Author: Tela Wangeci

Coco Em has been in the industry for the past 10 years. With a discography ranging from house, afrobeats and even local music, she has been at the forefront championing Kenyan music. Starting out as a DJ in her bedroom making tunes for her sister, she has made a significant impact in defining the local culture with her curated mixes. 

An alumni of Santuri East African community (which is an academy geared towards teaching upcoming producers), she made her debut at the 2018 Boiler Room as a DJ gracing the dancefloor with electronic sound beds reflecting the Nairobi scene.

The DJ and producer released her debut album ‘Kilumi’  on April 21, 2022, which is a dedication to her motherland. The title features a roster of artists including MC Sharon and Wuod Baba who take pride in rapping in their native language on the album.

For 2023, Coco Em appeared as the curator appearing on the “In Conversation With…” panel and performed a DJ set for the live party. 

AMAKA caught up with the star for a brief one-to-one at Ballantine’s to hear about her time in the industry so far.

AMAKA: How do you feel after performing on the Boiler Room stage after five years? 

CE: I feel ecstatic; it only shows the growth of my craft. I often listen back to the set I did five years ago and I am in awe.  Currently, I would say my sound and style has morphed into something I love to do and I am sure of. When playing for Boiler Room five years ago, I was not as experienced as I am right now. 

AMAKA: Do clubs affect the performance of a song? 

CE: I would say they do. If I were to compare clubs to current times, I would say they were our first form of digital media. You consistently heard the song until it became part of you; you would go home and search for it because of its constant excitement you feel when you hear it. 

AMAKA: How do you think we can get the community to embrace and make space for more female DJs? 

CE: It takes time to be honest but with a little bit more education, we can balance all this. More community spaces can be opened up to educate more women in the space – this would be a great addition into adding more women in the scene. We are currently improving but we can get there. 

AMAKA: You recently faced challenges with your VISA, what do you wish/want the world to understand more about travelling as an African woman? 

CE: It's not even as an African woman but as an African; more exposure is needed. We shouldn’t suffer because we are from African countries. I think it's unfair.

AMAKA: Are there more women represented in the space? 

CE: Girl come on, look at us! Look at Dj Shock, Brandy Maina [etc], we are phenomenal ladies leading the space. The best thing is it's not only in the music scene but also in the whole entertainment realm.