As part of the same partnership, Spotify and COLORSxSTUDIOS had a week-long writing camp in Nairobi, Kenya during the first week of October, bringing together singers, songwriters and producers from Africa and the diaspora. Nairobi R&B fans were treated to a party on 6 October, wrapping up the writing camp, and celebrating the genre and its amazing artists. Afro R&B is one of the growing genres in Africa, and in Kenya specifically, it is in the top five most streamed genres. 

First up is singer-songwriter Lisa Oduor-Noah, who performed her single For Keeps, a song she wrote in 2017. In Lisa’s own words, “it’s crazy when some of your wildest dreams, things that you looked at from so far away, actually happen”. Lisa is currently on the cover of Tantalizers, Spotify Africa’s flagship R&B playlist, and the home of all the original A COLORS SHOW recordings. Her full performance, and video is live at https://colorsxstudios.com/artists/lisa-oduor-noah.

Xenia Manasseh, also a singer-songwriter and a Spotify RADAR artist, takes the stage next with her enchanting vocals, and relatable lyrics. On Wild Ride, a song she wrote in 2022, Xenia transports the listeners on a journey that reflects her personal experiences. The artist, who has written songs for some of the industry’s big names, encourages her audience to “keep dreaming, and keep following your dreams”. 

“This is the first time that any Kenyan artist is performing on A COLORS SHOW and we are honored to have been able to bring this collaboration to life. Our mission of elevating African artists to global stages continues, and we cannot wait for audiences all around the world to discover the amazing R&B talent that Kenya has to offer,” says Monica Kemoli-Savanne, Spotify’s Artist & Label Partnerships Manager, East Africa.

There is still a lot more in store, so fans should watch this space, and check out Spotify Africa to know when new episodes drop.