Kenyan group Matata releases debut album Super Morio 

The band, comprising Marcus Ojiambo, Ken Kimathi, Richie Mathu, Freddie Milanya and Festus Mwenda, has curated a hero-anchored body of work. The music echoes the members’ Kenyan heritage, ingenuity and zeal, highlighting their victories and struggles in pursuit of dreams. 

The 15-track album cuts across Afropop, gengetone and global sounds, portraying Matata’s unique and distinct style that mixes English and Swahili with melodies and rhythms from different communities of Kenya. 

Matata’s new album features collaborations with Kenyan artists Sauti Sol, Okello Max, Wakadinali and Phy. Also included in the project are British reggae artist Liam Bailey and British-Ghanaian artist Akuvi. 

The album’s intro stands out in that it is a special collaboration with the band members’ mothers. “This is a dream come true; we never imagined one day featuring our mothers in one of our songs,” Matata said. “On the track, they take a trip down memory lane on each of our own journeys traversing childhood to adulthood. Our mothers have truly been the rock of our lives. We would not be living our dreams if it weren't for their visions. When naysayers told us that making a living off as an artist was an unrealistic dream, our mothers saw the vision. Unbowed by physical boundaries, diverse in musicality and unified in art, we are doing what we love because of their reassurance.”

“Super Morio” is a Kenyan slang for ghetto superhero. The word “morio” refers to an ordinary young person from an impoverished neighbourhood. As such, the album is an ode to a hero from the ghetto who is striving every day to bring change in the community. 

Matata members grew up in different parts of Kenya. Despite various challenges, they worked hard to make sense of their lives and become upright members of society while pursuing their dreams of becoming artists. 

They make music they hope will positively impact their communities and influence societies in general. They are now the “Super Morios” of their communities and are marking a major career milestone with the release of this incredible project. 

The group was founded in 2016 when the members, who coincidentally knew each other from Kenya, met in Oslo, Norway, where each of them had gone to pursue further education. 

The members who were active participants in the Kenyan dance scene prior to moving to Norway decided to join forces and form the Matata crew to become a recognised dance outfit in Norway.

In 2017, the group slowly started combining the art of dance and music in their performances. But it was not until 2018 that the group started recording music and released their first single ‘Denge’ in August 2019.