Kenyan musician Calvo Mistari has opened up about the unlikely circumstances that led to the creation of “Baddest”, the latest collaboration between himself and fellow artist Naiboi.
According to Calvo Mistari, the feel-good afro-pop track was written during a casual evening as the duo prepared dinner together, with producer Dillie’s instrumental playing in the background.
“We were actually cooking dinner when the song happened,” recalls Calvo Mistari. “Naiboi had the beat playing on loop and we just started feeding off each other’s energy. We laid the intro, then my verse and from there the song began taking shape.”
The song is the fifth release from the duo’s forthcoming joint album, ‘308’, following the singles “Rudisha”, “All My Dreams”, “Zama” and “The Prize”.
Released under their new publishing imprint Room 308, “Baddest” was produced by Dillie, with Musyoka handling mixing and mastering duties.
Calvo Mistari and Naiboi say the track was designed to capture a positive and uplifting mood, drawing inspiration from a confident woman who effortlessly commands attention whenever she enters a room.
“Baddest is all about good vibes. It’s about that person who walks into a room and immediately captures everyone’s attention. We wanted the song to feel fun, uplifting and make people want to dance. More than anything, we want listeners to enjoy the energy and feel-good spirit behind it,” the duo said.
Featuring live guitar arrangements by Benjamin Kabaseke, bass guitar contributions from Sedar Malaki and additional background vocals from Amileena, the song combines African-inspired guitar melodies with an infectious groove that reflects the pair’s evolving sound.
The release continues the creative momentum behind Room 308, a collaborative venture that brings together the talents of Calvo Mistari and Naiboi as they prepare to unveil more music from their forthcoming album.
The duo, who have been living between Kenya and the US while pursuing new ventures and opportunities, first collaborated on the 2021 hit “Situation”.
