EXCLUSIVE: Don’t make music for TikTok trends – Lil Maina
By Josephine NjorogeKenyan Arbantone rising star Lil Maina has recently shared an exclusive insight into his artistic philosophy in an interview with Nairobi News. Known for his authentic approach to music, the artiste emphasized the importance of creating music organically rather than tailoring it for TikTok trends.
In a time when TikTok songs dominate the charts and influence the music landscape, Lil Maina stands firm in his belief that music should flow naturally from within, free from the constraints of aiming solely for viral fame. “I wouldn’t encourage anyone to make music for TikTok trends because music is natural,” he passionately expressed. “It’s meant to happen without the pressure of ‘I want it to trend.'”
Lil Maina emphasized the significance of allowing the creative process to unfold without the burden of conforming to trends. For him, the heart and soul of music lie in its authenticity, not in chasing fleeting viral moments.
He advocates for artistes to focus on their craft, letting their creativity drive the composition, rather than strategically tailoring songs to fit the criteria of what might become a TikTok sensation.
While acknowledging the allure of achieving viral success on TikTok, Lil Maina encourages aspiring musicians to prioritize the purity of their creative vision. “If something hits in the end, well and good, but let the music-creating process be natural,” he added.
In February 2022, Lil Maina, whose real name is Jeremy Maina opened up on the possibility of quitting the music industry, following a promise he made to himself.
In a question and answer session with his fans, Maina disclosed that he had promised himself to quit music when one of his songs top charts in the country and he achieved that with his single, ‘Kishash’.
“Dropping any song this year? I want you to drop another banger for me because I’m finishing high school,” a fan told Lil Maina.
The celebrity replied with: “I stopped making music.”
In a separate interview with Tonnie Murithi, Maina reiterated the sentiment, stating that he would never release another song.
“Naacha muziki. Nilikuwa nimejiambia nitaacha music wakati ngoma yangu moja itakuwa number one (I’ve stopped recording music. I had vowed to leave the music industry as soon as one of my songs became a number one hit).
“So I’m done and I’ll never release another song. Nimeachive kile nilikuwa nadai (I’ve achieved what I had wanted),” Lil Maina explained.
Lil Maina rose to fame after videos of him pranking his grandparents went viral.
The content creator has been making the most absurd videos since 2018, taking online comedy to a new level with his antics, which are actually part and parcel of his lyrics as we have grown to find out.
In 2022, Maina’s Kishash ft Ndovu Kuu managed to clock over 1 million views on YouTube in just 19 days. Kishash was also the top streamed track on Spotify after being released officially on December 31, 2021.
Also read: Creative Hands triumph in Sakaja Super Cup ‘slum derby’
Murkomen clarifies ‘Ruto must go’ chants at Baringo Governor’s Cup