Remember Jo-1 (Joan), the dance judge on Citizen TV’s Sakata show? Well, she ended 2016 with a bang by releasing a song pundits agree is up there.
The Caribbean-born singer and dancer released ‘Don’t Disturb My Dance’, a song that is a huge departure from the kind of genres Kenyans are accustomed to.
We are not exactly known for our music creativity. Even our poorer neighbours Tanzania have done much better for themselves in this front. Kenyan artists are all about Genge, Kapuka and a few others which do not resonate very well with the masses.
It is therefore commendable when someone comes in with something totally different. That’s what Jo-1 has done with ‘Don’t Disturb My Dance’.
She introduces the genre ‘Soca’, that has its roots in Trinidad and Tobago. Having started in the 70s, it is now a huge genre across the Caribbean in countries like Guyana, Barbados, The Bahamas, Bermuda and even Jamaica.
Jo-1 is herself a Bermudian, and its evident from the video that she has mastered the art of making colourful music. The dance and energy is typical Caribbean and seeing it in Kenya for the first time is a pleasant sight.
