The Million-Shilling Deal That Caused Le Band’s Breakup
The breakup of the once-promising music group, Le Band, was ultimately driven by money. The group, consisting of Fidel Eli Shammah (Charisma), Ken Mwendwa (the bassist), and Joel Maina, gained prominence in 2017 with the release of their hit song *Number 1*. The success of the track catapulted them to fame, earning them substantial income from club gigs and performances.
According to Charisma, after releasing *Number 1*, the demand for their performances surged, with the band getting at least two bookings a week, alongside mid-week club appearances. As their popularity grew, so did their rates, jumping from Sh100,000 per gig to Sh250,000.
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At the time, things looked promising for their career, which had struggled to take off since they started making music in 2014. However, as they geared up to take their success to the next level, Le Band secured their first lucrative deal – a Sh1.2 million gig at the South African Embassy. Charisma recalls being blown away by the deal, which exceeded their usual Sh250,000 rate card.
Despite this high-paying opportunity, the deal eventually led to the band’s demise. Charisma proposed that they reinvest half of the money (Sh500,000) into their music and brand, while splitting the remaining amount. However, his bandmates insisted on dividing the full amount equally.
Feeling outnumbered and believing that his colleagues were not focused on building the band’s future, Charisma decided it was time to leave and pursue a solo career. He explained that as the lead singer and primary songwriter, he was often overruled in group decisions, which left him frustrated.
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The situation became more evident when one of the band members got a job and stopped attending performances. Charisma, often left to practice alone, was eventually encouraged by a drummer to go solo, marking the end of his journey with Le Band.
