Base to Billboardz (B2B) has named Muringi Matheri, Manasseh Shalom, Zawadi Mukami, Chris Barr, Peter Njuguna and Ras Amor as the six finalists for its inaugural six-month artist development programme, the organisers said on March 30 in Nairobi.

According to the press release, the programme—launched in February—is backed by Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL) through its Tusker brand, with musician Bien serving as the principal mentor. The six were selected from a shortlist of 30 following a voting process involving members of the public and industry experts during a live showcase held at the Tusker Brew House.

The organisers said the initiative is structured as an artist development platform rather than a competition, and does not include a “winner-takes-all” cash prize. Instead, the programme targets Kenyan artists who already show market traction. B2B said its eligibility benchmarks include having released an album or EP, live performance experience, at least one million career streams, and a social media audience of more than 10,000.

Christine Kariuki, Head of Mainstream Beer at KBL, said the company expects to track how the initiative supports the artists’ professional growth. “Since the launch, we have been eager to witness the six artists in action, and we look forward to tracking the impact of this initiative on their growth and development,” Kariuki said. “We want to support them every step of the way as they elevate their careers.”

Bien said the programme is designed to combine mentorship with operational structure. “I am quite optimistic about the level of talent and originality we are seeing from the artists in this programme,” Bien said. “I am excited about what lies ahead because with the right mentorship, structure, and commitment to the craft, they have the potential to grow into artists who can compete and thrive on bigger stages, both locally and globally.”

The press release identified each finalist with a track associated with their recent visibility: Muringi for Managī, Manasseh for Dark Brown Eyes, Zawadi for Jua Tua, Chris Barr for Hamu, Peter Njuguna for Delulu, and Ras Amor for Hawa Wasichana.

Over the next six months, B2B said the finalists will attend weekly workshops covering vocals, songwriting and dance/movement, alongside monthly masterclasses on the business of music, including branding, publishing, distribution, contracts, monetisation and international expansion.

For Kenya’s creative economy, the programme reflects a growing role for corporate-backed platforms in professionalising talent pipelines amid expanding consumption of local music. In the statement, B2B pointed to ongoing industry constraints that make it difficult for semi-established acts to convert audience momentum into sustainable careers, citing limited mentorship, fragmented industry structures and insufficient commercial backing.

The organisers said the programme will culminate with the six artists forming a collective and releasing a joint album, followed by a launch event. The timing and commercial arrangements for the album release were not disclosed in the statement.

Tusker has previously supported music programming including Tusker Project Fame, Nexters and Oktoberfest, according to the release, with Base to Billboardz positioned as a longer-cycle development initiative. The next milestone for B2B will be the start of the weekly workshops and masterclasses leading up to the joint album release and debut event.

Base to Billboardz (B2B) has named Muringi Matheri, Manasseh Shalom, Zawadi Mukami, Chris Barr, Peter Njuguna and Ras Amor as the six finalists for its inaugural six-month artist development programme, the organisers said on March 27 in Nairobi.

According to the press release, the programme was launched in February and is backed by Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL) through its Tusker brand, in partnership with musician Bien, who will serve as the principal mentor. The finalists were selected from a shortlist of 30 artists through voting by members of the public and industry experts during a live showcase event held at the Tusker Brew House, the organisers said.

The announcement places a spotlight on the growing role of corporate-backed programmes in Kenya’s creative economy, where music is increasingly viewed as both a cultural product and a commercial sector linked to streaming revenues, live events, brand partnerships and intellectual property earnings. For Kenya’s beverage and consumer brands, such platforms can also serve as marketing channels, while for artists they can offer structured access to skills, networks and industry knowledge that are often fragmented.

Christine Kariuki, Head of Mainstream Beer at KBL, said the company plans to follow the artists’ progress through the programme. “Since the launch, we have been eager to witness the six artists in action, and we look forward to tracking the impact of this initiative on their growth and development,” Kariuki said. “We want to support them every step of the way as they elevate their careers.”

The press release identified each finalist with a song associated with their recent visibility: Muringi Matheri for Managī, Manasseh Shalom for Dark Brown Eyes, Zawadi Mukami for Jua Tua, Chris Barr for Hamu, Peter Njuguna for Delulu, and Ras Amor for Hawa Wasichana.

