Micheal Roalin Mbwabi aka MOFACE;  one of the finest in R & B, Afro-Fusion and Reggae. His style is unique as it crosses between these varied lines. He has worked with Stars such as Vinni Banton, Michelle, Nonini to name a few. He collaborated with Nonini to do ‘Nimetoka Mbali’, and ‘Free Style’ with Vinni Banton. Some of his other titles are ‘Am Sorry’, ‘Mukhwasi’, ‘Niko Sawa’.

Moface Style

‘Mukhwasi’, which he has sung in a local vernacular dialect, is an Afro-Fusion Beat, and so is ‘Nakuhitaji’, meaning ‘I need you’, in Kiswahili, the National language of Kenya, is sung in Kiswahili and English. Others that have taken the Afro-Fusion Beat are, ‘Rainbow’ and ‘My Call’. ‘Am Sorry’ and ‘Niko Sawa’ have adopted the popular Reggae Beat. Finally, ‘Freestyle’ a  party anthem, as the title suggest is done in ‘Zouk’.All songs were recorded and mixed at Southwest Records/MusiqRoom Entertainment Nairobi and Eldoret and produced by Cedric Kadenyi and Micheal Mbwabi aka ‘Moface’

An Insight into his Lyrics

AM SORRY- apologies for a mistake made. This happens to couples in day to day lives. It is also directed to a child who has been neglected by its parent.

NIKO SAWA - explains the tribulations of a failed relationship and the aftermath of the heartbreak.

MUKHWASI -  has been done in vernacular, a Luhya celebration song performed in a ceremony welcoming a newly wed bride.

NAKUHITAJI - is a Swahili and English song about daily conflicts between two lovers that insists on understanding.

FREESTYLE - is a collaboration performed in a party praising some girls’ beauty.

Currently Moface is producing a Gospel album for 42 year old Artiste, Edward Achesa and Moface proudly says that he is enjoying every minute of it as it gives him an experience of another dimension.

Moface is gifted with disc jockeying skills that work to his advantage as he pre-records his music, mixes for CD releases and later markets them on Public Service Vehicles in Eldoret. His vision for music is to gather ideas that can improve ones ability to compose and convey messages that can help the community mature in harmony. In this way the generation gap between the young and the old will be reduced a great deal.

If there is a style called Neo-Contemporary, that’s what he would love to introduce .This he would want to do with today’s arrangements, where he intends to try and alter the flow of a songs instrumentation and its vocal arrangement and marry R & B with a fusion of Ska and Reggae, add a pinch of some traditional concoction blended with vernacular lyrics and that will create the modernization of the traditional idioms. That’s what Moface calls Neo-Contemporary, his creation, well I say excellent, it kind of reminds me of the Hit soul Track, Memphis Soul Stew, which was kind of a similar mixture, i.e. Modern and Traditional, as done by Curtis King.

InspirationHis inspiration in music has come as a result of listening to arrangements of  Superstars such as  Boyz II Men, Shai, Dru Hill, 112 and Xscape, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Keith Sweat, Dave Hollister, Kino Watson. It is easy to detect this influence in Moface’s arrangements and compositions.

Moface does reality Music, i.e. his music circulates around his day to day experiences and those around him that touch his life in a special way. His compositions are based on actual events that affect people around him. This has worked as an advantage to Moface as his compositions are totally devoid of immoral lyrics and hence his music is both family and people friendly. Such songs always enjoy both Radio and TV Air Play without any edits and this gives them a larger audience. He enjoys positive criticism and that is excellent as any Artiste who welcomes good positive criticism will always progress.

His interest in music started at the tender age of 4yrs and at this age he loved listening to the Traditional African Giriama instrument, ‘Khayamba’, from the Coastal Strip of Kenya. He joined Muguga Green, Primary School, in Nairobi, and was an active member of the school choir. He later moved on to St. Ignatius High School (Mukumu Boys) in Western Kenya where with the help of Mr. Kenneth Agoi and the Late Mr. Aggrey Mbato (RIP), managed to improve his singing skills through constant choir practice sessions and grilling auditions.With so much enthusiasm he joined the senior church choir where he played the percussions. He later joined Moi University in the year 2002 to pursue a Law Degree and in the process he met Cedric Kadenyi with whom they joined both logistics and equipment to initiate MusiqRoom Entertainment. They tirelessly worked to sustain the studio from the year 2003 up to date.

Family Background

He was born on 5th April 1981 to Mr. Eliud Mbwabi and Bernadette Mbwabi as their third born child. He has two sisters Sylviah (USA) and Annette (NAIROBI) and a kid bro Kevin who is currently in RUSSIA.

He lives in and studies Law in Eldoret. He is currently engaged to a loving Ann Njeri Otieno who has all along supported him in his career as a student and musician/ producer. He also assists technically in the running of MusiqRoom Entertainment, the Kakamega Chapter that is being headed by Kenneth Getenya.

With Ken, Moface has helped tap the raw talent in Kakamega by providing a quality environment for the initiation of young up-coming artistes through services like artiste management, artiste consultation, event organizing, lyric criticism and artiste moulding in general.

Achievements

Moface to date has compiled an eight song album, composed, arranged and produced at the MusiqRoom Entertainment Studios in Eldoret and Kakamega. Some songs have been mastered at Southwest Records in Nairobi.He frequently uses his good Disc Jockeying skills to entertain patrons as he is also contracted to spin at Will’s Restaurant and MusiqRoom Entertainment. This has enabled him understand music lovers and their tastes of music.