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Elsy Wameyo, also known as ELSY, is a Kenyan Australian singer-songwriter and rapper, whose style ranges from hip hop to the fusion of traditional African music with contemporary rap and R&B. Based in Adelaide, South Australia, Wameyo was awarded Young Kenyan of the Year in 2018, and won People's Choice Best Hip Hop Award at the annual South Australian Music Awards in 2019. Her first studio album, Saints Sinner, was released in July 2024.

Early life

Wameyo was born in Nairobi, Kenya, and migrated to Australia with her family in 2006, when she was seven years old.

Music career

Wameyo has performed at Laneway and Groovin' the Moo festivals, and was a featured artist with triple j Unearthed. As of 2019 she was signed with the independent record label created by her mentor, Gabriel Akon, aka DyspOra, Playback 808, but her November 2021 single, "Nilotic", was released on the Music in Exile label.

Lady Leshurr and Masego have shown interest in her music, and she has also played alongside Adrian Eagle, Printz Board, Aminé, Sampa the Great, Hilltop Hoods, and Duckwrth. In October 2018, she appeared as ELSY, as one of two support acts for DOBBY (along with DyspOra) at Nexus Arts in Adelaide, as part of the OzAsia Festival.

Her work is informed by her strong belief in God, and she sees her talent as a gift from God. In 2019 she did not feel her African roots to be a huge influence on her music, but the response to her music in Kenya was enthusiastic when Akon took samples there. Her music is influenced by the gospel tradition as well as contemporary R&B, and in 2022 she cited Kendrick Lamar, Little Simz and Ludwig Göransson (who composed the music for the film Black Panther (film) as her biggest musical influences. She produces her own music, and directed her music video for her 2022 single "River Nile".

Her first single, "Intuition" was released in early 2018. This was followed by "Outcast" in November 2019 and "Pastor" in February 2020,. "Outcast" tells a personal story, largely based on the experience of growing up as an African in Australia, and the effect that racism has had on her and her peers. Both singles received positive reviews. It also explores the concept of "home" for African Australians.

She was studying full-time at university as of 2019, and also singing in her church. She spent some time travelling over the northern winter in 2019–2020, in Europe, the US and Kenya, during which she had a break from songwriting. Her 2020 single, "Pastor" uses an upbeat rhythm to explore feelings of anger, as she explores identity and belonging from the point of view of her parents, migrating to Australia.

She performed at WOMADelaide in March 2022.

Her first EP, Nilotic was released on 1 April 2022, featuring the singles "River Nile" and "Nilotic", and four other tracks. Its name is a nod to her Nilotic roots, and the title track (released November 2021 on the label Music in Exile) is more overtly political, addressing issues of culture, race and police brutality. She mentioned Ota Benga, Trayvon Martin and George Floyd as part of her inspiration for the track.

Her single "River Nile" is featured in the mobile football video game EFootball 24 as one of the in-game soundtracks.

In May 2024, Wameyo announced her debut studio album Saint Sinner would be released on 26 July 2024. The album, which was co-produced with Wuod Omollo and Polycarp Otieno, includes collaborations with musicians in the rural Naivasha region of Kenya as well as Nairobi singer Okello Max. The styles range from Afrobeat to the fusion of traditional African musical styles with contemporary rap and R&B.

Discography

Albums

Extended plays

As lead artist

As featured artist

Awards and nominations

• 2018: Winner, Young Kenyan of the Year at the Kenyan Association of South Australia (KASA)
• 2021: Winner, Carclew Creative Achievement Award at the 7NEWS Young Achiever Awards - SA

J Awards

The J Awards are an annual series of Australian music awards that were established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J. They commenced in 2005.

South Australian Music Awards

The South Australian Music Awards, also known as SA Music Awards, commonly SAM Awards, formerly Fowler's Live Music Awards (FLMA), are annual awards that exist to recognise, promote and celebrate excellence in the South Australian contemporary music industry.

References

1. ^ "Elsy Wameyo". WOMADelaide. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
2. ^ Smith, Matthew (9 June 2019). "A gift from God Kenyan-born Elsy Wameyo set to produce her debut EP". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
3. ^ Langford, Jackson (17 November 2021). "Elsy Wameyo shares new single 'Nilotic', a stirring ode to her heritage". NME. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
4. ^ "Elsy Wameyo – Outcast". Amrap's AirIt. 6 November 2019. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
5. ^ "Elsy Wameyo". triple j Unearthed. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 12 November 2021. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
6. OzAsia Festival 2018 brochure. 14 August 2018. p. 34. Retrieved 28 November 2022 – via Issuu.
7. ^ Brice, Charles (11 March 2022). "Up-and-coming African-inspired rapper Elsy Wameyo 'excited to tell story' at Womadelaide". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
8. ^ "Why Elsy Wameyo's 'Nilotic' is one of the year's most powerful uploads". triple j. Featured Artist. 29 November 2021. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
9. ^ Condon, Dan (28 February 2022). "'River Nile' will show you why". Double J. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
10. "Premiere: Adelaide's Elsy Wameyo shares the vulnerable 'Outcast'". Tone Deaf. 5 November 2019. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
11. "Elsy Wameyo: Hip Hop – Adelaide, SA [Reviews]". triple j Unearthed. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
12. Von Einem, Johnny (7 November 2019). "Elsy Wameyo releases the first single from her upcoming EP, 'Outcast'". CityMag. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
13. Von Einem, Johnny (22 April 2020). "Elsy Wameyo's 'Pastor' is a hymn against cultural erasure". CityMag. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
14. ^ "Meet Kenya's Coolest Fast-Rising Act, Elsy Wameyo". KenyanVibe. 21 February 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
15. ^ "Elsy Wameyo Announces Debut Album 'Saint Sinner'". Music Feeds. 23 May 2024. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
16. Newstead, Al. "Saint Sinner". Double J. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
17. "Intuition - single". Apple Music. February 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
18. "Daily - single". Apple Music. September 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
19. "Outcast - single". Apple Music. November 2019. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
20. "Pastor - single". Apple Music. February 2020. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
21. "Never There - single". Apple Music. December 2020. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
22. "Time Flies - single". Apple Music. January 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
23. "Feature Video Motez and Elsy Wameyo Make Way". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 17 August 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
24. "Elsy Wameyo Shares New Single 'Sinner'". Broadway World. 31 January 2024. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
25. "Elsy Wameyo Shares New Single 'Piny Lara'". Music Feeds. 7 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
26. "Conquer ft. Ywaya Tajiri - Out Now". YouTube. 12 July 2024. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
27. "Seven (DD)". Apple Music. February 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
28. "Open Wide (DD)". Apple Music. September 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
29. "Long Road (DD)". Apple Music. September 2020. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
30. "Current winners". Awards Australia. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
31. "Here's all the J Awards 2022 nominees!". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 1 November 2022. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
32. "2022 Unearthed Artist of the Year". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 1 November 2022. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
33. "About". South Australian Music Awards. 1 September 2021. Archived from the original on 7 March 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2022.

• Australian hip-hop musicians
• Australian women rappers
• 1990s births
• Kenyan emigrants to Australia
• Living people
• Musicians from Adelaide