“I’m the chosen one,” says Elisha Wasaga, named after his grandfather, a legendary Nyatiti player.
Born with the gift of the strings, his music rang true over the weekend at the Wasaga XP show, holding fans in the clutches of every pluck, during the launch and live performance of his first album, Suba Star. A performance too good, we sought to know the story of arguably one of the best Luo-Pop artists.
From the hills of Suba, by the lake at Sindo, the artist says his upbringing, besides the spirit of music in the family, has profoundly had an effect on his sound.
“I’ve always tried to model my music to have a sound rooted in Africa but meant for the world,” says Elisha, who started music as a lead guitarist in high school, in a band that wasn’t short of vocalists.
“I had to step up, and after campus, I decided to give the world the full Suba star, Songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist,” he says of a journey fueled by success and above all, “favor.”
“God doesn’t give you a dream when there is nothing in there for you,” he adds.
In a world often consumed by the rat race, where any second of dallying may sweep you under, Wasaga says music is the remedy to a troubled heart.
“That is why I seek to make music that resonates with every individual, whatever the demography,” he says, pointing out the tracks in his latest project.
“From the first single, At 24 to Nitafika to Zero Pressure, it’s all about giving hope and a serious campaign against negative societal pressure and depression,” he explains.
And that is why, after a modest period in the cutthroat business, he has managed to work with heavyweights like Coster Ojwang, Okello Max, Watendawili, among others.
“It’s a cloud of goodwill, besides the quality of my work, that has opened these doors.”
Mentioning KodongKlan’s role in an industry set for global dominance, Wasaga says he’d like to do more collaborative projects and hopes to work with more female artists, saying a collabo with Njerae is a dream project.
“The world is not ready for us,” he adds.
Asked about what it takes to host a successful show in a business riddled with constraints, he says, the work heats up way before the day of the show.
“For instance, the Wasaga XP at K1 Klub clocked 90 hours at rehearsals. Crazy? Yes. But the fans deserve value not only for their money, but also time,” he says, adding that his ideal show has equal value.
“The audience gets value for their money, and every artist and creative involved gets paid fairly.”
However, despite the effort artists put into their craft, Wasaga notes that financial returns rarely reflect the quality of production. He calls for more investment in distribution to attract investors across the value chain and collaboration projects with foreign markets.
He adds that this can only be achieved by the fans, who have built an enviable community, a community that is more than just music, but family.
“We’re going to conquer the world together. It’s just a journey we’ve started and it’s going all the way.”
With roots firmly in Suba and his eyes set on the global stage, Wasaga is carving out a place for Luo-Pop in the world’s soundscape
