Every year there seem to be artists that define the zeitgeist, who capture the public consciousness and become part of everyday life. In the age of streaming and slaughtered attention spans, it’s damn hard for an artist to break from the pack and carve their name into the culture, but that didn’t stop them from trying. From seasoned veterans to electric newcomers to high-flying superstars, these are the artists who set the pace in 2025, and if momentum means anything, 2026 is theirs to level up.

The selection process prioritized two hard metrics: commercial success and cultural relevance. Commercial success was measured by tracking consumption across major streaming platforms and aggregating total views on official YouTube channels. This performance data was then balanced by assessing cultural impact, which included evaluating an artist’s visibility through social media trends, positive reception in the press and on radio, and their proven ability to attract audiences to live shows and performances. This is not a definitive ranking, but a list of the artists who were impactful in Kenyan music in 2025.

1. IYANII

Throughout his career, Iyanii has mastered the art of creating anthems, songs that spread with a virality you can’t manufacture, and 2025 proved to be his best year yet. His monster hit “Donjo Maber” was literally inescapable, it was played on radio, public transport, night clubs, concerts and became a mainstay on social media with hundreds of thousands of videos using the song. He didn’t stop there. Riding high on the success of “Donjo Maber” he released “Rumours”, once again with Dufla, and he had another hit on his hands. Dufla has figured the formula to good times and good music, and in 2025 his music has been the soundtrack to the happiest moments.

2. MAD G

You couldn’t go anywhere on the internet in the second half of 2025 without hearing a Mad G song on someone’s story or post. The rapper was the soundtrack of whining waists and gyrating hips. Coming to popularity as part of the viral sensation “Wakudumu” group, Mad G has managed to carve out his own niche as a solo artist with a steady work ethic, pushing out dancehall and gengetone tracks that are designed for the club and TikTok trends, with great success on this front. Not only is his music catchy but his lyrics have become part of popular lexicon, with phrases such as “Unataka style gain msupa” and “Uko na Kwela fine/ Uko na figure fine” getting a life of their own beyond just the music. Mad G’s slow-but sure approach to his craft has positioned him as one of the defining acts of Kenyan music in 2025 and hopefully for years to come. 

3. BIEN

You know the phrase that the rich keep getting richer, that’s exactly what happened with Bien. The Sauti Sol member has continued to maintain his dominance at the top of Kenyan music with another banner year. With over 1 million monthly listeners across streaming platforms and millions of views on YouTube, Bien is still the numbers juggernaut he has always been. But 2025 made him into something new, the chart-whisperer, the hit song alchemist, the man you went to if you need heavy rotation. Artists such as Matata, Suldaan Seeraar, Mariooo and even Diamond Platnumz have collaborated with Bien to create massive hits across East Africa. As he continues to expand his reach all over the world, 2025 is proof that the sky is the limit for Bien. 

4. TOXIC LYRIKALI

Love him or hate him, you cannot ignore him. Toxic Lyrikali has had one of the biggest years for an artist in recent memory. After bubbling under in 2024, where he was more of a “if you know you know” type of artist, he exploded into the public consciousness in 2025, with Backbencher becoming the unofficial national anthem for the better part of the year. Even after stirring divisive reactions in a politically charged moment, Toxic Lyrikali has been unstoppable in 2025, dropping hit after hit and arguably the song of the year. And he’s only warming up, so you might as well buckle in.

5. ZAITUNI

Is it really Kenyan music if there isn’t a young woman crooning over the highs and lows of being in love. Zaituni became the voice of the hopeless romantics in 2025, providing the song of the summer in “Tamu” and giving us the reference material for our forlorn hearts with “Labor Of Love”. Zaituni has cemented herself as one of the premier romance songwriters in Kenya this year by releasing a critically acclaimed EP, having a hit single and stealing the spotlight as a guest on the smash hit “DND” by We Are Nubia. 2025 was the year of the rebrand for Zaituni and also the year where she stepped into her voice as one of the leading artists in Kenyan music.

6. WAKADINALI

At this point in time, you have to accept that Wakadinali will have something to say in the Kenyan music space each year. In 2025. it has not been any different, in fact this year they have been front and center in the swirling maelstrom that defines Kenyan entertainment. They released their much-anticipated album, Victims Of Madness 2.0 to much critical and commercial success. With this album came the singles. Across the year, the trio released cuts from the album with “Hizi Stance” “Tamashani” and “Kum Baba” becoming crossover hits. It’s not just the hits that matter, Wakadinali are still the voice of the streets, commanding respect from both the streets and their peers and they continue to have the industry in a chokehold. 

7. WATENDAWILI

Kenyan music has had a noticeable gap at the top ever since Sauti Sol announced their indefinite hiatus. In 2025, though, someone finally stepped into that space. Watendawili have been the MVPs of the year, music so dominant it’s basically become the soundtrack of this whole solar cycle. Onyach Pala and Ywaya Tajiri have been working hard this year, with the boys literally being everywhere all at once. Building up on their 2024 album Enroute, the duo continued to rule the airwaves with hit songs on their supergroup album, Kodong Klan as well as appearances on songs by Charisma, Maya Amolo, Vic West, Serro, Iyanii, Matata, Tipsy Gee, Mandy, DJ Mura, Ally Fresh and many more.

It is this work ethic and high standards of delivery that have turned the former Sol Generation signees into Kenya’s most formidable artists and desirable collaborators. Onyach and Ywaya share a collective willingness to constantly improve as artists and this can be seen in their solo work, as a duo and even in their supergroup where they have become a shining light among stars, 2025 has definitely been the year of Watendawili.