Eric Wainaina

Eric Wainaina (born 28 August 1973) is a Kenyan singer.

Wainaina was born in Nairobi, Kenya, to George Gitau Wainaina and Margaret Wangari Wainaina.

He has one brother, Simon Wainaina.

His love for music started at a young age.

He got a piano at age 4, originally intended for his brother Simon who instead took keen interest in football.

Wainaina thus grudgingly took piano lessons.

He actively participated in the choir throughout elementary and high school at St. Mary's School, Nairobi, save for a short stint in basketball.

Whilst growing up, Wainaina was influenced musically by international artists such as Papa Wemba, Youssou N'Dour, Lokua Kanza and Paul Simon.

Wainaina first stepped into the world of music with Five Alive, a gospel a cappella group.

Five Alive consisted of Victor Seii, Bob Kioko, Chris Kamau, and David Mageria, who was replaced by Joe Kiragu.

They drew their musical influence from Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Take 6.

Dominating Kenya's airwaves in 1995, Five Alive released their debut album Five Alive in 1996, and even went on to tour Europe the same year.

His experience with the group convinced Wainaina to pursue a professional career in music.

In 1996 he performed and appeared in the video for "Get in the Driver's Seat", a song commissioned by the United Nations Drug Control Programme for a highly successful anti-drug campaign spanning 20 countries.

This not only set the stage for his eventual emergence as a solo artist, but also got him into the social concern and activism that characterizes much of his music.

When the group disbanded in 1997, Wainaina went on to join the Berklee College of Music in the US city of Boston, from which he graduated with a degree in music, majoring in songwriting and record engineering.

He graduated with honors.

During his years at Berklee, Wainaina and his band traveled around the country to perform, as well as holding regular shows in Boston.

Together with his producer, Christian Kaufmann, he worked to produce a sound that would be distinctively Kenyan both in the music and the content of the lyrics.

After the 1998 terrorist bombing in Nairobi where over 200 Kenyans died, "Daima Kenya" was adopted as the unofficial song of mourning, receiving extensive radio and TV airplay nationwide.

His adaptation of a Kikuyu folk tune "Ritwa Riaku" was added to the playlist of every radio station in the nation soon after.

In order to do this, he made sure that he released a new track every time he returned home for vacation, This was well received by his growing fanbase, with his performance at Kenya's Beats of the Season concert in December 2000 being watched live by 15,000 fans and broadcast nationally.

His notable releases include "Daima Kenya", a song that instantly made him Kenya's favorite modern musician.

Following the suspicious death of Father Anthony Kaiser in 2000, Wainaina was commissioned by the Mill Hill Fathers in 2003 to write a song about this.

This became "Ukweli", a call for justice despite efforts that were being made to cover up the true nature of Father Kaiser's death, which was reported as suicide despite strong evidence to the contrary.

Wainaina returned to the top of Kenya's musical agenda after he released "Nchi ya Kitu Kidogo" [Country of small things] (colloquial for bribe) in 2001, a song that launched his crusade against rampant corruption in the country.

With the chart success of "Nchi ya Kitu Kidogo", Wainaina received international accolades.

Transparency International (Kenya) supported him as an artist who would help educate people on the negativity of corruption, appointing him an ambassador.

He was also appointed ambassador for the NGO MS Kenya, Kenya Human Rights Commission and by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights for his commitment to fighting the abuses to justice through music.

This anthem against corruption ("Nchi ya Kitu Kidogo") was not so highly appreciated in all quarters, however, with the government of the day putting up resistance to it by refusing to air it on the national broadcaster, Kenya Broadcasting Corporation.

In one instance several attempts were made to keep him from performing at a national event, the Kenya Music Festival, including intimidation and attempts to switch off his microphone.

In 2001, Africa Almanac.com listed him amongst the top 100 Africans of the year 2000, which included high-profile names such as Nelson Mandela, Joseph Kabila, Yash Pal Ghai, Baaba Maal and Ousmane Sembène.

His first record, Sawa Sawa, released in 2001, remains one of the highest-selling solo albums in the country.

Wainaina returned home from Berklee in August 2002 after his graduation with two degrees.

He was also honored with the Jack Maher award for his exceptional performance as a songwriter.

The annual award is given to students who have been recognized for their potential to become leaders in the international music industry.

Wainaina's music has international appeal.

He received the MNET (South Africa) award for favorite male vocalist in February 2001, and, together with Henrie Mutuku, was one of the first Kenyans to receive an award for Best East African Artist at the pan-African 7th annual KORA All Africa Music Awards on 2 November 2002.

He is also the only Kenyan artist to have performed live at the KORA ceremony.

He was nominated for another KORA Award in 2003, and in 2005 he received his third Kora nomination, this time for the prestigious Artist of the Decade award.