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The music industry has emerged as a major employment provider for Kenyan youths. Moses Muraya (c) founded Star Records Studios after saving while he was earning KSh 25k as a producer at one of the music studios in Nairobi. Financial challenges in music production How Moses Muraya escaped the streets How Muraya raised capital for his studio How to succeed as a music producer Giving back to the community through music Luhya musicians story from rags to riches + View more Many young people, particularly those raised in the ghettos, have turned to music as a career in various capacities. However, the Kenyan music industry is full of challenges, particularly regarding finances and investments. Financial challenges in music production In an exclusive interview with TUKO.co.ke, Moses Muraya, the founder of Star Record Studios (SRS), highlighted the lack of capital for investment as the main challenge facing music production in Kenya. “When you look at the Kenyan music industry, only a few production studios have the required equipment because they are very expensive. On top of that, there are different equipments coming up every day and they are necessary to produce music that meets the required international quality,” Muraya remarked. Muraya told TUKO.co.ke that he invested about KSh 500,000 to establish his first studio. “The more you invest in the equipment you have as a producer, the more clients will pay because you will be able to produce high quality music, both audio and video,” he added. Notably, Muraya’s early life was not easy, and he had to overcome various obstacles to succeed as a music producer. How Moses Muraya escaped the streets The music producer narrated that he was raised in the poor Bahati neighbourhood in Nakuru county by his mother because his father was absent. “After going without food for two days, I decided to go and become a street boy in Nakuru town. I lived there for 8 months, and luckily, I was taken in by the Full Gospel Church. The church took me back to school and took care of my school fees. I am very grateful for that,” said Muraya. How Muraya raised capital for his studio Muraya said he was lucky to get a host in Nairobi during the early days of his career, which enabled him to save a large sum of his salary. “I had someone hosting me, and he would drop me off at work and pick me up in the evening on his way home. I was employed as a producer and I was earning KSh 25,000 per month. Since I was not paying rent and I had minimal expenses, I was saving almost all the money I had. That’s how I saved until I opened my recording studio,” Muraya told TUKO.co.ke. How to succeed as a music producer Muraya explained that, as a music producer in Kenya, client retention is the most important thing for a sustainable business. “You can produce over a hundred songs and not get a hit song. So, as a producer, the goal is customer satisfaction. For example, if you have upcoming artists, the best thing is retention. This means they get to grow with you, and you build a reputation as a producer. But remember, you have to ensure you have invested well in your studio so you can have the equipment to produce quality music,” Muraya explained. Giving back to the community through music Muraya revealed to TUKO.co.ke that he is moving his trade to a new studio in partnership with local and foreign wellwishers. He noted that the new studio is a project to give back to society because he would not have become successful without wellwishers who took him from the streets. “I was raised in the ghetto. Many other musicians in Kenya come from those poor estates. Music has been their way out of poverty and I hope to give many other people a chance, especially those who can’t afford the costs to record quality music. With the sponsor that I have got, we will launch a studio worth over KSh 3 million in July,” Muraya narrated. “At Star Records Studio, I charge KSh 25,000 to produce a song, which can be negotiated based on the artist’s needs. This is very expensive for artists in the ghetto who are looking for a way out. In the new studio, we plan to cut the cost of producing a song and charge between KSh 5,000 and KSh 8,000. This is how we plan to give more chances to upcoming artists,” Muraya explained. The new studio will be located in Ongata Rongai and will be launched in July 2024.
