“Katam”: Why Diamond Chose To Collab With Bien And Not Any Other Kenyan Artist

Amidst the buzz of his historic debut at the Royal Albert Hall in the UK, Tanzanian music icon Diamond Platnumz is shedding light on a significant collaboration that has been topping charts for a week now - "Katam" with Kenya’s Bien.

While the Bongo Flava maestro is known for his widespread appeal and strategic features, his recent praise for Bien reveals a deeper connection and a deliberate choice to work with the Sauti Sol frontman.

Speaking to Adesope of Afrobeats Podcast while in the UK, Diamond Platnumz unequivocally stated that Bien is his favorite artist, not just within Kenya, but among his top favorite artists across Africa.

"First of all, you know, in Kenya, Ben is my favorite artist. And I cannot just say in Kenya, but you know, Ben is among my top favorite artists across Africa,"Diamond began by showing Bien with praise.

The "beast from East Africa" revealed that a collaboration with Bien had always been a mutual desire. The creation of "Katam" itself, according to Diamond, unfolded organically,

“So, there was this day I was in the studio, producer S2Kizzy played for me a beat. I listened to it and I loved the beat. I told him to give me the beat. I'll go home and write something... The next day before even doing something he sent me a message that he also sent it to Bien and he had done a verse as well,”Diamond narrated.

“Then boom. So, Bien started doing something on that song before me. Then I went I did whatever I did and people loved that song,"he added.

Beyond musical synergy, Diamond showered Bien with personal accolades, describing him as "very talented" and "so humble".

He recalled telling Bien during the "Katam" music video shoot,"Bro, you're a good person. Continue to be that good".

This admiration stems from a long history; Diamond shared that Bien has been a consistent source of encouragement since the early days of his career.

“I remember when the time I started doing my music, every time I used to meet him, he used to encourage me. He used to push me to say, you know, bro, I love what you do, bro, you’ll go far.”

Diamond views Bien as a "brother" who"is always telling me nice things, who's always supporting me, who's always wishing me well". This profound respect and personal bond solidified Bien's place as one of Diamond's "favorite musician[s]" and a natural choice for collaboration.

Bien is notably the third Kenyan artist Diamond Platnumz has officially collaborated with, following his work with pop sensation Tanasha Donna and self-proclaimed 'President of Single Mothers,' Akothee.

This makes the "Katam" collaboration a significant moment, reinforcing Diamond's commitment to cross-continental musical unity.

"Katam" itself, released earlier this week, has been lauded for its infectious rhythm and blend of Bongo Flava with Bien's distinct vocal style, quickly becoming an anthem across the region.