BAKHITA
Bakhita is a multi-disciplinary Kenyan artist who vividly delves into descriptive sentences aimed at tugging all of your senses and scopes into perspective through a symphony of Urban Jazz, Afro Funk, and Neo Soul.
Their tone is husky and bright as they dominate multiple key ranges. Through their vocals, piano, visual art, set and conceptual design, Bakhita creates Afro Surrealist universes that challenge biased and discriminatory systems that affect marginalized communities: African women, LGBTQ+, sexual abuse victims, and mental health victims.
Their art is heavily influenced by their introspective nature, concerned about understanding the self, behavior and emotion; synonymously layered with reflective and insightful undertones, interweaving and borrowing from the muse of nature in the Kenyan Climate. Their message of light, rebirth and societal change enchants and inspires various consumers and creatives alike.
Since 2016, Bakhita has been making visual art pieces, later delving into stage design and installations designing stages at Kilifi New Year and Ongala Music Festival. Bakhita started professionally releasing music in 2018, releasing singles collaborating with diversely talented producers in Nairobi namely Lemi, m2thepower3, and Mr Lu, creative rapers like Nomad and the soulful singers Ku.Kim and Janice Iche. .
Their first EP, Color, was released in 2018 discussing the development and changing emotions in individuals on a path of self discovery and love. Featuring production by LEMI, mastering by Humanoid and features from Nomad and Ku.Kim.
September 2020 brought Chamo Mile: PYE, a story of the growth Bakhita has endured, the challenges they have faced along the way and a celebration of the faith they have mastered in themself for their being and artistry to flourish. Chamo Mile: PYEwas produced by LEMI and mix and mastered by Declared Sound (UK). A visual project featuring 3 songs from the EP, “Upstairs” “Dem Go Know” and “Will” showcases Bakhita’s synthesized talents in music, set design, and creative direction.
Conjunction: A Kiss GoodBye, an invitation to a melodic open ended conversation about humanity that was released in January 2021. It explores the need for cultivating genuine connections with our selves and care for the people and society around through binding together a beautiful mesh of song and conversation with their sibbling, Anuarite, a writer and poet who continuously nurtures Bakhita’s clarity in conversation. The cover art is a painting by Bakhita entitled “Calyso is free”; it is a reclamation of knowing and an exploration of intuition & movement.
Bakhita’s latest release Purge is an ode to reclamation of our human form where Bakhita invites the listener into a 7 track discovery to celebrate the endless dance between the elements of light and dark in our lives and the Fruits born of this movement version of our lives. It was released in December 2021 and the first video off the project “Anxiety’s Bitch” released in February 2022.
After a 2 year hiatus, Bakhita was able to return back to the scene in 2024 with a rejuvenating and transformative project called ‘Decay-Attack-Release.’ This 3 part project showed their growth within themselves and also highlighted their growth within their musicianship. The project was not only written by them but also self-produced. They also released a single ‘After Two,’ which is an ode to the love and excitement felt in the onset of relationships.
GENRE
Urban Jazz, Neo Soul, Afro funk
ORIGIN
Kenya
WEB: Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube| TikTok
DOWNLOAD: EP
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