The much anticipated Pamoja Festival headlined by Jamaican songstress Etana failed to live up to the hype.
The event billed as the first post curfew concert had it’s ups and downs that saw many revellers go home disappointed. A poorly organised event, a new album and a non- enthusiastic crowd threatened to spoil it all.
While the event was set to start at mid day on Saturday 30th October 2021 at the Ngong Racecourse, many concert goers arrived well after 7pm to an almost dead concert. Reason being, a go slow by the sound organisers and Kenyan acts who were demanding their dues before the main act made her entrance to the stage. Top Kenyan artists who were meant to curtain raise, didn’t perform much to the dismay of fans.
Finally, at midnight, the Grammy nominated singer graced the stage belting out tunes from her new album ‘Pamoja’ featuring songs like ‘Malaika’ and ‘Baby O’ featuring Vybz Kartel. The crowd went wild when Etana performed popular hits like ‘Weakness In Me’, ‘My Man, ‘I Rise’, ‘Wifey’ and ‘Happy Heart’.
Despite everything, Etana gave a good show, her vocal prowess, stage presence and dancing kept the crowd upbeat for two hours. She paid tribute to Bob Marley with ‘Redemption Song’ and spread the message of hope with ‘Better tomorrow’. Kenyan stars Naiboi and Wyre joined Etana on stage to help her perform their collabos from the album ‘Legacy’ and ‘The One’ respectively.
Speaking to during an interview with The Sauce after the concert, Etana expressed her gratitude to her Kenyan fans for always supporting her. She admitted that the most of the crowd hadn’t warmed up to her new album saying, “I could see that the younger fans like the new music but the older generation was struggling to keep up and wanted the old hits.”
“I’m so happy to be back in Kenya and I especially loved performing ‘Malaika’ and all the other wonderful songs,” said Etana on her fourth performance in the country.
In a previous interview with The Sauce, Etana spoke about her love for the motherland and the inspiration for her new album ‘Pamoja’ meaning Together in Swahili. ‘Pamoja’ is one of the reggae albums bring considered for a Grammy.
