Ywaya Tajiri: How did 'Chai Ya Saa Kumi' become Nairobi's most-streamed song?

Every year, Kenya's music scene produces one artist who seems to appear out of nowhere.

One day, they're just another name in a playlist. The next, everyone is asking the same question:

"Who is this?"

This year, that question belongs to Ywaya Tajiri.

While Spotify's latest streaming report is filled with familiar names such as Sauti Sol, Prince Indah, Nyashinski and Nikita Kering, it is Tajiri who posted the biggest surprise.

His song Chai Ya Saa Kumi became Nairobi's most-streamed track among listeners aged between 18 and 24 in June, while his streams grew by an astonishing 6,151 per cent compared to the same month last year - a bigger jump than any other Kenyan artist in Spotify's report.

A familiar voice before the breakthrough

Long before Chai Ya Saa Kumi found its way onto thousands of playlists, Tajiri had already been quietly making music and collaborating with some of Kenya's most respected artists.

His catalogue stretches back several years, with releases such as Mazuri Mabaya, Lonely and Money Over Love, while his voice has featured alongside artists including Coster Ojwang, Maya Amolo, Elsy Wameyo, Trio Mio and Savara.

That journey has shaped an artist whose music comfortably blends Afro-pop, soul and contemporary Kenyan sounds, often switching between Swahili, English and local dialects without sounding forced.

His songs rarely rely on spectacle.

Instead, they lean on melodies that linger and lyrics drawn from everyday relationships - an approach that has gradually earned him collaborators across Kenya's alternative and mainstream music scenes.

The banger that changed everything

Released in February, Chai Ya Saa Kumi is built around a simple love story, wrapped in an easy-going melody and a chorus that refuses to leave your head.

Written by Ywaya Eugine Simon and produced by Hendrick Sam, the song mixes Swahili, English and Luo phrases, giving it a distinctly Kenyan identity while remaining accessible to a wide audience.

Its rise has been fuelled not just by streaming platforms, but also by short-form videos, user-generated content and word of mouth.

That combination appears to have struck a chord with Nairobi's youngest listeners.

According to Spotify, people aged between 18 and 24 accounted for 53.7 per cent of all streams in Nairobi during June - the highest share among Nairobi, Lagos and Johannesburg.

It is this audience that propelled Chai Ya Saa Kumi to the top while driving Tajiri's remarkable year-on-year growth.

A changing soundtrack

Tajiri's success also says something about where Kenyan music is heading.

Spotify's figures show audiences are increasingly willing to embrace newer voices alongside established stars.

Prince Indah recorded 221 per cent year-on-year growth, Nyashinski grew by 147 per cent, Bridget Blue by 140 per cent, Kinoti by 107 per cent and Nikita Kering by 96 per cent.

Sauti Sol, meanwhile, remained Nairobi's most-streamed Kenyan-connected act, while fast-rising artists such as OnlyMoh, Virusi Mbaya, Codey and JayLo also posted remarkable gains.

For Ywaya Tajiri, though, the numbers tell a more personal story.

They show that sometimes the biggest hit in the country doesn't come from the loudest artist.

It comes from someone who has quietly been perfecting their craft - until one song finally gives the rest of Kenya a reason to listen.