Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist from Kenya, Rapasa Nyatrapasa Otieno is a virtuoso of the nyatiti, an eight-string lyre. The music he creates is deeply rooted in storytelling.
In 2022 he was a facilitator at Making Tracks and a fellow participant in 2019. In 2017 he participated in the OneBeat program and in 2016 in the Nile Project. Artist in Residence 2020/2021 at The Glasshouse ICM gave rise to the work KWEChE. Supported by the Arts Council of England he developed skills in live media interaction which he used during his Snape Malting residency in Feb 2022. Singles of his work JOPANGO supported by Help Musicians, have been released since Nov. 2022. This is what Narc Magazine said about the single Unite: “Unite has a meditative groove that’s enough to get lost in, and Otieno’s message of collectivism and joy transcends language barriers.” Piny Ngero was also chosen to feature on the Non-Classical compilation Outside the Lines, Vol. 6.