The Audacious Art of Seeking and Keeping with Labdi Ommes
Frames from Pakrouk, Directed by Richard Kanyi and released in 2025.
Throughout time women have been the pioneers and rebels - creatives, geniuses, innovators and keepers of secrets, stories and layers of rich history otherwise hidden or erased. Today, we enjoy the fruits of their pioneering and carry torches as keepers and innovators in a very different world.
One such modern pioneer and keeper is Kenyan singer, songwriter, and multidisciplinary artist, Labdi Ommes.
Film photograph by Rebo Muthukia.
Citing her grandparents as a core source of inspiration for her character, creativity, and research; she represents a growing population of young African artists interested in indigenous knowledge and instruments as the fundamental influence and north star.
A vocal powerhouse, her vision is to popularise African music culture, sounds and instruments and to re-introduce them to the world on her own terms. When we consider what rebellion looked like not that many years ago, it may be the most natural assumption that a person confidently challenging cultural taboos of gendered instruments must arrive in a gust of attitude, crashing through a room to discredit the ways of old. But not Labdi. She’s a badass sweetheart who knows how and when to show her teeth — it lands with a respect and clarity that shows her character and commitment to replacing barriers with healthy, and fair boundaries that allow those open enough to share a truly collaborative space with her.
When I ask her about the role her spiritual roots and feminine experience inform her artistic practice, collaborative approach and character, she answers in the humble, considered manner that runs through her like a natural rhythm of understanding can only be experienced with people who have taken the reigns of their identity, destiny and purpose with a deep understanding of the weight of responsibility as keepers of the past, present and future.
“I grew up in a very spiritual home. […] I was raised by my grandparents and they’re wonderful people. I think if there’s any goodness that comes from me, it has to have come from them because they are wonderful and good people.
So that being my background, I think I’ve always just followed the key lessons that they taught me and the most important one was to always be humble. And it’s not just saying being humble, but it’s more about humility — more about accommodating people and making sure you see everyone. Because when you see everyone and your knowledge that everyone is present and is there, it takes you outside of all of these other things that we like to classify people as.”
As the pioneering professional female Orutu player in East Africa which is a taboo for women to play. Labdi has graced many international stages in different parts of the world; Oslo Arts festival, Bergen international music festival, Noise on the Nile — both as a solo performer and as part of Unganisha, a creative, no-rules inter-continental duo of which Norwegian Producer and inter-disciplinary artist Bernt Isak is the other half.
Her work ethic and creative drive has led to her featuring in many collaborations, within the continent and outside; including being selected to be part of the NEWF Compose Yourself lab in Durban in 2021. Directed by renowned French composer Samuel Safa, 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.
Photographs (left and right) by Leigh Vogel / National Geographic Society, 2023.
Just days ago, Labdi performed live at the 2025 Jackson Wild Media awards alongside Muhaamago — each mesmerising the audience with their instruments. Her, with her Orutu - a single-stringed fiddle originating from Western Kenya among the Luo Community - and he strumming the Mbira. Sometimes referred to as a thumb piano, the Mbira is a traditional African lamellaphone instrument originating from Zimbabwe and Malawi, played by plucking metal reeds with the thumbs and fingers.
Labdi and Muha performing at the Grand Teton Awards in Wyoning. Photograph courtesy of Jackson Wild.
“Over the years as I have been doing music, I have just tried to tell that story of people, to see people, to talk to people.
And where I am now is just trying to connect that with my roots. I’m doing a lot of research. I’m trying to find out. I’m realising now that the root of who I am and my character is, is fundamentally based on my great grandmother who was a crazy woman - I just found out. I keep finding out more and more about her and interviewing my grandad, interviewing my uncles and they were just saying that this spiritual woman was an insane genius who used to make her own instruments and play them.
For her music just came so easily - she loved music to the point of invention.
I didn’t really know this about myself because it’s part of my history right yeah so I’m just trying to now connect that with my traditional spirituality and what that means. I don’t know much about it because when you are raised Christian, there’s a lot lost in terms of ancestral lines and all of these things. But I think eventually I’ll get to a point where I really understand the scope of what I am meant to be and what the journey is.”
Labdi not only infuses but also experiments with indigenous Kenyan sounds such as Taarab, Ohangla and Benga - sounds threaded through her musical life, and yet still only one part of her richly layered, creative world.
