Afrobeats is rapidly becoming a defining sound in Kenya, capturing the attention of young music fans across the country. Over the past year, Kenyans have streamed more than 12.6 million hours of Afrobeats, with listeners aged 18–29 forming the core audience. This surge reflects a growing appetite for both international and homegrown talent, as local artists blend the genre into their own styles to create unique sounds that resonate with Kenyan youth.
Homegrown stars like Bien and Bensoul are leading the charge, producing tracks such as Extra Pressure, Nairobi, and Ma Cherie, which integrate Afrobeats rhythms with Kenyan musical influences. Meanwhile, global icons including Davido, Ayra Starr, Asake, Burna Boy, and Rema continue to dominate streams, reinforcing Kenya’s connection to the broader Afrobeats movement. Spotify data shows that Kenyan fans are actively discovering new tracks, with more than 1.8 million discoveries logged in the past year alone, demonstrating the genre’s growing cultural footprint.
Spotify is now amplifying Afrobeats through its multi-platform project, Afrobeats: Culture in Motion, which celebrates five years of the genre’s evolution. The campaign includes a documentary highlighting emerging stars and a dedicated microsite breaking down Afrobeats’ growth into key trends. These trends include the rise of emotionally charged, introspective tracks, a surge in female representation led by artists like Tems and Ayra Starr, and significant expansion in Latin American markets, particularly Brazil. Afrobeats is no longer just a musical style—it has become a global movement that connects cultures, inspires creativity, and cements Kenya’s role in shaping contemporary African music. As Kenyan artists and fans continue to engage with the genre, Afrobeats’ influence shows no signs of slowing, making it a central force in the country’s modern music identity.