Fancy Fingers (Kenya)
Fancy Fingers, whose real name is Polycarp Otieno, was born in Nairobi in 1987 and taught himself guitar at school and in church. In 2005 he met Bien-Aimé Baraza, Willis Chimano, and Savara Mudigi at the Alliance Française in Nairobi, and together they formed the successful Afropop band Sauti Sol, with Otieno on guitar and producing much of the group’s music. As a solo artist he explored fatherhood on Father Studies (2021) and teamed up with female artists from across Africa on Love Language (2024), and in 2025 he released Jawaya Jathum, a joint album with Luo singer-songwriter Winyo. He also mentors young musicians and has co-founded platforms that help artists track their royalties.
Featured Song:
“Otieno Mokwe” (Peaceful Night) comes from Skukuu (Christmas Marwa), an EP on which Fancy Fingers gives classic carols a Kenyan feel. He shares the track with producer Kobby Worldwide and three Kenyan vocalists: Ochiko, a young singer-songwriter he mentors; Adoyo Afrique, who blends traditional Luo music with contemporary sounds; and Michelle Dolphine. “Silent Night” was written by Joseph Mohr and Franz Xaver Gruber and first sung on Christmas Eve 1818 in Oberndorf, Austria, accompanied by guitar. Here it is sung in Dholuo, the language of the Luo people around Lake Victoria.
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