Tony Nyadundo is a musician from Kenya. He performs the Ohangla, a traditional style of music by the Luo community. He is backed by the Ohangla Boys band. He is now branded the "King of Ohangla".[1]
He was born in Kal in Tanzania. Tony's twin sister died while he was young. His family moved to Nyahera, Kisumu District, Kenya in 1978 and later to Kongoni in Nzoia.[1] He went to Kongoli Primary School and then in 1985 moved to Bukembe Secondary School but dropped out the following year due to lack of funds. He worked as a tailor until 1992.[1] [2]
He also tried his hand in deejaying. His brother Jack Nyadundo formed a group performing Ohangla music, and Tony eventually joined the group after 1996. Later he formed his own group and moved back to Tanzania for a while. In 1998 he moved to Migori District in Kenya and performed for local fishing communities.[1] He also hired Onyi Papa Jey, an orutu player who has also since become a formidable musician. In 1999 he moved to Dandora in Nairobi but did not achieve much success and then moved to Kisumu, where his brother Jack had become a popular musician.[3]
His début album Ayaki was released in 2002.[1] This marked a turning point of his career and he finally started to gain financially from being a musician. His second album was named Kidi Oba e Toke, which translates "stoned on the back".[1] The name derives from a concert when his band was attacked by thugs who hit his drummer on the back. Several other people were injured too.[3]
In 2006 he released album Obama. The name alludes to Barack Obama, the US president whose father is from the ethnic group as Nyadundo.[4] [1]
At the 2007 Kisima Music Awards he won the traditional music category.[5] He was among 100 most influential Kenyans as selected by The Standard newspaper in August 2007.[6] [7]
In October 2009, he released a new album Migingo, named after the disputed Migingo Island.[8]
Tony is recognised for his hits like, dawa ya mapenzi, Obama and many more hits. He has performed in various countries including Germany and the US.[9] [1] [10]
He was married but divorced in 1994. He has two children from the marriage.[3]