To her, research and writing have been natural parts of her journey and process; brought together more and more in response to her overarching vision of honouring her role as a keeper through the exploration of her identity and the penchant to give back through the kind of mentorship and cultural exchanges that have so deeply enriched her.
Sharing that she wrote a secret book around age eleven or twelve, words have always been a natural part of her life; throughout her life she has observed her grandfather alongside his beloved words as his daily companion — his ritual has been to start each day reading and writing each morning.
Recording at Daraja by Misrak Studio.
Expanding on her expansive journey with NEWF, she reflects on some of the experiences that have built on her words and art through community and expansive collaboration; strengthening her desire to give back to music and the arts - and revealing to her how much she has to share with the world.
She recalls having no expectation or sense of what was to come when she joined the Composer Lab —arriving with an open mind and a readiness to immerse and share in whichever ways the journey would allow. And that she did. Bringing her signature, unapologetic style to the stage alongside her musical peers and now longtime friends; as the room moved in response to their live composition at the 2022 NEWF Congress, so too they moved to a greater understanding of how close they were getting to changing deep-rooted perceptions and limitations on what nature, wildlife and all original film compositions looked like.
Continuing to redefine and represent, Labdi had the opportunity to share her work and journey with a deeply engaged audience alongside leading women from across the industry who came together for the well known and highly anticipated Wild Woman panel, produced and moderated by Kim Woodard. Together they shared personal stories of adventure, adversity and success; with Labdi categorising three key catalysts in her journey: mischief, audacity, and the benefits of unemployment also known as opportunity.
In conversation about Sonic Storytelling at the Jackson Wild Summit and Media Awards.
“All the skills and opportunities that I’ve gathered come from curiosity, open mindedness and the courage to step out of my comfort zone. […] And if I sit back and look at the biggest opportunities I’ve had in my life, they’ve all come from a random phone call — Oh, do you want to do this? I’m like, yeah, sure!”
Her involvement in moderating panels and contributing to sessions continues growing in and outside of NEWF, where inspiration is found in energetic and niche communities where experiences, cultural layers and creative expansion flow to and from her.
Exchanges like Africa 2 Archipelago, a collaborative project between the National Geographic Society Storytellers Collective, Africa Refocused (NEWF), Bonifacio Art Foundation, Inc. (BAFI) through The Mind Museum and the BGC Arts Center, with Bonifacio Global City (BGC) layered on top her experiences at the Kilele Summit where she steered a series of workshops, delved into Africa Refocused and set up a fun networking mixer sponsored by NEWF, to tie off an exciting week.
Through cultural exchange a cohort of musicians and storytellers came to gather in 2024 to explore storytelling, science, art and music through cultural immersion alongside a team of creatives from The Mind Museum. Meeting at eKhaya Storytelling, Research and Dive Centre, this first exchange included a National Geographic Society Storyteller’s Collective workshop facilitated by Jahawi Bertolli and an immersive exploration of the NEWF Composers Lab hosted by Labdi and Muhaamago.
Following this warm, immersive exchange in Northern Zululand, the cohort joined their exchange peers in their artistic stomping grounds in the Philippines at the end of 2024 to immerse in the local music and art scene.
While moments like these provide a clear resonance across cultures, her hustle pace ignited and challenged her in exciting ways when artists from Latin America - Panamanian artist Jairo Esquina; and Columbian artist Afroneto Ri Palenge - visited eKhaya for what would become a series of intense music jams to produce an EP which is currently still in post-production.
“This was an incredible show of the importance of connection between African and Afro Latina musicians. We were inspired by the challenges and misunderstandings caused by the transatlantic slave trade and we reimagined a universe where we all fought to be back together.
We Africans sought our brothers and sisters who were whisked away from us and they reconnected and found new meaning as to what their identities are in connection to Africa.”
Playing the role of co-producer, instrumentalist, composer and singer for this project, her femininity was felt across the board through the use of her voice. An expression shared in all the songs to bring balance within their collective creative process. The songs we composed were a collaboration between Labdi, Muha, Afroneto and Jairo; as well as NEWF interns Cebo, Nombuso and more — a sonic story that deserves its own space and time to come to life and be shared with the world.
