He lost his first song to a randy producer.
Instead of giving up on his germinating music career, Brizzy Annechild got back to his feet, and decided to write another song.
This time round, he decided to be his own producer, using his smartphone, at his bedroom in the interior of Nyalenda Slums, in Kisumu.
Brizzy shared his music journey with Lake Region Bulletin, pointing out how fame has put him at loggerheads with women, but he is not ready to allow himself stumble.
When this writter met him recently, he was on his way for an interview in one of the local television stations.
He was downed in a black cap, dark sun glasses with a mask covering the better part of his face, probably to hide from unsuspecting fans, a culture adopted by many celebrities.
“I hope we will have enough time to talk about everything,” he says as we get into the car for the interview.
Felix Ochieng Okoth popularly known as Brizzy Annchild is now in the showbiz as one of the successful artists in Kisumu after going against all odds to put his name on the map.
Having released bangers like ‘Hera Nyalo Sandi’ and ‘My Jaber’ featuring H_art the Band, the boy from the slums is now a star.
All this came from his bedroom after several struggles in the Ghetto.
Nyalenda to the World
Brizzy was born as the only child in the family, to a single mother.
Living in a small house in Nyalenda, Kisumu, he narrates how they could barely afford a meal a day.
With the lack of enough money to keep him in one school, he had to hope from one school to another, to escape fee arrears.
In his childhood he says, he was a goalkeeper and never thought of a life as an artist.
Having been expelled in his second week at Otieno Oyoo High School, he was transferred to Ong’eche Secondary School.
This is where Brizzy realised his music talent at Form Two when he hit the studios.
The reception was not good, he was mistreated and has never seen the song he recorded that day.
“Hao watu walinitesa bana, hiyo ngoma hata sijai ona,” he noted, in a face ful of disappointment.
This further motivated him to be his own producer and started recording through his phone.
Jalang’os call
It was one Sunday around 7.00am when a call with a new number came in. With his eyes still heavy with, he ignored the call.
Four hours later the same number calls and he reluctantly picks it. It was comedian Jalang’o on the other side of the call.
“You know in the ghetto we are not used to receiving calls from strange numbers,” he adds as he laughs.
The caller asked to meet him. His song ‘Hera Nyalo Sandi’ was trending on TikTok, and he was famous overnight.
“I didn’t have the money to meet Jalang’o. I quickly hurried to borrow Sh50 from my mama mboga promising to return the money once I get back,” he narrates.
Hera Nyalo Sandi
The song titled in Luo means ‘love is suffering’ which now has 3.3 million views on YouTube, he says, was recorded in the bedroom.
Brizzy had been having relationship issues with his girlfriend and the song was recorded out of a real life experience.
“The lady was so demanding, she wanted everything I never had,” he says.
From the lyrics of the song, the hit maker laments on how love can make you suffer and narrates how the girlfriend did not want to eat vegetables and only wanted smokies.
The song borrows beats from Ugandan artist Eddy Kenzo’s Tweyangale song.
“She never liked the song, but I just did it while she was sleeping,” he adds.
Three months later, the song was on trend with various celebrities doing the challenge on Tik Tok.
“I was surprised that the song was trending but no one knew it was mine. I was not even on TikTok then,” Brizzy says as he grabs a bottle of water to quench his thirst.
After Jalang’o’s call, everything changed for the artist. He started receiving calls from all over and his followers increased on social media.
Women advances
“Women love me. I am the face of Kisumu,” the hit maker says jokingly when we inquire about his relationship status.
After the song, celebrities and popular musicians started looking for Brizzy for collaborations.
With this, he records a hit song ‘My Jaber’ with the popular three men band, H_art the Band, which trended for better part of 2021.
After this song, he says women started reaching out to him.
“Women are always in my inbox, most of them just want to be around me,” he says.
The musician however says he is not ready to settle with any one of them yet.
Annechild Records
Brizzy now has a well-established record label in Kisumu where he has signed several artists from the slums.
“I struggle with them and I want to see them successful,” he says this is his greatest motivation to run the record label.
With his latest song ‘Onge Orido’, the artist now says he has several big jams awaiting release and his fans will not get tired of him soon.
Shortly Brizzy receives a phone call and when it ends he seems to get a little uneasy.
“I have to rush to Nairobi guys, am getting late, I don’t trust people in that city. I once slept on the streets after a television interview,” he says as he signals his driver.
Which was your greatest show? the writer inquires as he gets out of the car.
“Luo Festival and my show at Dubai Complex,” he says as we allow him to take Nyalenda to the world.
Is like a dream to read articles about my brother Brizzy, previously we had only faith that one day these things would happen coz I knew he deserved better, right now that it is happening? Is like a dream come true. When Brizzy came and asked me to listen and give my opinion about his hit song, I told him your music is top, is a shame that these media stations don’t put your music on tv and radio, but one day they will know you. And that day came. Congratulations my brother and more success shall follow