Inyani

Inyani (born Denis Inyani Kuta) is an Afro-reggae artist from Kenya.

Inyani started singing at the age of six in his school choir, his natural talent soon became evident and he was given leading roles. While at school he formed an Accapella band called Emmanuels Clan (now Yunasi). The band released two albums “Nang'i Amana, My Land My Life” in 2002 and “Nairobi, The Sounds of Sesube” in 2007. Yunasi was announced as prize-winners at the prestigious US International Songwriting Contest for the song Ji Opogore (The Difference of People), obtaining third-place in the World Music category out of 16,000 entries from all over the world. Yunasi were nominated for an all-African Kora award in South Africa in 2003 and won the Kisima Award in 2004 for best afro-fusion band in Kenya.

Inyani sings in Swahili, English and Luhya. From 2001 Inyani performed with Yunasi in Kenya and France, the Afro Festival in Wurzburg Germany, Belgium, Mayotte, the Horn fest in Djibouti and at Sauti Za Busara the Swahili Music Festival in Zanzibar. Yunasi was known for their vocal harmonies and soulful contemplative pumping explosive rythms that guaranteed satisfaction to those listening and dancing. The band became famous for the songs Ji Opogore and Usilewe. With the help of Gerard Saby, the French Cultural Center Director in Nairobi, the band started touring around Africa and Europe. Collaborations included with the French singer, Nicoletta to perform concerts in Nairobi and Paris, with Roland Campenhout in the album atomic power which won the best folk album in the 2006 Belgian ZAMU Awards. This was preceded by joint concerts in Nairobi and Belgium.

He also toured with Kenyan singer Suzana Owiyo playing at various festivals, the World Trade Expo in Japan, Zanzibar International Film Festival, the annual Corporate Council on Africa Summit in Baltimore, Maryland USA, Kenyan week at the French Cultural Center Alliance Paris. He also played with the jazz band Outside In from Switzeland, Natalie Warren of the Soul Force Project and the late kenyan jazz singer Achieng Abura.

Inyani moved to Europe where he is now based and formed the band Shakatribe which became a big success on the famous island of Ibiza in Spain. The band is know for its energetic live performances which led to playing at various festivals in Ibiza, Madrid, Barcelona and Austria alongside reggae and skar greats; Skatalites, Manu Chao, John Holt and more. Inyani was invited to help create a band to raise awareness on inhuman living conditions of refugees in Holland where they played alongside Alpha Blondy and Salif Keita. The band managed to help improve the living conditions of the asylum seekers in Holland. He later moved back to Ibiza where he embarked on a new musical journey, he met a friend and recorded the album Ingoma NaLengoMúsico which saw them sign a record deal with German record label Ozella Music. The band won the Acoustic Indie Award for best Cd 2016 with the album Ingoma.

Inyani has embarked on a solo...