Kenyan singer and songwriter Bien-Aimé Baraza has teamed up with beloved Tanzanian musician Ali Kiba for their new single “Finale.”
The song’s official music video debuted at No. 2 on YouTube’s trending chart, amassing over 769,229 views, in under 20 hours of its release.
“Finale” is a celebratory, feel-good track built around the communal joy of football, capturing the vibrant atmosphere of fans coming together to watch a match.
The video leans into this concept, featuring a lively watch-party setting with appearances from Kenyan stars including Khaligraph Jones, Bensoul (who co-wrote the song), Polycarp Otieno, and Dennis Ombachi, who makes a surprise appearance as the party’s barbecue chef.
In this track, Bien steps into the smooth, rhythmic world of Bongo Flava, complementing Ali Kiba’s signature melodic style. This isn’t the first time Bien has tapped into the genre; he did it on “Katam” with Diamond Platnumz and on “Nairobi” with Marioo
Ali Kiba, widely regarded as one of the defining voices of the genre, has built a career on timeless Swahili love songs and pan-African appeal. On “Finale,” that influence is clear, with Bien adapting seamlessly to the genre’s cadence while still retaining his distinct vocal identity.
In past interviews, Bien has emphasised the importance of creating music that elevates the region and not just himself.
“If Bien is amazing, people will look for Kenyan music and find other artistes,” he said in a previous interview.
He has also previously highlighted the significance of using Swahili to reach a broader audience, which he has tapped into for most of his tracks.
“Swahili is spoken by 150 million people, and those are customers and ambassadors of our culture. So, we have to make music for that community wherever they are in the world and use them to propel us out onto the global sphere.”
“Finale” is streaming on all platforms.
