President William Ruto with his deputy Kithure Kindiki and first lady Rachel Ruto during the music festival concert at Bungoma State Lodge on August 14, 2026/PCSPresident William Ruto has challenged young performers taking part in the Kenya Music Festivals to embrace their talents, saying the events could provide a launchpad for the next generation of global Kenyan artists.
Ruto said the country’s music and creative industry had enormous potential to produce internationally recognised performers, musicians, producers and other professionals working behind the scenes.
He was speaking during a State Concert for the 98th Kenya Music Festivals at Bungoma State Lodge, where he celebrated the talent displayed by learners participating in the annual event.
Ruto said some of the young performers on stage could eventually become global stars, following in the footsteps of successful Kenyan artists who have taken their work beyond the country.
“You see, somewhere among you may be the next Bien, Nyashinski or Lupita Nyong’o, a Kenyan who will one day command the world stage and screens alongside artists such as Burna Boy, Tems and Tyler, the Creator,” he said.
The President said the music festival had played an important role in identifying and nurturing young talent, with some former participants already building successful careers in the creative industry.
He cited Kenyan singer, songwriter and producer Njerae as an example of an artist whose early exposure to the festival contributed to her development.
“Njerae, for example, spent her school years participating in this festival and learning classical music. Today, she is a singer, songwriter and a producer whose work reaches far beyond the school stage,” Ruto said.
He said the creative industry offered opportunities beyond performing, noting that young people could build careers as instrumentalists, sound engineers, lighting designers, intellectual property lawyers and owners of production companies.
“Among you are tomorrow’s instrumentalists. I saw many on this stage: sound engineers, lighting designers, intellectual property lawyers and production company owners,” he said.
Ruto said technological advancement had fundamentally changed the music industry, making it possible for artists to reach international audiences without depending entirely on traditional gatekeepers.
He contrasted the current digital environment with the experience of musicians a generation ago, when artists relied heavily on record labels, physical albums and radio stations to distribute their work.
“A generation ago, a musician needed a recording label, a physical album and a radio station to be heard. Today, a song recorded in Bungoma can reach Nairobi, Lagos, London or Sao Paulo within seconds,” he said.
The President said the rapid expansion of digital platforms had created new opportunities for Kenyan artists to build audiences locally and internationally.
“The opportunity is real,” he said.
Ruto’s remarks came as the government continues to emphasise the potential of the creative economy in generating employment and opening new avenues for young people.
He encouraged participants in the music festival to view their performances not merely as school activities but as opportunities to develop skills that could support future careers.
The annual Kenya Music Festivals bring together learners from schools and other educational institutions to showcase their abilities in music, dance, drama and other performing arts.
The Bungoma State Lodge concert provided an opportunity for the President to celebrate the participants while highlighting the role of arts and culture in developing young people.
Ruto said Kenya’s creative industry could play a bigger role in the country’s economic transformation if young talent was identified early, nurtured and connected to modern markets.
He urged the young performers to continue developing their skills and taking advantage of technology to share their work with audiences beyond Kenya
