Kenya’s Njerae celebrates Four Letter Word, her Valentine’s Day EP capturing love in all its forms.
Kenyan singer-songwriterNjerae has earned the title of Kenya's Lover Girl with her soulful Afro-indie sound, capturing the full spectrum of love — from longing to heartbreak. Now, she returns with Four Letter Word, a Valentine's Day EP that showcases her emotionally rich songwriting. Its first single,"Beg for It," set the tone when it dropped in January, quickly gaining traction.
"I wanted to create something that captures the full experience of love and relationships without explicitly shouting about love. It was about going back to my roots musically," she tells OkayAfrica.
Born in the coastal city of Mombasa, Njerae started singing at age three, performing in church and school music festivals. But it wasn't until she started seeing Kenyan artists succeed in music that she realized it could be a career. "I didn't know it was a real path here," she says. Attending the development program at Sauti Academy after high school and moving to Nairobi cemented her journey.
What followed was a prolific period of music-making that drew widespread attention. Her 2022 hit"Aki Sioni," from her debut album Unintentional, cemented her place in the industry. In 2023, she embraced a more mainstream R&B sound with singles like "OTD" and "Valhalla," expanding her reach. She continued her momentum in 2024 with the EP Out With the Old, featuring collaborations with Watendawili, Lisa Odour, Mbithi and Maali.
Now, 2025 is shaping up to be her biggest year yet. Aftersigning with Universal Music Group East Africa last year, she kicked off 2025 as part ofApple Music's Africa Rising Class—the only East African artist to earn the honor since Nikita Kering in 2020.
In this exclusive interview, edited for length and clarity, she opens up about Four Letter Word, her rise in the industry, and what's next.
Njerae at the listening party for her latest EP, Four Letter Word.
Photo by Itchy Hands.
OkayAfrica: Your new EP dropped on Valentine's Day. Why was this the perfect time to release Four Letter Word?
Njerae: Since I've been labeled ‘Kenya's Lover Girl,’ I felt I needed to release something during Valentine's season. And it just happened to fall on a Friday, which is a great release day.
How do you feel about the ‘Kenya's Lover Girl’ title?
I mean, it is what it is. But I don't think it's entirely valid — just because I sing about love and relationships doesn't mean that's my only identity. I'm also trying to explore other themes in my music. So, hopefully, this year, people will see more sides of me.
How would you describe the Njerae sound?
When you hear my name, you probably picture me with a guitar, singing in an acoustic space. Between 2023 and 2024, I tried to show people I could do more — hype up a crowd and perform on big stages. I wanted to challenge that image. But I also know my longtime fans missed my original style, so this EP brings both worlds together.
What was the process of making The Four Letter Word?
I wanted to work with different producers, so the first step was figuring out who to collaborate with. I worked with Wondamagik, Vic West and Kobby Worldwide. We recorded many songs, but only four made it onto the EP. I wanted to create something that captures the whole experience of love and relationships without explicitly shouting about love. It was about returning to my roots musically — blending the experimental sound I explored in 2023-2024 with my original style.The EP explores the full spectrum of love. Which song do you connect with the most emotionally?
That's tough! But I'd say, ‘Decide.’ It's a new sound for me — I worked with a new producer, Vic West, who comes from the club scene. I'm usually more acoustic. So, blending our styles was exciting. Plus, we added a bit of Kikuyu, which made the song even richer. I think people will be most excited to hear that one.
When did you first fall in love with music?
I started singing when I was three years old. I participated in music festival competitions throughout school, which taught me a lot. But I didn't know about songwriting until high school. That's when I started writing my songs and learning guitar — it became my way of expressing myself as an introvert.
In high school, I learned about artists likeSauti Sol. Before that, I didn't know music was an actual career path here. Seeing Kenyan artists succeed made me believe I could do it, too. Then, going to Sauti Academy after high school cemented it for me.You're part ofApple Music's Africa Rising Class of 2025 — congratulations! What does that recognition mean for you?
It's huge. It's opened many doors and made more people curious about my music. Plus, I love that both East Africans selected so far have been women. It also reassures me that I'm on the right path — I had doubts before, but this recognition gave me confidence.
2024 was a big year — you signed with Universal Music East Africa. How has being with a major label changed your approach?
Honestly, I don't know! We were just doing our thing when we got a call. But I think it started with my song‘Party’ with producer DTX, who was signed to Universal then. They liked the song and wanted to meet me. At first, I was skeptical — there are so many scary stories about labels. But after meeting with them, they answered all our concerns, and it ended up being the best decision for me.
Now, I dream bigger. Before, I was just trying to stay consistent. Now, I don't have to stress about logistics — I can focus on the music while my team handles everything else.
What does dreaming bigger mean for you?
I'd love to collaborate with Tems. She's a huge inspiration — an African woman making it big while staying true to her sound. I also want to expand beyond East Africa. I love Nairobi, but I'm ready to perform elsewhere. My goal this year is to get on international stages.
Njerae's ‘Four Letter Word’ is available on all streaming platforms.
