Kenyan singer Willy Paul has stirred fresh debate online after appearing to take a swipe at Bien-Aimé Baraza and his hit song Finale.
The singer made the remarks while promoting his upcoming collaboration with Otile Brown, popularly known as Obize. His statement quickly caught the attention of fans, especially because it came at a time when Bien’s song is.
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Bien //Mpasho newsWhat Was Willy Paul’s Message?
While announcing his upcoming release, Willy Paul shared a cryptic but bold message online.
“Kuna msanii moja msaliti, my song na Obize ndio Finale this time. Watch out. #EldoretTonight #Therepublic.”
Many social media users interpreted the statement as a direct jab at Bien’s song Finale, which recently broke Kenyan streaming records.
Although Willy Paul did not mention Bien by name, the use of the word “Finale” immediately triggered comparisons online.
Fans React With Hype and Sarcasm
Soon after the post surfaced, fans flooded the comment section with reactions, with supporters hyping the upcoming collaboration while others sarcastically referenced Bien’s streaming success.
Some fans appeared excited about the Willy Paul and Otile Brown collaboration, writing:
“Minister of great hits, good performances.”
“Drop it already.”
“King himself.”
“Can’t wait for this, it must be very big.”
Others, however, responded with sarcasm while comparing the unreleased song to Bien’s already successful hit.
One user joked:
“10 million views in 11 days first, then we can discuss the real Finale.”
Another added:
“Bien is somewhere peacefully counting views while people are still announcing victories online.”
A different fan commented:
“The confidence of naming your song the real Finale before release needs to be studied.”
Willy Paul // InstagramBien’s “Finale” Continues Breaking Records Amid “Msaliti” Debate
The online discussion comes shortly after Bien-Aimé Baraza’s hit song Finale reportedly became the fastest Kenyan song to hit 10 million views on YouTube, reaching the milestone in just 11 days.
“Finale is now the fastest Kenyan song to cross 10 million views in just 11 days.”
The achievement has further cemented Bien’s dominance on digital platforms, but it has also coincided with recent criticism he faced online after attending events hosted during French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Kenya.
Bien, alongside his wife Chiki Kuruka, chef Dennis Ombachi, and actress Sarah Hassan, attended an exclusive dinner hosted by Macron during the Africa Forward Summit. However, some Kenyans criticised local creatives for associating with powerful Western leaders, with a section of social media users branding some attendees “wasaliti”.
Responding to the backlash, Bien defended his decision to attend the gathering, insisting that engaging with global leaders did not change who he is.
“I can sit at a table with global leaders and still remain fully African, fully critical, and fully myself. Presence is not submission,” Bien stated.
