Bahati Brags: "I'm Still Kenya's Biggest Gospel Artist"

Kevin Bahati Kioko, the popular Kenyan musician, recently asserted his enduring dominance in the gospel music scene. He made the provocative claim during a wide-ranging interview with Mzazi Tuva on Radio Citizen.

Bahati insisted that he remains Kenya's biggest gospel artist. This statement comes even though he transitioned to producing secular music several years ago.

"I'm still Kenya's biggest gospel artist. There is no bigger gospel artist in Kenya than Bahati,” he declared.

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A History of Gospel Excellence

The musician was speaking publicly after a two-year hiatus from interviews, stating he had been working to evolve as an artist. He used his past achievements to justify his current status.

Bahati cited several records he set during his years as a gospel performer. He noted he is the only gospel artist in Africa to have been featured on Coke Studio Africa.

“Bahati is the only gospel artist in Africa to be featured on Coke Studio Africa. I’m the only male gospel artist to win Groove awards in 2016 and 2017. I was the gospel artist of the year in Africa,” he stated.

Key Statistics from Gospel Career:

• Best Artist: Bahati won the Best Gospel Artist Africa award in both 2016 and 2017.

• Groove Awards: He is the only gospel artist in Kenya to win the Male Artist of the Year Groove Award for two years consecutively.

• Six Awards: He broke a historical record by winning six awards at a go at one Groove Awards ceremony. This record, set between 2014 and 2017, is yet to be surpassed.

The Secular Shift

While confirming his transition, Bahati stressed that he has not changed his relationship with God, only potentially the release of music. He views his current non-gospel music as a business.

When asked why he switched genres, Bahati claimed the gospel industry had become "fake" and hypocritical. He said many artists were pretending to be godly.

He also stated that many gospel artists are financially broke. He squarely blamed church leaders. He referred to pastors as "gatekeepers" who killed the industry by failing to offer crucial financial support to talented youth.

He recounted one instance where he was paid only 18,000 Kenyan shillings for a three-day service trip to the US, an amount that did not cover the flight costs.

Controversy and Self-Reliance

The interview occurred following the release of his controversial new song, "Seti". The video, described as containing content for adults (18 and above), sparked widespread discussion concerning morals.

The singer claimed the track is currently the most-watched song from Kenyan music.

Bahati noted that the video was a personal decision, separate from his family brand. His wife, Diana, publicly disassociated herself from the video’s content.

The musician maintained that the only change between his 2015 and 2025 self is money. He is confident in his financial position.

He stated he is currently self-employed and does not fear losing endorsements, as he believes he is the corporation itself.

“The only difference between me in 2015 and 2025 is the amount of money in my pockets. You know, when you have money, you change a lot of things like cars,” he said.

Bahati claimed his net worth is presently half a billion Kenyan shillings.