B2B said it is structured as a career accelerator rather than a music competition, and does not offer a cash prize. The organisers said eligibility focused on semi-established artists who had already released bodies of work such as an album or EP, had live performance experience, had at least one million career streams, and an online audience of more than 10,000.

Over the next six months, the finalists will participate in weekly workshops covering vocals, songwriting and movement, as well as monthly masterclasses focused on the business of music, including branding, publishing, distribution, contracts, monetisation and international expansion, according to the press release. The programme will involve Bien and five additional coaches.

Bien said the cohort reflects the breadth of Kenya’s music output and argued that structured support can help artists sustain careers. “I am quite optimistic about the level of talent and originality we are seeing from the artists in this programme,” Bien said. “Each of them brings a unique sound and perspective that reflects the richness of Kenya’s music scene.”

For Kenya’s music industry, programmes that prioritise publishing, contracts and distribution can influence how emerging acts approach rights ownership and revenue streams in an era dominated by digital platforms. Industry stakeholders have repeatedly pointed to gaps in mentorship and commercial backing as barriers that prevent artists from converting short-term attention into sustainable income—an issue B2B says it intends to address.

The organisers said the programme will culminate in the six artists forming a new collective and releasing a joint album, which will be presented at a launch event. Key milestones to watch will include the rollout timeline for the workshops and masterclasses, details of the additional coaches, and the release schedule and distribution plan for the joint album.

Base to Billboardz (B2B) has named Muringi Matheri, Manasseh Shalom, Zawadi Mukami, Chris Barr, Peter Njuguna and Ras Amor as the six finalists for its inaugural six-month artist development programme, backed by Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL) through its Tusker brand and mentored by musician Bien.

The announcement was made on March 27, 2026 in Nairobi, following a live showcase at the Tusker Brew House where the finalists were selected from an initial shortlist of 30 through a combination of public voting and input from industry experts, according to the organisers.

B2B was launched in February and is positioned by its backers as a career accelerator rather than a conventional music competition. The programme does not provide a single “winner-takes-all” cash prize, and instead focuses on training and industry readiness for artists who already have market traction, the statement said.

Christine Kariuki, Head of Mainstream Beer at KBL, said Tusker will track the artistes’ progress through the programme. “Since the launch, we have been eager to witness the six artists in action, and we look forward to tracking the impact of this initiative on their growth and development. We want to support them every step of the way as they elevate their careers,” Kariuki said. She added that the brand’s aim is to contribute to Kenya’s music and cultural scene.

The organisers identified each finalist with a track associated with their growing profile: Muringi Matheri (“Managī”), Manasseh Shalom (“Dark Brown Eyes”), Zawadi Mukami (“Jua Tua”), Chris Barr (“Hamu”), Peter Njuguna (“Delulu”) and Ras Amor (“Hawa Wasichana”).

According to the press release, eligibility for B2B targets semi-established Kenyan artists who have released an album or EP, have live performance experience, at least one million career streams, and an online audience of more than 10,000 followers. The programme’s curriculum includes weekly workshops on vocals, songwriting and dance or movement, plus monthly masterclasses on the business side of music such as branding, publishing, distribution, contracts, monetisation and international expansion.

Bien, named as the principal mentor, said the selected artists show originality and promise. “I am quite optimistic about the level of talent and originality we are seeing from the artists in this programme. Each of them brings a unique sound and perspective that reflects the richness of Kenya’s music scene,” he said. “I am excited about what lies ahead because with the right mentorship, structure, and commitment to the craft, they have the potential to grow into artists who can compete and thrive on bigger stages, both locally and globally.”

The initiative adds to a growing trend of corporate-backed creative economy programmes in Kenya, where brands increasingly invest in music platforms as both cultural sponsorship and a route to audience engagement. For the music sector, structured mentorship and business training address persistent gaps that often prevent artists from converting online popularity into durable income, including weak contract literacy, limited publishing knowledge, fragmented distribution strategies and inconsistent access to professional networks.

The organisers said the programme will culminate with the six finalists forming a collective and releasing a joint album, which will be introduced at a launch event. They argue that the approach responds to challenges faced by semi-established artists, including limited mentorship and insufficient commercial backing, even as demand for Kenyan music grows.

Tusker has previously supported Kenyan music through platforms such as Tusker Project Fame, Nexters and Oktoberfest, and the company said B2B shifts emphasis toward longer-term artist development.