Labdi Ommes, Kenya
Singer-Songwriter, Producer, Composer, Orutu Player
Labdi is a vocal powerhouse whose vision is to popularise African music culture, sounds and instruments and to re-introduce them to the world. Labdi represents a growing population of young African artistes taking up indigenous instruments and re-introducing them into the current music scene. She currently stands as the pioneering professional female Orutu player in East Africa which was a taboo for women to play.Orutu is a single- stringed fiddle which originates from Western Kenya, among the Luo Community. Labdi not only infuses but also experiments with indigenous Kenyan sounds such as Taarab, Ohangla and Benga.
Labdi has graced many international stages in different parts of the world e.g Oslo Arts festival, Bergen international music festival, Noise on the Nile , just to mention a few both as a solo performer and as part of Inter-continental duo Unganisha which she is part of. She has featured in many collaborations, within the continent and outside.
Labdi was selected to be part of the NEWF Compose Yourself lab in Durban, directed by renowned French composer Samuel Safa. Through the success of the composer lab, Labdi and the NEWF composers have since graced international storytelling, wildlife and conservation summit stages like the NEWF Summit, Jackson Wild and the National Geographic Storyteller’s summit in Washington DC.
