months of its release. The song became a huge success because of many factors aside from the fact that it featured top stars in the industry, some of who were already established with others at the peak of their career. The perfectly synchronized choreography of the song as executed by some of the best dancers in the entertainment industry took the music video to a whole new level. The music director on the other hand perfectly understood the assignment from creative in transitions between the scenes to drone shots and choice of location.
Geri Inengi (Subaru Ya Mambaru) - Wakadinali Ft Sirbwoy
One of the Gengetone tracks that made headlines throughout the year was 'Geri Inengi (Subaru Ya Mambaru)'. The song became popular among the youth and gave hope to the rise of Gengetone as the music identity of Kenya. 'Geri Inengi (Subaru Ya Mambaru)' had even the political class vibing to it. The song's popularity stretched beyond the border to foreign territories.
Tabia Za Wa Kenya & Kanairo Dating - Mejja
Mejja was among the artists who had a successful run of releasing one hit after another throughout the year. Two of his songs 'Kanairo Dating' and 'Tabia Za Wa Kenya' earned good airtime in the media.
'Tabia Za Wa Kenya' is a song that reflects the typical behaviours of Kenyans. It artistically depicts the culture and norms of Kenyans from different walks of life. The majority of the fans loved the accuracy of the message and its presentation.
'Kanairo Dating' on the other hand addressed the challenges that young men go through while looking for a partner. Mejja highlights different types and classes of ladies and their traits that make men lose interest in them.
My Abebo - Bahati Ft Prince Indah
After the immense success of their collaboration on the 'Adhiambo' hit song, Bahati and Prince Indah teamed up again to release 'My Abebo'. The second release too picked up on the trending chart and went extremely viral earning millions of views within a short time. The dynamic duo has a way of presenting love that appeals to nearly everyone.
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