First of all, Akothee has never done a collabo with any Kenyan artiste, so for her to do a song with Ziky from Ukunda, there must have been a very good reason.
Well, Akothee and Ziky graced our studio on Breakfast with the Stars and Ziky explained how he met Madam Boss and his story is very touching.
"Ilikua ni kwa station moja Mombasa. Madam alikua ameenda interview, nilikua nishawai fanyiwa interview hapo kwa hiyo station. Wakashare story yangu na mum. Mum ikamtouch akamwambia huyo mtangazaji anaitwa Chris, akamwambia nitafutie huyu kijana. Hata nilipopigiwa simu ya kwamba Akothee anakutafuta, ilikua mahali nilikua kwa mjengo nikifanya kazi ya mjengo. Nikaona simu inaita, naangalia hivi naona ni chris. Niliposhika hivi Chris akaniambia natafutwa na Akothee. Nikashangaa kwani kuna nini, akaniambia anataka nirudi studio. Mum alikua amewapea fare ya kunitumia ndio niende.
Akothee added that this was the period she had released her song, Give it to me.
"Ngoma yake ilicheza kwanza nikapata goosebumps. Nikasema who is this, so Chris akaniambia ni msanii kutoka Mombasa. Ndio akanipatia story yake I got touched. I think I broke down in the studio," Akothee said.
Ziky's life has not been easy as he has had his fair share of struggles. He revealed that he's an orphan and had to work at a construction sight so as to make ends meet.
"Nimetoka Ukunda na mimi ni orphan, so kuna story nilipitia kwa familia yetu. By then nilikua na mdogo wangu ambaye tulikua tunaishi pamoja. Kulikua hakuna kazi. Nilikua naenda kuangalia kazi za mjengo, kama kibarua, nafanya fanya, naenda studio naenda kurecord. Hiyo mjengo ndio ilifanya nikue naweza kuenda studio, inalipa rent, nalisha brother yangu mdogo. Kwa siku nilikua napata 200. Nilikua naishi nyumb ya 800. Nilikua na kibanda ya mbogo lakini ilikua si kubwa nilikua nimefungulia yule mdogo wangu. Tulikua tunauza Sukuma, Mchicha na tomatoes kidogo. Nilipokutana na mum (Akothee), akaniongezea pesa, nikaongezea biashara, hata nikatoka kwa ile nyumba ya 800. Yaani amenitoa mahali, mpaka nashindwa nitamuambia nini.
Akothee went ahead to explain why she was willing to help Ziky and even starting a record label, which she clearly states it's not to make money out of but to help nurture talent.
"I wasn't thinking of signing anyone because music is very heavy in the first place. For the record label it's not for me to make money actually but just to bring and nurture talents because there's so much talent down in Mombasa, I'll tell you for free. There are people who sing better than Chris Brown or Beyonce but these guys first of all have no motivation, there's nobody seeing them. People are looking at artistes who have already build a brand which is completely wrong. So when I went to the studio and heard his song and story, it really touched me and I said I'm gonna hold the hand of this boy. The challenge I'm getting about him that most Kenyan artistes don't have is patience. He's a very patient guy."
She continued;
"Imagine we met the time of Give it to me. He had a kibanda ya mboga and I asked him what he wanted and he said he just wants to atleast get stock. So I was like kibanda ya mboga? 10,000 is nothing so I gave the radio station 10k and said if it's kibanda ya mboga he wants, then put it up for him. So then I put a studio in my home because of security and he has a producer and can produce music anytime he wants and then from nowhere he just moved in. He is there. When he's around it's like I have a son. He doesn't ask for nothing."
Here is the full interview;
