Afro Fusion
Kasiva Mutua
Kasiva Mutua is one of Kenya’s leading percussionists and among the few African women performing percussion internationally. Inspired by her grandmother’s folktales, she developed a powerful, expressive drumming style that blends traditional African rhythms with jazz, hip-hop, reggae, funk, and more. She has toured globally and participated in major projects such as The Nile Project, 1Beat, x-Jazz Women, and Coke Studio Africa. In 2015, she co-founded MOTRAMUSIC—Kenya’s first all-female percussion collective—which empowers young women and girls through rhythm and drumming, growing into a vibrant sisterhood. Kasiva has performed at top festivals including Global Fest, Sauti Za Busara, The Holland Festival, and the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, and has collaborated with artists like Oliver Mtukudzi, Kirk Whalum, and Anthony B. She is also a member of the Nairobi Horns Project and backs various Kenyan musicians. A TEDGlobal Fellow (2017) with over 1.2 million views on her talk-performance, and an OkayAfrica 100 Women honoree (2018), Kasiva is a passionate advocate for gender equality and cultural preservation through music.
Photocredit: Ellie Obati