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Why singer Wendy Kimani wants to come back to Kenya
Wendy Kimani admits to feeling years of 'guilt' for moving just as her career peaked, acknowledging that while the move was important for her marriage, the timing for her music was 'bad'.
Wendy Kimani first stepped into Kenya’s entertainment spotlight after her run on the once wildly popular Tusker Project Fame. She didn’t walk away with the Sh5 million prize — but her place in the TPF 2 finals proved just as powerful.
Riding that wave, Wendy began carving out her sound, dropping a string of hits that hinted at a glittering career ahead. Then, in 2014, just as her star was beginning to rise, she relocated to the Netherlands.
That wasn’t part of the plan. My music career was just starting to take off, leaving wasn’t even on my mind. I kept telling myself I’d be back before anyone really noticed I was gone. I had just gotten married, and my husband wanted us to relocate.
At first, I didn’t think leaving would affect my music career, but years later, I began to feel guilty. It was bad timing. But again, life has to happen, and I think that part of my life was important.
Also, at the time, I had grown a bit tired of music. I had been pushing so much to break into the game. I tell you, it's a harsh environment for female musicians out here in male-dominated spaces. I was intentional about keeping my boyfriend (now my husband) out of the public eye.
Back then, whenever a young Kenyan woman was dating a white man, the assumptions were many. People would say he must be old, or that she’s only there for the money. It was scary as I was a young girl, 21, still trying to find my footing and build my brand after TPF.
The last thing I needed was more noise around my personal life. I met my husband online. He sent me a friend request on MySpace, which existed before Facebook. I looked at the white guy, and I was like, ‘he doesn't look bad, and also, he is young,’ so I accepted the request. Then it started with light talking, then light flirting, and the rest is history. We dated for six years before getting engaged. The first time he ever set foot in Africa was to come see me. He comes from a place where everything runs on structure and order.
Then he lands in Kenya and walks straight into our beautiful, random chaos. Friends showing up at your door unannounced, spontaneous plans to go watch a football match, nights out, that stretch into clubbing without much planning. All that. He loved it.
But living in Kenya and visiting are two different things, and so he decided we both move Netherlands. I have just started getting booked for shows in the Netherlands, thanks to Afrobeats going global.
I have stuck to my style of Kenyan music, and that's what’s making me unique in the Netherlands amongst all these rock bands and EDM music that is common there. Music pays well in the Netherlands. Systems actually work; it's not like Kenya.
The system there shocked me. In the Netherlands, you can't do music if you don't have a registered company. You must be signed up to the Music Copyright Society. And you must also file your taxes.
Everything is structured, and that makes doing music a bit smoother compared to Kenya. However, just like in Kenya, some people will want to pay you with exposure. What I miss most is the Kenyan party life. Kenyans have a vibe about them that’s so contagious.
They are funny, and they will mingle even if they don't know each other. Kenyan strangers could easily party anywhere, even at a simple nyama choma base, and have a blast. In the Netherlands, it’s very difficult for strangers to mingle and party together and just have a good time.
We plan to move back and settle in Kenya. We are still heavily invested here that is why we are always coming back. We plan to retire here, away from the cold. Also in the Netherlands, there is a lot of loneliness. It’s common to see many old people alone, and that makes me sad. I wouldn't want that kind of life, and so moving is ideal because I know I will be close to my people.
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