In honour of all those kindred souls who helped mould us

I have felt like an outsider my entire life, at times because of my introversion or being a refugee, at times because of my blackness or my queerness – or any combination thereof.

The official music video for “Youth,” directed by Mbithi Masya.

Along the way, I have met kindred spirits who live unapologetically, teaching by example that it is ok to be who you are without compromise and to be proud of the things that make you different.

My new single, “Youth,” is about struggling to, but ultimately finding one’s voice and choosing to use it, whether it falls on deaf ears or not.

“Youth” was written in honour of all those kindred souls who helped mould us, some of who we have unfortunately lost along the way.

When I wrote “Youth,” I immediately knew that I wanted to have the visuals shot in Kenya where I grew up. The song’s music video features dancers from a ballet school located in the middle of the Kibera slum in Nairobi, minutes away from where I grew up.

When I first saw a film about this school, I was brought to tears watching the kids persevere and make the best out of their circumstances as they learned a completely foreign art form in an environment that did not encourage or facilitate it, to say the least. It resonated strongly with me, that feeling of being different but learning to march in one’s own truth.

I hope that as you listen, you experience a sense of nostalgia which churns up all of the emotions – happiness and joy, sadness, loss, but ultimately – triumph.