Ayoub Ogada
South AfricaBiography of Ayub Ogada
Ayub Ogada is a Kenyan singer known for the softness and depth reflected in the meditative melodies of his album "En mana kuoyo". His journey to achieving such elegance, however, was long and challenging. As a representative of the Luo ethnic group, Ayub Ogada has always relied solely on his own free will. To express his inner world, all he needs is his voice, conversing with the spirit of the six-stringed lyre called nyatiti. This instrument is found throughout the countries located along the Nile coast and the Great Lakes region. The dexterity of his fingers, perfected during group performances on the djembe drums, forms the foundation of his artistic expression. Thanks to this, Ayub Ogada has learned to perform songs that reflect his heart and life.
He first heard these songs from his parents, who traveled to the United States, performing before university audiences. Upon returning home, however, he forgot them, immersing himself in the frenzy of the electric guitar. It was in London, during the difficult years of exile, that Ayub Ogada once again remembered the nyatiti lyre. In 1988, when the melodies of nyatiti echoed under the vaults of the London Underground, a proud Luo caught the attention of a man who offered him a performance at his festival. This led Ayub Ogada to Womad, and from there, it was just a step to the Real World studios. His journey can truly be described as a giant leap.
Ayub Ogada plays the nyatiti lyre and the djembe drums, and sings in the Luo and Swahili languages.
