Kenyan music sensation Nadia Mukamiis widely celebrated for her chart-topping hits and high-profile collaborations. Known to her fans as the "African Popstar," she has built a reputation for professionalism and a meticulous work ethic.

However, in a recent podcast interview with Maandy, the singer opened up about a specific project that turned into a professional and financial disaster.

Nadia revealed that one of her worst experiences involved an international collaboration with a non-Kenyan artist. Despite the heavy investment and careful planning, the project left her in tears.

Nadia Mukami//Instagram

A Costly Journey to Tanzania

The production was an expensive undertaking. Nadia disclosed that she spent nearly 1 million Kenyan Shillings on the project. To manage costs and transport her equipment, she and a team of six people travelled from Kenya to Tanzania by road. The exhausting journey took approximately 14 hours.

Enjoying this article? Subscribe for unlimited access to premium sports coverage.
View Plans

The team, which included her video director and management, arrived late at night with plans to start filming early the next morning. Nadia had even booked a show in the area to help balance the high expenses of the trip, which included vehicle hire, fuel, and food.

"I spent almost a million on that project... we travelled to Tanzania by road."

Twelve Hours on a Beach

The music video shoot was scheduled to begin at 7:00 AM. Nadia and her crew were on location and ready to work, but the featured artist was nowhere to be found. As the hours passed, communication became impossible. Neither the artist nor their manager would answer their phones.

The delay lasted the entire day. Nadia and her team remained at the beach location for 12 hours. By the time the artist finally appeared at 7:00 PM, the heat had taken its toll.

"We sat on that beach waiting. My makeup melted andmy hair was ruined," Nadia recalled. The frustration of the silence and the mounting costs eventually became too much.

ALSO READ: "My Mom Was in the Jeshi": Nadia Mukami Opens Up on Her Upbringing

The singer admitted that she broke down and cried at the location.

"I cried. I literally cried... because of the money I had spent and the artist was not picking up the phone."

Nadia Mukami//Instagram

A Midnight Ultimatum

When the artist finally arrived, there was no apology. Instead, Nadia claimed the artist acted as though her team was the one in the wrong. They began filming late into the night to try and salvage the project.

However, the ordeal took a strange turn at 3:00 AM. After the shoot, Nadia was told she had to record a feature on one of the other artist's songs. She was informed that if she did not record this extra track, her own project would not be allowed to see the light of day.

Despite the exhaustion and the unprofessional demands, Nadia chose to record the second song just to ensure her initial investment was not wasted. While she chose not to name the individual involved, she noted that she has since moved on from the incident.