Four Under 25 stars who are flying Kenyan flag high
The youths are indeed the future! And the future is unwritten. It is also right around the corner. If, as science fiction author William Gibson once said, it is not evenly distributed, more and more young people around the world are reaching toward it to shape it, improve it, and make it more equitable.
Thankfully, Kenya is blessed with many young people who talented, bold and visionary. These young people have not only made a name for themselves during the toughest of times, but they also stamped their signatures everywhere in the world.
Nairobi News profiles for Kenyan youths under the age of 25 who are currently flying the Kenyan flag high:
Azziad Nasenya – The 22-year-old is the undisputed TikTok Queen. Little wonder she was nominated for the People’s Choice Award in 2021. This after she had introduced herself to the world a year earlier with the viral Utawezana challenge from the famous hit by rappers Mejja and Femi One. The club banger sent shock waves because of its sexual undertones prompting the then Kenya Film Classifications Board CEO Ezekiel Mutua to call for its ban.
But Azziad grabbed the opportunity and shot a video of herself gyrating her waist to the song and posted it on her TikTok account. We all now know it went viral. And we also know that she instantly became famous with a massive fortune to boot.
According to his mother, the multitalented Trio Mio started writing songs in grade seven but he only came to the limelight in 2020 during the pandemic with the hit Cheza Kama Wewe which currently has more than 10 million views on YouTube.
Elsa Majimbo – The internet comedian’s satirical monologues usually feature her eating potato crisps, leaning back on a pillow and using a pair of tiny 1990’s sunglasses as a prop.
Elsa, who is just 22, became an online sensation in early 2020 during the Covid-19 lockdown period by making home-based funny quarantine videos. In February 2021, she partnered with luxury brand Valentino. By the end of that year, she had received endorsements from both Fenty and MAC. She has relocated to the USA.
Nikita Kering – The 20-year-old songbird started shining at an early age. It all began way back in 2012 when, during an album launch by Emmy Kosgey, Nikita gave a critically acclaimed performance to a huge audience. Afterwards, she signed a record deal with EmPawa Africa and was selected to undergo an international training and mentoring programme.
Nikita became a finalist during the contest, but was deemed too young to compete at the highest stage. Nonetheless, it thrust her into the limelight and the RnB sensation went on to release her first hit song in 2021. The song titled Ex earned her a nomination at the Afrima Awards.
Today she is not only known in Africa but across the world. Her latest major milestone is appearing on the Times Square screen in New York on November 21.
Trio Mio – The 18-year-old whose real name is Mario TJ Kasela, is a fast-rising gengetone rapper who is presently giving veterans such as King Kaka, Mejja and Khaligraph Jones a run for their money.