Meet the new singer Akothee has signed to her new label Akothee Empire

Akothee is spreading her wings and surrounding herself with new talent.

The singer has just her first artists who goes by the name Ziky Mtanah. The two already have a song out dubbed “Basi” which they have been going around media house promoting.

Tough life

But the story behind how Akothee met the Coast-based rising star Ziky Mtanah has more emotions behind it.

“Ilikua ni kwa station moja Mombasa. Madam alikua ameenda interview, nilikua nishawai fanyiwa interview hapo kwa hiyo station. Wakashare story yangu na mum. Mum ikamtouch akamwambia huyo mtangazaji anaitwa Chris, akamwambia nitafutie huyu kijana. Hata nilipopigiwa simu ya kwamba Akothee anakutafuta, ilikua mahali nilikua kwa mjengo nikifanya kazi ya mjengo. Nikaona simu inaita, naangalia hivi naona ni chris. Niliposhika hivi Chris akaniambia natafutwa na Akothee. Nikashangaa kwani kuna nini, akaniambia anataka nirudi studio. Mum alikua amewapea fare ya kunitumia ndio niende.” said the singer. 

Ziky Mtanah is an orphan earning just 200 bob before meeting Akothee.

“I was earning Sh200 a day to feed my brother and even record my music. When I met Akothee, she supported me so much to expand a business I was running selling vegetables, and I even moved from the Sh800 house I was living in,” Ziky said.

“Ngoma yake ilicheza kwanza nikapata goosebumps. Nikasema who is this, so Chris akaniambia ni msanii kutoka Mombasa. Ndio akanipatia story yake I got touched. I think I broke down in the studio,” Akothee said.

Akothee added:

“I wasn’t thinking of signing anyone because music is very heavy in the first place. For the record label it’s not for me to make money actually but just to bring and nurture talents because there’s so much talent down in Mombasa, I’ll tell you for free. There are people who sing better than Chris Brown or Beyonce but these guys first of all have no motivation, there’s nobody seeing them. People are looking at artistes who have already build a brand which is completely wrong. So when I went to the studio and heard his song and story, it really touched me and I said I’m gonna hold the hand of this boy. The challenge I’m getting about him that most Kenyan artistes don’t have is patience. He’s a very patient guy.”

Watch their song below: