Iyanii: I am known for alcohol hits songs, but I am not a drunkard
Singer Iyanii – real name Ian Oure – says he is not the drunkard many perceive him to be because of his hit songs.
Iyanii first came into the limelight last year when he released Above the Head/Leta Pombe, a song that went viral.
In the song, he glorifies alcohol.
His second hit Furaha was another jam that had everything to do with partying and drinking.
Iyanii would then release another hit, Vibes & Inshallah, which again seems to glorify alcohol consumption.
With the three songs that made him a star, the perception was that the singer was an alcoholic.
“Yes, I drink a bit, but I am not a drunkard. When I released my first hit, Leta Pombe, I had done a lot of love songs and wanted a change. It was for the festive season and I wanted something that the masses could relate to and that’s how I became famous,” he explains.
The If You Cheat on Me I Cheat on You hitmaker claims the songs have become popular because they resonate with the majority of urban Kenyans and have nothing to do with his personal lifestyle.
Also read: My born again boyfriend is a drunkard
Before he burst into the limelight, Iyanii did more live performances in small clubs and hotels.
“I’ve been doing music since 2009, it’s what I’ve been doing all my life. I am not new in the game as many people think. I wasn’t known because I was more of a live performer doing acoustic and sometimes with a live band playing guitar,” he adds.
As for his music career, the singer urges Kenyans to learn to support their own.
“There has been a narrative that Kenyan musicians produce mediocre music. I find that insulting because if someone feels that way, they should go to the studio and see what they can do. It takes a lot to be an artist, it is so wrong for someone to think like that because as an artist you invest time and resources to produce music.”
However, Iyanii notes that there is a time when artists blossom, but that is just part of the job.
“I mean, even Beyonce doesn’t release hits every day, but we don’t castigate her. Even Michael Jackson never released hits every time. It is high time that Kenyan fans change this notion that Kenyan music is mediocre. It takes a lot to create music.”