Jesse Mwenda Mugambi, winner of last year’s Jägermeister’s Save The Night competition – which supports nightlife projects around the world, has opened the first portable music hub in Nairobi.
His ‘Studio Can-V’ project, which beat over 300 submissions from 50 countries, is a modular container-studio fitted with turntables, mixers, streaming cameras and acoustic treatment.
By day, it functions as a classroom and rehearsal pod; by night it morphs into an intimate showcase venue with sessions that will be streamed and archived on YouTube and social media, building a living library and a showcase of Kenyan DJ talent.
Speaking at the studio, Jesse who started out as a deejay at 14, said the completed project is a vision realised.
“It’s the launch of a dream I have been nurturing for a long time and a vision born from my love for architecture, music and sustainable design. That vision comes to life in the form of Studio One,” Jesse said.
Inspired by his own circumstances and past experiences, he set out to create something that would help upcoming artists.
“I had to borrow gear and sneak into a friend’s house to practice[…]so when conceptualizing Studio Can-V, I thought about what support I needed back then and Studio Can-V is my answer to that struggle: a space where anyone, regardless of background, can learn, rehearse and share their sound with the world,” Jesse says.
The project is also inspired by his love of sustainable architecture which he integrates into the studio’s design.
“From safety to sustainability, nightlife is under pressure everywhere but young Kenyans still need stages and Studio Can-V puts those stages back in their hands, free of charge, as a non-profit,” Jesse concludes.
Upcoming music creatives can access Studio Can-V at the Kuona Collective.
