Innerviews with Theru

I have known Emma Mbeke Nzioka for about 3 years now. From back when she worked as a media photo-journalist and moonlighted as a film location scout. On the weekends one would find her doing the flea market beat selling her specialty homemade healthy candy. Music was a therapy that helped her unwind -decompress after a hard days hustle. Fast forward to present day Nairobi and we have been witness to a surreal transformation. 2018 marked the break out year for this chocolate beauty who now rolls by the moniker 'Coco Em' - Nairobi's hardest hustling Deejay. It had been barely a year after her bold venture into full-time duty behind the decks when 'Boiler Room' - the international live music streaming platform came calling and she headlined their 'True Music Africa' tour - Nairobi edition. It was then that deejay Coco Em was thrust into the global spotlight. A number of high profile international gigs soon followed and she closed out the phenomenal year by p

INTRO John Udulele is an afroeclectic, folk singer-songwriter whose evolution as a musician has been steeped in Benga culture. An avid experimentalist he is co-founder of the bengatronics collective, an outfit that is blending the benga sound with EDM - Electronic Dance Music. This self-effacing, soft-spoken music man is now pushing a new project that is dear to his heart. He labels this genre as Soulful Benga. A sound that aptly describes him as an artist and mirrors him as an individual. INTERVIEW I remember when I first met John Udulele, It was at 'The Terrace',  a scenic open-air makuti tavern perched cliff-side right by the Kilifi bridge. We were having a sundowner jam session and the sea rippled gold. Udulele was singing solo, improvising lyrics as he strummed the guitar. His music complimented the scene. He had everyone enthralled. It was quite a surreal moment. We then kept bumping into each other within the arts and culture event spaces and we became acquainted. I