Nyokabi Kariũki
- At the ZKM
- 2023
- Biography
Nyokabi Kariũki is a Kenyan composer and sound artist who writes classical contemporary & experimental electronic, to (East) African music and more. She performs with piano, voice, electronics, and on African instruments. Bandcamp has highlighted her as »becoming a crucial voice in contemporary composition and experimental music.« She seeks to create meaningful and challenging art, illuminated by a commitment to the preservation of African thought. Kariũki’s debut EP was The Guardian’s 10 Best Contemporary Albums of 2022, and her debut album, »FEELING BODY« (about her long COVID disease), was met with similar acclaim: “a gripping meditation on illness and healing” (Pitchfork). Kariũki performs solo and with contemporary ensembles, including the String Orchestra of Brooklyn & Cello Octet Amsterdam. In 2020, she earned a BM in composition from New York University (NYU). She also studied at IRCAM & École Normale de Musique. Nyokabi Kariũki recently became an alumni of the Helsinki International Artists Program.
