I have a desire to sing and will not stop-Tseikuru Stars artist

MOSES Kilyungi Mutua is the newest Benga artist in Kitui County. His pupils in Ilioni primary school know him as Mr Mutua. But for Bodaboda riders, Matatu drivers and his friends in Tseikuru town, they shake their heads as they sing his new songs. 

To listen to his first edition of podcast, click here: https://www.veed.io/view/3a97b2d0-ee01-45e1-942d-33a9102ed919

The second and final episode of our interview with Tseikuru Stars artist Moses Kilyungi Mutua is available here. Check it out: https://www.veed.io/view/ad6b5863-0d28-4b09-8adc-423d648c3ed3

 It has the complete sound interview with Mwingi Times editor Musyoka Ngui. 

To access his songs on YouTube, visit Tseikuru Stars page and subscribe for sizzling hits. This is the link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQy-WfDmSI4

Mwingi Times found some of his fans listening to his music on smartphones.  Others openly wondering where he was from before they cut the curious enquiry with a request to be sent his audio and video productions being shared on social media.

Some of Moses' early releases are Nau na Mwaitu, Susu Ngwatie Mwana and Reserve Kiwanzani. Tseikuru Stars latest song was produced three days ago. It is called Ngai Enda Tukonana.

To showcase his singer's dancing prowess, the one-minute long dance jig called Kwa Mumanzi Ute Mbesa attracted 16,000 viewers showing the online numbers Tseikuru Stars is growing by the day.

On Saturday January 8, we caught up with the singer who is ever punctual for interviews as he is for his classes.

After composing more than 100 songs and not getting anywhere to record them, his friend Kitema Tsunami encouraged him not to give up.

His new hits have been received well as witnessed in Mwingi entertainment joints and public service vehicles.

Due to the public nature of performance, Mutua admits that he his nowadays more noticeable and acknowledges greetings when he checks into some of his favourite spots to unwind.

He has received invitations to sing in schools, initiation ceremonies and political events. He honours most which don’t clash with teaching, his main profession. “Unlike my teaching profession which is limited, in music, I interact with most members of the community”, he says.

Kilyungi remembers that a land conflict near his school last year caused it to be shut down for a day when area residents clashed with a land owner who had barricaded the passage. Children were unable to reach school as was required by the teacher on duty. 

“Ngusyanisyo syaatake long duration of time but during the first day, our pupils were late in coming to school.

Some of our pupils and ourselves feared walking near graves since we believe that we will be haunted by spirits of the dead”, says the Tseikuru Stars singer.

On the day police and local administrators came to solve the land tussle, teaching at Ilioni primary school was disrupted the whole day.

Moses has monetized his YouTube channel for it to promote his music. He also does comedy skits.

His followers on social media can search for Tseikuru Stars on YouTube or his name Moses Kilyungi Mutua for all the entertainment available from the singer straight from the digital repository.

The band has boosted businesses in Tseikuru town as bars and restaurants get featured in his songs. Tseikuru Stars band recorded music in the exquisite Prime Breeze restaurant. They also did the same in Kwa Mwendwa Katui.

“There are attractive sceneries in Tseikuru. Some of great music production centres we did were at Kwa Mwendwa wa Katui where we played with the likes of Mulingata and Jacky and other dancers I was with.

From there we went to Wape’s Prime Breeze restaurant where we performed well too”, he says.

Local primary schools were able to apply their Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) skills during the shooting of Tseikuru Stars songs. They include Ilioni and Kalimbui primary schools whose students danced and sang as the local Benga stars were on set.

Kilyungi says that his music is inspired by Vuusya Ungu. He adds that Vuusya Ungu’s skills in music composition is what attracts him to his music.

Reaching climax

“His songs are done in a way where a story reaches climax and he succeeds against many odds. We even forget that it was a dream he was telling us about.

We just hear his chorus where he says …Na nguvinduka which is very interesting to listen to”, explains Kilyungi dressed in stripped shirt and dark blue jeans while fiddling with his phone as he stresses a point.

Kilyungi would like Ukambani radio and television stations to play his songs in order to grow his band wider.

Most of Tseikuru Stars challenges revolve around lack of capital.  Kilyungi tells Mwingi Times that he has 10 A4-books full of unrecorded music compositions which would be entertaining listeners in Ukambani and beyond if he had money to produce the songs.

He contrasts Kitui with Makueni and Machakos counties saying that the latter support musicians from inception but usually, in Kitui, prospective investors and sponsors listen to your music and don’t pay anything. He challenges them to offer meaningful support to local content creators as happens in other counties in Ukambani and Nairobi City.

Moses Kilyungi Mutua desires to grow his band and equip its singing with new musical instruments. Again, the biggest challenge here is money.

He tells Mwingi Times in this exclusive edition: I don’t have equipment for music production. But we say panapo nia pana njia (where there is will, there is way).

Since I have a desire to sing, come what may, I must keep doing so despite the challenges I face. Those touched by my songs will boost me in the ways they can afford to.”, says Tseikuru Stars lead singer.

Tseikuru Stars has employed locals in its production and aspires to expand to other areas. In return, its fans will benefit more with brand new songs and replays of its classics.

STORY By MUSYOKA NGUI, EDITED By BONIFACE MWANIKI