'My first music video cost me Ksh.4 Million ' Akothee reveals

While speaking on Citizen Digital's Twitter space last night, Akothee spoke passionately of the sweat, blood and tears she pumped into her work which included paying the media to having to craft random controversies for airplay.

"I forced myself to Kenyans. I forced myself into their ears. Kenyans did not want me. They rejected me. I had to literally drag myself out there and make myself heard. In an industry full of cheap clout chasing, I had to either adapt or die. It took time but eventually, it paid off, " Akothee said.

The 'Sweet Love' singer said that she had to travel abroad to understand what sort of music to make and how to penetrate the markets also accusing Kenyans of haring their own and being too overly-critical of Kenyan music.

"Kenyans play a very huge part in killing the industry through criticism. When I started out, I used to be criticised alot and that would hurt my brand. I went to Nigeria to understand what they were doing right. And if you asked Nigerians, they would say the artists they know from Kenya is Akothee, Diamond Platnumz and Sauti Sol. And yet I was not even being listened to in Kenya itself, " she lamented.

Akothee also revealed that she still has a soft spot for Gospel music, having started out as a choir member at the SDA Church but that her distrust for the Church hegemony pushed her away.

"I still feel the calling to be a Gospel singer inside me but the way the church us set up, I find alof of the members very hypocritical and I hate being told what to do. My mother also didn't not support my music at first, she found it indecent and was not supportive when I started out due to the nature of music I was putting out, " she added.

The self-proclaimed 'President of Single Mothers' also said that, her then-fiance would dissuade her from doing music asking to pay her hefty sums of money to delete her YouTube account.

"He offered to be paying me 20,000 Swiss Franc for me to quit music, tay at home and delete my channel. I had to let the relationship of four years go."

While speaking on the money she makes or has made in YouTube, Akothee revealed that, despite a good pay day, it still was not enough to cover her logistical expenses.

"I remember my first show, Jalang'o paid me Ksh. 150k. And I wondered what is this money even doing to do for me? My operational costs cost me over Ksh. 500k. But with time, with endorsements and all, I was able to start earning proper money from my music, which also took time, " she said.

To be able to catch the eye of the media and find airplay, the mother of five girls and two boys said that she had to regularly dip into her own pocket to advance her career.

"I remember having to pay the media people for airplay. I would book flights for radio presenters, spend alot on the media. In fact, I spent Ksh. 4 Million on my first music video for the song 'Shengerera Mama' which I shot in South Africa just to be able to have it play on NTV's 'The Beat' program," she revealed.

The vivacious singer also singled out three things she said helped her in the career - Patience, Discipline and Consistency

Akothee also said that she was elated for her new role as a member of the Talanta Hela Council and that she would use the opportunity to mentor younger artists.

"I will use the opportunity to nurture younger artists and take them through the journey as they learn from me and adopt some of what I applied earlier to succeed in music," she said.