Njerish's new single "The Hate Song"

Caroline Njeri, aka Njerish, is the the first artiste from the Airtel Trace Music Stars to release a song, titled "The Hate Song". PHOTO | COURTESY 

In Summary

• It has a heavy rock influence, which I love — Njerish is an original rocker, and not many females are doing that.
• I want her to let loose, not hold back! If there's hate to be had, there's hate to be heard.
• I love the guitars in this – the bass is great, but in the clip I feel like the instruments overpower her voice just a smidge

By ABIGAIL ARUNGA
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While Caroline Njeri, aka Njerish, did not walk away with the money, she is already kicking up a digital storm.

Not only is she the first artiste from the Airtel Trace Music Stars to release a song but she did it in style. The new song made its debut on her Facebook page on the evening of May 5. Perhaps for mystery, or perhaps for artistic eccentricity — I'll ask and let you know when I see her.

Never one to sit on her laurels and beat around the bush, Njerish is priming to take the Kenyan rock — and indeed, music — scene, by storm.

The song is called "The Hate Song". On her SoundCloud, she describes it as a song that is "…not about hating a person. It's about hating what's evil, and not just the evil in others, but the evil within ourselves and actively getting rid of it because, evil, even hate, is stupid".

It has a heavy rock influence, which I love — Njerish is an original rocker, and not many females are doing that.

The rock scene fluctuates every so often in Kenya, and I'm glad room has been made for one more seasoned soul.

The lyrics speak of not wanting pretence:

Don't look at me

You look like the devil

can't stand the way you're making me feel...

Don't try and call me

pretend to be civil

be gone...

I love Njerish's voice, and always have. The fact that she has been in rock bands before is completely unsurprising, considering the rough-hewn quality of her vocals.

In this song, she gives us a hint of what she is capable of, teasing us with glimpses of how powerful her voice actually is — which is one of my complaints, actually.

I want her to let loose, not hold back! If there's hate to be had, there's hate to be heard.

I love the guitars in this song — the bass is great, but in the clip I feel like the instruments overpower her voice just a smidge (another reason I wanted her to let loose).

I also wish the song wasn't so short — at 2:41, the song really is just a teaser trailer of what is to come. When is the album out, Njerish?

Go ahead and have a listen here – let out the rage!