A certain unstated antagonism threatens the exploration of love in Kenyan music. It comes from the perception of the theme as cliché or the view of it as over-examined in art in general. This results in the err perception of romance in music as an insular phenomenon. But recent times have seen the rise of multi-hyphenated Kenyan musicians daring enough to use their profound inimitable vocal breadths to explore the theme widely and deeply. One of these artists is Xenia Manasseh. Stepping into the limelight of mainstream Kenyan music in 2019 with the well-received debut single Niambie, Xenia has grown in the years since then to become an artist revered for displaying a respectable emotional fortitude through exploring vulnerability in her music with an unhinged outspokenness. This is partly why her debut album, Love / Hate Pt 1, was one of the most anticipated projects among those set for release in 2023.
Love / Hate Pt. 1 boasts an impressive lineup of 11 tracks which set a high bar and exceed it. The intro track, titled G.I’s Intro, is a nod to Xenia’s coastal Kenya roots. The Swahili track was written by Mombasa-born Juma Tutu of the popular Kenyan band ‘The Swahili Jazz Band’. The Swahili Jazz Band, started by Tutu in 2003, makes Swahili jazz music inspired by the Swahili culture of the Kenyan and East-African coast. G.I’s Intro features Xenia’s grandfather Edgar Manasseh.
The second track ‘Soul Lovers’ sees Xenia return to her blueprint RnB aesthetic. She sings the memorable lyrics, “I won’t say I’m looking for love /But everything you’ve got is more than enough / There’s just some things you never have to discuss”, delivering with melodic pizzazz. The follow up third song is the poised and warm Late Night Check Up, which features American-Nigerian artist Shalom Dubas, in the first of three collaborations in the Love / Hate Pt. 1 album.
Collaborations
The other two collaborations are with alternative RnB/Soul Kenyan artist Karun, and with Nigerian Neo-soul singer, songwriter and record producer Tay Iwar, in the songs Anticipate and Southwards respectively. Both are bass-heavy, containing lyrics that come out as frank explorations of personal feelings with Karun and Tay Iwar complimenting Xenia’s angelic voice in their characteristic cadences.
The sixth song in Love/ Hate Pt 1 is one I can easily rank among my favourite Kenyan songs of 2023. Titled Temporary Love, the song sees Xenia embrace her vocal prowess to capture the intricacies of ephemeral affection with utmost perfection.. And speaking of her unique aesthetic, the album’s interlude is an ethereal rendition of the popular Kenyan phrase ‘Cheza Chini’ (keep it lowkey). In Cheza Chini, Xenia teases the listener with her honed ability to take something simple and infuse it with new life. As she does this, she leads you into the 8th track, which was originally released in December 2020 as a single.
In Lowkey, the eighth track, Xenia nudges a familiar stranger to keep their romance on the down low away from the complications of reality. I find it a bit ironic that Xe’s aspiration to maintain a secret and easygoing approach in this romance, symbolized by “keeping things lowkey,” is paradoxically reliant on soaring and riding the wave, away from the grounded shore. “Don’t wanna be grounded /Afraid of losing what we have /I’d rather be surrounded /Drowning in your loving”.
Precious, the second to last song, has a rhythm that draws a thin line between soul and alternative RnB. In Precious, Xenia showcases the brilliance of her songwriting abilities. The last track in Love / Hate Pt. 1 is titular, with silky-smooth vocals, top-notch production by Mombru, and a memorable hook , “Fake left / take right / Ain’t gonna fight / We can’t heal overnight / I don’t wanna be the one that’s losing you…”, allegorically exploring the lukewarm nature of romantic relationships.
In a world where art is used to reveal an artist’s philosophical standing or the lack thereof, the L.A. based Kenyan artist Xenia Manasseh instead, daringly uses hers to explore the vulnerability that comes with emotions we all experience at one point. Love / Hate Pt 1 presents an artist at the cusp of establishing a foothold on contemporary Kenyan RnB music. If you love good music, you will truly love ‘Love / Hate Pt. 1’. And if you love ‘love’, you will truly love Xenia Manasseh.
