After losing both parents within a space
of two months upon entering his teenage years, Eric Onyango Omollo
better known as Qritiqal, turned to music as a cathartic expression of
deep seated feelings no one should endure at such a young age.
Born in 1989 and raised in Mombasa Kenya,
he ventured into music through school festivals. He hung out with local
artistes who mentored him through his personal struggles, including the
loss of one of his siblings, as he passionately pursued music as both
therapeutic and a career path. After a chance meeting with Gyptian at a
local show, he was inspired to record original material and debuted in
2010 as a sensational dance hall artiste with the single “Weak Inside” –
a nation-wide hit.
The single won him the Best Video of the
Year 2010 at the Nzumari Awards and the Best Video of The Year Coast
Music Awards. In 2012, he dropped another hit single “Kupe” where he was
featured by Ogopa Deejayz Artist and Guru Col. Mustafa. Having also
shared a stage with the likes of Jaguar and Sauti Sol, he decided it was
time for him to pause and develop his own unique sound, later on
meeting and collaborating with local producer, Motif_On_The_Beat (Morris
Kobia). Their collaboration produced successful Dj Dubplates for local
Djs, at a time when he also doubled as a jingle maker for some
advertisement agencies.
His consistency and passion for music
developed Qritiqal’s signature sound; a go between dancehall, soul and
R&B, where his high tenor range, in contrast with his laid back
delivery gives him a unique tone and flow. This had him hand picked for
the theme song of Kenya’s legendary DJ Joe Mfalme. Still, success and
the right attention seemed to elude him as he kept doing pro-bono gigs
while trying his best to cater for his younger brother and only
surviving family member. He eventually settled in Nairobi – the music
capital of Kenya, where he was discovered by Chocolate City Music Kenya,
the sister company to Chocolate City Music Nigeria; home to
internationally known acts like Ice Prince Zamani, Koker and MI Abaga.
Get ready Africa, it’s about to get Qritiqal.
Post a Comment