‘Tis the Season

Who wants to be alone…,

Who wants to be home…,

 Christmas huwezi postpone…,

 

It’s Christmas! Where the S in Christmas undeniably stands for sherehe! So, double sherehe on that! And you know what we say? “Sherehe, sheria!”

Kila mtu ako na pombe?Aya, twende bas! Above the head…

We are living in interesting times.  Statistics have it that we are inextricably a drinking nation. Such has been our unquenchable thirst that it is rumoured that we gulped down the Christmas spirit and now, Christmas no longer feels like Christmas. Chapos on Christmas no longer slap like they used to. We no longer look forward to visits to shagz on Christmas like in the good old days. No gifts to unwrap on Christmas. To sum it all up, I believe I speak for the silent (are they really silent?) majority when I say that nowadays Christmas feels a lot more like some other mundane public holiday; like Labour day. Perhaps it’s because we are grown, perhaps it’s the economy, it could be a motley of factors really. But you know what could uplift your spirits this Christmas? Any guess? Backbenchers, please? Ok, the front bench? No idea?

One thing; music! Edward Bulwer Lytton was – to use very Gen Z parlance- “in his bag” when he quipped that, “Music, once admitted to the soul, becomes a sort of spirit, and never dies.” It is for this very reason that I have undertaken to curate my top five songs for the season just for you! You might wanna call me Santa of unwrapped musical gifts! Hehe. Let’s dig in!

1. High High New Year by Bensoul ft Savara– from the lyrics to the beats, to the theme on the lyric video, Papa Soul a.k.a Sudaa and Savara combine admirably to churn out what is irrevocably a Christmas banger. Bensoul’s witty lines come wrapped in his soulful (little wonder he is called BenSOUL) voice making it impossible to not want to sing along. It would do you well to heed to Savara on the part where he sings, “Bakisha kitu January inabisha,… usinywe sana mwaka ushindwe kuvuka..,”
2. All I Want For Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey – yes you. This would be the perfect song to send to that guy or chille you’ve been checking out but have never really mastered the guts to confess your admiration to this Christmas. And that my friend, would put you well on the way to getting a new year’s kiss, fingers crossed, hand to God! It’s definitely the jingle to get you all lovey-dovey and goosebumpy this season because what is Christmas all about if not love?
3. Heart Break On Christmas by Bien ft Aaron Rimbui ft Nviiri the storyteller ft Bensoul- we’re done being lovey-dovey now. This one is for those of you who have had your hearts broken so many times this year that the most opportune gift that bearded man Santa (if he exists) could gift you this Christmas is a heart repair. Or a new heart. I know you are tired of your aunts at shagz always asking if you are ever bringing home a plus one. Well, you could join Nviiri the storyteller in the song’s first verse in beseeching Santa to chukulia a number for you, he might just listen. Aroro’s keys in the background add versatility, groove and depth like never heard before. Speaking of which, have you had an eargasm before? It is certainly no season to be single!
4. Christmas dream by Perry Como- what’s a curated music playlist without a classic? Written and recorded for the 1974 movie “The ODESSA File” (this movie is for you history junkies and old souls) this song sets the mood for a beautifully languid Christmas night most preferably in the bosom of your loved one/s. It speaks of the optimism of a Christmas dream. If you have no one to hold you close and tight as this song croons from your music player, a cup of hot chocolate will come in handy. Thank me later!
5. Amezaliwa by Okello Max ft Ywaaya Tajiri- the song is bound to cast a spell on you, hypnotizing you right from its intro. It is almost as if it sets you in a veritable time travel machine where time momentarily pauses and all you have to do is sit still as the song’s melodies filter through your skin into your bloodstream and ultimately into your bone marrow. It speaks of the true Christmas spirit, that of thanksgiving and sharing. Ywaaya Tajiri of Watendawili beautifully does the first verse before paving way to Okello Max who comes in with groovy lyrics in Dholuo giving the song a whole different dimension. Rhumba vibes galore!

I know I said ‘my top five’ but why not go ahead and give a bonus song, maybe two? It’s the season for giving after all! Here we go…

6. Mary Did You Know by Amos and Josh – a perfect spin-off from Pentatonix’s Mary Did You Know, this rendition injects the Kenyan vibe to the song. It will have you dancing and twirling around like there’s no tomorrow and you’ll want to have it on repeat. Woe unto you of the ‘two-left-feet’ tribe because you’ll definitely need some good feet and a flexible waist for this song.
7. Chrisi Mtaani ( Jamhuri Jam Sessions) by Kaskazini – being the sucker for acoustic music that I am, an acoustic Jam had to make it to the list. Chris Clave gingerly kicks off the song’s intro with melodies from his guitar and the rest of the gang joins in to create a masterpiece! Simple, smooth and endearing. Christmas ni rahisi, ukiwa na rafiki, (wooowowo) give back to the needy… tu-na-we-za furahia sote furahia!

This season, take some love and give more back.

Signing out, Santa of unwrapped musical gifts. Feliz navidad.

 

 

 

Lewis-Miller Kaphira is a 21-year-old Kenyan who likes to describe himself as a bohemian and is most intrigued by the power of the written word. He is a freelance writer and journalist hell-bent on telling very Kenyan stories in a very Kenyan way. His email is millerahobi@gmail.com and his Twitter handle is  @Lkaphira.