Not only has Labdi generously immersed in every new season and project stemming from her growing global community; she has increasingly been transferring her experiences as a diver and interdisciplinary creative to contribute to films beyond the lyrical. During the South x South Media Lab hosted at eKhaya right before #NEWF2025, she and her team produced a short ocean film, Khuthaza over 10 days at eKhaya and along the coast of Sodwana Bay where the protagonists are seen exploring the shore and underwater worlds.
Khuthaza, an isiZulu word which means to encourage someone to take action, especially in a positive and uplifting way. Produced, directed, filmed and edited by Asier Schwarzlose (Chile), Daniela Rakos (Chile), Gérard Zinzindohué (Benin), Labdi Ommes (Kenya), and Pablo Albarenga (Uruguay) - and featuring music by Labdi Ommes and Makhonjwa John Zikhali (South Africa) - the short film features the interconnected stories of ocean exploration by Cebolakhe ‘Cebo’ Mthembu (South Africa) and his friend Andile Emage (South Africa).
Inspired to learn to dive after seeing his neighbour Sandile immerse in the underwater world and leaving to work in the dive industry abroad, his journey sees him inviting Andile to face his fear and explore the vastness of an ocean deemed taboo by many locals. In place of fear, the audience peeks through a briny lens to witness the unfolding of joy, curiosity and possibility in place of the fear earlier expressed.
This unfolding deeply resonates for Ladbi whose own yearning to dive was not something she understood until she immersed and felt it was a calling from her Luo ancestors who were deeply connected to water and originally known as people of the Nile prior to settling in modern day Kisumu.
So when we look at how she has gone on to receive a grant to produce a children’s book series, it’s no surprise and feels even to her perfectly timed as the next tangible manifestation of the momentum that she has been working hard to maintain over the last few years.
The project presents a merge lane for her talents and creative skillset; building on her interest in her grandmother's innovation, creative genius and bold audacity.
“I’m covering the journeys of rebel women and traditional musicians. So the seed for this was my great grandmother —who really didn’t have access to instruments. And I think it’s really just been a part of my life story, my musicianship, my coming to be as a creative, where I picked the instrument or to because I was told, “Oh, but women don’t play it.” I was like, “Oh, here, I’m going to play it.” You know? That’s all.
I’m now realising that that seed was sown a long time ago without me knowing. So, I’m just trying to find women who are rebellious in nature - all the ladies - mentors to talk to, to tell me about their journey and to share their struggles, their challenges and just stories in general.
Because I realised two things; there’s a lot of information - I could not believe the amount of information we have been left with.
And there are so many songs, so many children’s stories have been told from the point of view of the white gaze and it’s extremely dangerous for [Black] children because our stories are indigenous stories.
African stories are told to educate and pass on shared knowledge, not to fantasise.Recently Muha asked me who the ‘princess’ is in Luo; and I explained that no one cares for a princess because that’s not an important thing - it’s this fantasy of the West that has sold us that deprives our children of the nature and importance of our storytelling.
We tell stories to inform, to educate, to challenge the mind. To ignite something deeper than fantasy – we tell stories to preserve who we are.”
Film photograph by Rebo Muthukia.
Deepening her research with every session and interview in her family and community, she embraces her role as a keeper by seeking…
Seeking herself, her family — seeking local stories and opportunities to immerse in songs and narratives that will help her create a series of books that children right in her community can learn from and take pride in.
Photograph courtesy of Jackson Wild, 2025.
“I think it’s my duty. Music is not my duty.
My duty, I feel, and I was talking to my uncle about this. I was telling him that my role is to archive. I am a keeper of information and knowledge. I went to Ghana last year and there was a man with Asante Hene who had many keys and I wondered why this guy had an entire bunch of keys... Turns out he is the Kingdom’s keeper of knowledge. The archivist.
He stores the treasure and the information.
When the [Orutu] found me I realised that my role is to be a keeper of stories because our instruments have memory, our instruments have stories to tell.
By being [present in] and researching in my home — in my hometown — it all kind of connects. Me asking my granddad these questions, me finding out about my great grandmother… it’s part of knowing about these rebel women because she was a rebel woman.
And you know what I think? The book is actually going to be about her.”
And while her grandmother's story of mischief, audacity and innovation is written, Labdi’s own melody of mischief and opportunity is taking shape — each curious enrichment and project a key bound together and held out in elegant, open hands.
