Kenyan musician and civil engineer Leshao Sopia Leshao is using his music to tell stories about his Maasai heritage while drawing attention to issues affecting his community. Growing up around the Maasai Mara exposed Leshao to the close relationship between people, livestock, wildlife, land, and nature. This experience gave him a deep connection to traditional Maasai songs, stories, and oral traditions, which have since become an important part of his music.
Leshao's journey from engineering to music is rooted in his passion for building and finding practical solutions to problems. He sees a strong connection between engineering and music, stating that engineering teaches him to think critically, understand systems, and look for solutions, while music allows him to communicate those ideas in an emotional and accessible way. Leshao described himself as someone who can build with both his hands and his voice.
Leshao's Maasai upbringing had a significant influence on his identity and the kind of music he creates. He recalled seeing the relationship between people, livestock, wildlife, land, and nature while growing up listening to traditional Maasai songs and stories. For Leshao, those experiences taught him that music can serve a purpose beyond entertainment. He now sings in Maa and incorporates elements of traditional Maasai musical heritage into contemporary sounds.
Climate change is a critical issue for Leshao, as people in his community experience its effects directly. He has witnessed changes in rainfall patterns, prolonged droughts, and increasing pressure on water and pasture. Leshao believes that music gives him a way to take conversations that often happen in policy rooms and conferences and make them accessible to a wider audience. He hopes to communicate complex issues like climate change through stories, melodies, or messages that people can connect with emotionally.
Leshao identified language, traditional knowledge, oral storytelling, musical traditions, and the community's relationship with the land as some of the aspects of Maasai culture that need to be protected. He wants to show that Maasai culture can exist within the modern world and that preserving culture does not mean rejecting modernity. Leshao uses Maa in his music while incorporating traditional sounds and stories into contemporary songs.
Leshao's songs touch on issues such as gender equality, education, and justice, in addition to climate change and culture. He believes that artists have a role to play in society as storytellers and that entertainment can make people happy, but music can also make people think, ask questions, and start conversations. Leshao stressed that his intention is not to lecture his audience but to start conversations through something people already connect with.
Leshao acknowledged that addressing social and environmental issues can sometimes make people uncomfortable. He faces the challenge of explaining issues affecting Indigenous communities to audiences who may not have experienced them. Despite the challenges, Leshao said having a voice comes with the responsibility to use it carefully, and he hopes his songs can create dialogue, raise awareness, and encourage people to see issues from another perspective.
Key points
- Leshao Sopia Leshao uses his music to raise awareness about climate change and social issues affecting his Maasai community.
- Leshao's Maasai upbringing and experiences have significantly influenced his music and identity.
- Leshao aims to preserve Maasai culture and traditions through his music, while promoting social and environmental awareness.
