Victoria Kimani: A prophet is never welcome at home

Chocolate City’s songstress, Victoria Kimani, has said the main reason she does not hold frequent performances in Kenya is because local promoters are hesitant to pay the required performance fees to artistes.

The Show hit-maker who is in South Africa shooting a video for a new song tweeted: “A prophet is never welcome at home.”

“I really wish I could perform at home (Kenya) more. My Kenyan fans rarely get to see me LIVE… The promoters just don’t like to pay local artistes,” she added.

This is not the first time Victoria Kimani is lamenting over lack of support from Kenyan promoters.

In July 2015, the Nigeria-based Kenyan musician criticized Kenyans as the least supportive when it comes to music and arts. She noted that she receives more airplay and a bigger following abroad than in Kenya.

“The least supportive …. Kenyans make it hard for an artiste to be an artiste, this includes fashion art music acting whatever,” tweeted Kimani.

“Then get angry when we are appreciated elsewhere, this is heartbreaking. We are the least patriotic people on this continent as far as art is concerned,” she ranted.

To support her argument, she shared on her account a screenshot of findings informed by a research showing that Kenyan youth had the least interest in music in the region.

The research (the pollster was not indicated) showed only 55 per cent of Kenyan youth care about music; a huge contrast to Uganda’s 70 per cent, Tanzania (94 per cent), Nigeria (72per cent) and Mozambique (85 per cent).

“So..if only 55 per cent of Kenyan youth care about music, if a Kenyan music artiste does not travel, they are doomed to failure,” said Kimani.

The Prokoto singer also cited Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o who shone in America after “failing to impress Kenyans” when she featured in local productions.

“Lupita had to travel and be uplifted by others for you to be proud #Kenyans. Life without art is hell….how can the Kenyan youth not have an interest in the arts? Who robbed us of our self-expression?” she posed.

These remarks earned the singer a thorough bashing from Kenyans on Twitter who trolled her for her ‘honesty’.

Victoria Kimani is the first artiste to be signed on Nigeria’s Chocolate City record label under their East African Arm.