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‘Pamoja’: Savara’s Isikuti-powered CHAN anthem calls Africans to victory
Kenyan singer-songwriter and producer Savara Mudigi, creator of the CHAN 2024 official anthem “Pamoja”, featuring Tanzania’s Phina and Uganda’s Elijah Kitaka.
It is impossible to think back to memorable moments at major football tournaments without remembering the soundtrack to the thrills and spills on the pitch.
Think of Pepe Kalle’s Roger Milla extolling the exploits of the legendary Cameroonian player at Italia 1990 or Ricky Martin’s La Copa de la Vida (The Cup of Life) at France 1998 World Cup, or K’Naan’s Waving Flag, and the Shakira/Freshly Ground collaboration Waka Waka (This Time for Africa), both of which reverberated during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Kenya is currently in the grip of football mania thanks to the stunning performances by the national soccer team Harambee Stars at the African Nations Championships (CHAN) 2024 tournament.
The official tournament theme song, Pamoja, by Kenyan singer-songwriter and producer, Savara featuring Tanzanian singer Phina and Elijah Kitaka from Uganda, is an exuberant anthem that resonates with the spirit of overcoming odds to emerge victorious.
Unlike other official songs of major sports events that are released as part of a promotional campaign in the months leading up to the tournament, Pamoja only dropped during the opening weekend of the matches which probably explains why it has been a slow burner.
“I wrote this song for my upcoming album and it was not associated with the football,” explains Savara during an interview while in Kisumu earlier this week. “It was only a few days to the tournament when I pitched the song to CAF (Confederation of African Football) and they loved it.”
Kenyan singer-songwriter and producer Savara Mudigi, creator of the CHAN 2024 official anthem “Pamoja”, featuring Tanzania’s Phina and Uganda’s Elijah Kitaka.
Photo credit: Pool
They reached a deal to license the song to CAF for a year and Savara and a team of musicians and producers set out to refashion the song.
Part of the process was including additional vocals from the two East African artistes, and the song was renamed Pamoja, the theme of the tournament being co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
“The original title of the song is Winner and I will officially release it as a solo track at the end of August,” says Savara. “I believe in the song because of the timing. We are at a place and time when we have to show up for ourselves, our country and Africa,” he adds, in reference to the lyrics which pronounce self-belief, confidence and victory.
Even though it is a very contemporary sound, the song is flavoured with the lively Isikuti, the traditional drummers from Luhya community of Western Kenya. “I had to go authentic on this song and remember I am a drummer so I know all about rhythm, time signature and all that,” explains Savara.
He worked on the project with veteran musician and producer, Joseck Asikoye of Jabali Afrika, who brought in the energetic Isikuti outfit, the A’nyore Roots Band into the production of Pamoja.
“We had about three sessions with the Isikuti band, created the vibes and ultimately worked on the arrangement,” explains Asikoye.
Kenya Cane brand ambassador, singer-songwriter, and producer Savara Mudigi at the brand’s True Kenyan Fest – Jamhuri Edition, held at Club 034 in Kitengela, Kajiado County.
Photo credit: Thomas Rajula | Nation Media Group
The sound of the music, according to him, had to be created to capture the fun, excitement and the emotion that accompanies football in Africa, and specifically East Africa.
“After living in America for more than 30 years, Asikoye just wants to give back to his musical roots back home so it was such a joy working with him to create this extraordinary song,” says Savara.
Asikoye, who also masterminded the drum arrangement on the hit song All My EnemiesAre Suffering by Savara’s Sauti Sol-bandmate Bien-Aime Baraza, is keen to stress why Kenyan artistes must inject the cultural element into their music.
“African music is always based on the rhythm of the drum so when you combine that with modern sounds from the guitars and other instruments then the combination is unbeatable.”
Savara, who visited the Harambee Stars before the start of CHAN 2024, is confident that the song will not just inspire the players, but other Kenyans and Africans to pick themselves up and keep battling no matter their situation.
“The narrative has changed for Africa, winning is a must. Even as a musician, I have to exalt myself, to push the envelope and to be the best,” he says ebulliently.
He is throwing a challenge to Kenyan music producers to learn from those African artistes who have the world at their feet. “Most producers are lazy and fail to go out of their way to research deeply to create music that is unique and capable of earning them attention beyond our borders.”
Kenyan singer-songwriter and producer Savara Mudigi, creator of the CHAN 2024 official anthem “Pamoja”, featuring Tanzania’s Phina and Uganda’s Elijah Kitaka.
Photo credit: Pool
However, Savara acknowledges that his experience in growing Sauti Sol from a group of high school friends to a multiple award-winning international act, and now a successful solo career, has given him a unique perspective on the industry.
“I am not oblivious to my background, but I have to keep encouraging the younger generation to do even better than we have. They have it in them to make Africans the greatest people on earth,” he says.
Beyond CHAN, he plans to work with CAF again on producing the theme song for the bigger continental football showcase, the Africa Cup of Nations.
