Tony Nyadundo
Encyclopedia
Tony Nyadundo is a musician from Kenya. He performs the Ohangla
a traditional style of music by the luo
community. He is backed by the Ohangla Boys band. He is now branded the "King of Ohangla".
He was born in Kal
in Tanzania
. Tony's twin sister died while he was young. His family moved to Nyahera, Kisumu District
, Kenya in 1978 and later to Kongoni in Nzoia
. He went to Kongoni Primary School and then in 1985 moved to Bugembe Secondary School but dropped out the next year due to lack of funds. He worked as a tailor
until 1992. He tried also deejaying. His brother Jack Nyadundo formed a group performing Ohangla music, and Tony eventually joined the group after 1996. Later he formed an own group and moved back to Tanzania for a while. In 1998 he moved to Migori District
in Kenya and performed for local fishing communities. He also hired Onyi Papa Jey
, an orutu
player who has also since become a formidable musician. In 1999 he moved to Dandora
in Nairobi
but did not achieve muc success and then moved to Kisumu, where his brother Jack had became a popular musician.
His début album Ayaki was released in 2002. This marked a turning point of his career and he finally started to gain financially from being a musician. His second album was named Kidi Oba e Toke, which translates "stoned on the back". The name derives from a concert were his band was attacked by thugs who hit his drummer at back. Several other people were injured too.
In 2006 he released album Obama. The name alludes to Barack Obama
, the US president whose father is from the same region as Nyadundo.
At the 2007 Kisima Music Awards
he won the traditional music category. He was among 100 most influential Kenyans as selected by The Standard
newspaper in August 2007.
In October 2009, he released a new album Migingo, named after the disputed Migingo Island
.
Tony is recognised for his hits like, dawa ya mapenzi, Obama and many more hits. He has performed in various countries includning Germany and the US.
He was married but divorced in 1994. He has two children from the marriage.
Ohangla
Ohangla is a traditional dance among the Luo community. It was used to celebrate weddings and also in funeral ceremony as part of Tero Buru. Ohangla consists of more than 8 drums hit by a stick and a cylindrical shoulder slung drum played normally to the accompaniment of flute, Nyatiti or...
a traditional style of music by the luo
Luo (Kenya and Tanzania)
The Luo are an ethnic group in Kenya, eastern Uganda, and northern Tanzania. They are part of a larger group of ethnolinguistically related Luo peoples who inhabit an area including southern Sudan, northern and eastern Uganda, western Kenya, and northern Tanzania.The Luo are the third largest...
community. He is backed by the Ohangla Boys band. He is now branded the "King of Ohangla".
He was born in Kal
Kal
Kal may refer to:* Kal or KAL , Kevin Kallaugher, editorial cartoonist* Ken Kal , American journalist* Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Western Australia* Kal, Poland* Kal * Kal Online, a MMORPG video game by Inixsoft...
in Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
. Tony's twin sister died while he was young. His family moved to Nyahera, Kisumu District
Kisumu District
Kisumu District is an administrative district of Nyanza Province in western Kenya. Its headquarters is Kisumu City. It has a population of 504,359 and a land area of 919 km² . The main industries are subsistence agriculture and fishery on Lake Victoria. Kisumu Town is the main commercial...
, Kenya in 1978 and later to Kongoni in Nzoia
Trans-Nzoia District
Trans-Nzoia District is an administrative district of Rift Valley Province, Kenya.It is located between the Nzoia River and Mount Elgon and its centre is the town of Kitale.Historically the area has been inhabited by the Kalenjin people...
. He went to Kongoni Primary School and then in 1985 moved to Bugembe Secondary School but dropped out the next year due to lack of funds. He worked as a tailor
Tailor
A tailor is a person who makes, repairs, or alters clothing professionally, especially suits and men's clothing.Although the term dates to the thirteenth century, tailor took on its modern sense in the late eighteenth century, and now refers to makers of men's and women's suits, coats, trousers,...
until 1992. He tried also deejaying. His brother Jack Nyadundo formed a group performing Ohangla music, and Tony eventually joined the group after 1996. Later he formed an own group and moved back to Tanzania for a while. In 1998 he moved to Migori District
Migori District
Migori District is an administrative district in the Nyanza Province of Kenya. It is located in southwestern Kenya. Its capital town is Migori. The district has a population of 514,897 and an area of 2,005 km² ....
in Kenya and performed for local fishing communities. He also hired Onyi Papa Jey
Onyi Papa Jey
Onyi Papa Jey is an ohangla musician form KenyaOnyi Papa Jey started playing orutu while at primary school. He dropped from Tonga Secondary School after failing to play the school fees. He joined Tony Nyadundo's band in 1999 and performed with in 2002...
, an orutu
Orutu
The orutu is a one-stringed fiddle native to western Kenya, especially amongst the Luo community.The term also refers to a genre of music in Kenya which involves this instrument...
player who has also since become a formidable musician. In 1999 he moved to Dandora
Dandora
Dandora is an eastern suburb in Nairobi, Kenya. It is part of the Embakasi division. Dandora is divided into five phases. Dandora was established in 1977, with partial financing by the World Bank in order to offer higher standard of housing . However, the estate has turned into high-density slum...
in Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
but did not achieve muc success and then moved to Kisumu, where his brother Jack had became a popular musician.
His début album Ayaki was released in 2002. This marked a turning point of his career and he finally started to gain financially from being a musician. His second album was named Kidi Oba e Toke, which translates "stoned on the back". The name derives from a concert were his band was attacked by thugs who hit his drummer at back. Several other people were injured too.
In 2006 he released album Obama. The name alludes to Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
, the US president whose father is from the same region as Nyadundo.
At the 2007 Kisima Music Awards
2007 Kisima Music Awards
The 2007 Kisima Music Awards took place at Marula Manor, Nairobi, Kenya on 8 September 2007.-Winners:-References:**The Standard, September 14, 2007:...
he won the traditional music category. He was among 100 most influential Kenyans as selected by The Standard
The Standard
The Standard is an English free newspaper of Hong Kong with a daily circulation of 231,018. It was called the Hong Kong Standard and changed to HKiMail during the Internet boom, but it changed back to The Standard in 2001....
newspaper in August 2007.
In October 2009, he released a new album Migingo, named after the disputed Migingo Island
Migingo Island
Migingo is a tiny 2,000-square-metre island, about half the size of a football pitch in Lake Victoria.In 2008–09 the island itself was claimed by both Kenya and Uganda. July 2009 a survey team found that the island is east of the Kenya-Uganda border within the lake, a finding supported by...
.
Tony is recognised for his hits like, dawa ya mapenzi, Obama and many more hits. He has performed in various countries includning Germany and the US.
He was married but divorced in 1994. He has two children from the marriage.