Six Kenyan artists selected from an initial pool of 30 musicians are set to release a joint album after completing months of mentorship, songwriting, recording and performance training.
The artists — Muringi Matheri, Manasseh Shalom, Zawadi, Chris Barr, Njuguna and Ras Amor — will release their collective album, Safari Ya Mapenzi, at the end of August 2026.
The project is the culmination of Base to Billboardz (B2B), a career development programme that brought together emerging musicians with established momentum in the industry.
The six artists were selected from 30 musicians shortlisted by a panel of industry experts, including Kenyan singer Bien, before public participation and further evaluation resulted in the formation of the inaugural B2B collective.
Unlike a conventional music competition, the programme focuses on helping artists build sustainable careers through mentorship, professional development, recording opportunities and exposure to the music industry.
The artists have undergone training in vocals, songwriting, dance, performance and the business side of music. They have also taken part in professional recording sessions, masterclasses and other industry experiences.
The programme targets musicians who have already demonstrated traction, requiring participants to have released music, live performance experience, at least one million career streams and a growing fan base.
The six artists recently gave industry stakeholders and fans a preview of their work during an exclusive listening party at Tusker Micro Brewery in Nairobi.
The event followed a July performance at K1 Klub House, where the artists showcased some of the original music developed during the programme.
Christine Kariuki, Head of Mainstream Beer at Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL), said the artists had shown significant growth throughout the programme.
“It has been inspiring to see how much the artists have grown throughout the Base to Billboardz journey, both individually and as a collective,” Kariuki said.
“We are looking forward to the album launch, where audiences will get to experience the full body of work and celebrate the talent, creativity and hard work that has gone into bringing this project to life.”
The release of Safari Ya Mapenzi will be followed by a public album launch concert in early September, giving fans an opportunity to see the six artists perform their new material.
The artists will then take their music across the country during the Oktobafest 2026 tour in October.
The album marks the latest stage in the artists' development from individual performers into a collective act, with the programme giving them an opportunity to collaborate, experiment with new sounds and develop their individual identities.
The project also highlights a growing focus within Kenya's music industry on developing artists beyond simply recording and releasing songs, with the programme incorporating performance, songwriting and business skills alongside studio work.
For the six musicians, the release of Safari Ya Mapenzi now provides an opportunity to turn months of training and collaboration into a project that can be taken directly to Kenyan audiences.