Ivy Alexander

Ivy Alexander is a UK-based guitarist and composer born in Kenya, whose musical foundation was shaped by growing up in a musical family. Her work draws from R&B, jazz, and African rhythmic traditions, reflecting both her East African heritage and her engagement with contemporary global music scenes.

In 2019, Ivy was selected as a Fellow of the U.S. Department of State’s OneBeat music program, an international initiative supporting cultural exchange through music. She released her debut single “Pacha” in July 2020, followed by her debut EP Majira in September 2021. The six-track project features solo performances alongside collaborations with established Kenyan artists and highlights Nairobi’s diverse musical and cultural landscape.

Ivy has collaborated extensively across genres and borders. She was selected by the British Arts Council to collaborate with UK-based jazz musicians for the Safaricom International Jazz Festival (2018) and served as the house guitarist for Coke Studio Africa during the 2018/2019 season. In 2023, she joined UK jazz musician Yussef Dayes as a guest guitarist on his UK tour. In 2024, she was part of the residency band for Jazz Montez Festival in Frankfurt, Germany, and a member of the house band for Sol Fest, one of Kenya’s leading music festivals, in 2025 she appeared as a guest artist for Bien Aime at his O2 Indigo London performance.

Ivy has performed internationally across Ethiopia, Vietnam, Germany, the United Kingdom, Australia, Spain, and the United States, and continues to develop a distinctive voice as a guitarist within contemporary music.