Reggae music has always been a force in Africa, starting with Bob Marley during the 1970s. Growing up in Kisumu, Kenya, Cathy Matete admired the sounds coming out of Jamaica and wanted to emulate that country’s artists.
For Better For Worse, her latest song, hears Matete working with producer Garfield Cowan of Natures Way Entertainment. Cowan, a Jamaican, is based in South Florida.
Released on May 24, For Better For Worse is a lovers rock track. Matete who is drawn to the softer side of reggae, wrote the uptempo single.
“I am a lovers rock singer with musical influences that have played a huge role in my creative process. I love being able to write my music from an honest place with uplifting, soulful and heartfelt lyrics that resonate with my listeners,” she said.
Matete was born in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, but was raised in Kisumu, the East African country’s third-largest city. Citing Dennis Brown, Beres Hammond, Alaine, and Erykah Badu as her biggest influences, she began recording music 11 years ago.
The last 15 years have seen several top reggae acts performing in Kenya, including Shaggy, Sean Paul, Jah Cure, and Busy Signal. Matete says reggae is extremely popular there.
“The scene here is incredibly vibrant with a thriving community which includes DJs and passionate fans who celebrate and consume this genre on a large scale. We have nightclubs that host weekly Reggae Nights from Monday to Sunday, big concerts that feature international reggae acts, reggae shows across all popular radio stations with some stations solely dedicated to playing reggae and dancehall,” she disclosed. “I can say with confidence that reggae music is the heartbeat of Kenya. Always serving as a powerful tool for uniting Kenyans and dealing with social commentary issues as well.”
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