Why Ditching Gospel Was The Best Move D.N.A Has Ever Made For His Career

D.N.A had surprised his fans sometime back when the renowned hit-maker announced that he was hanging up his club anthem boots and going into the world of worship. Then earlier this year, D.N.A had a press conference to announce something big: that his brief sojourn with gospel music was over. After only one big song, “Mtoto Wa Sonko,” D.N.A had already grown weary of the genre, and who can blame him? Gospel is extremely restrictive in terms of creative scope. Every song you sing must be about Jesus, church or the Bible. Further to that, the watchful eye of Kenyan fans is all-seeing: they will castigate you as a gospel artist if you fail to mention the Holy Trinity in any of your verses.

So in 2012, back came the D.N.A that we all used to know and love. The one who gave us “Banjuka.” The one who gave us “Una.” The one who gave us “Kamua.” He came out with yet another undisputed club banger, “Maswali ya Polisi” whose lines have become part of day-to-day speech amongst the Kenyan youth. THAT’s when you know your song has had an impact. Testimony to the track’s success, it has been featured in each and every ‘song of the year’ story I have come across so far in entertainment publications across Kenya.

Then D.N.A came out with “Fimbo ya Pili” alongside the Grandpa family. This is where the full advantage of not being a gospel artist came to help D.N.A. In a world where you are free from the moral restraints of gospel, you can stretch your creative mind and take risks. I’ll admit that when I first heard the line “nye nye nye nye nye,” I wondered ‘what the hell?’ But I have now seen for myself what D.N.A and Grandpa family were going for. Even in the village I am posting this from, drunk revellers really enjoy singing along, especially to the “nye nye nye nye nye” part. It was a simple song for the club, the risk paid off. “Fimbo ya pili” for me is the club banger of the year.

Hats off to D.N.A for a rebranding well executed.