I still talk to Stella on phone says the artist behind the famous song ‘Stella’ - Freshly Mwamburi

Tell us about Stella... was she a real person?

I met Stella in 1991 when I went to perform at Garden Hotel in Machakos after my band, Everest Kings, shifted base from Thika.

At the time Stella was studying at the University of Nairobi, but she left for Japan in 1992 for further studies. She later informed me she wanted to settle down and I gave her my blessings.

Stella returned to Kenya with her four feet Japanese husband, how come we have never heard from her since?

She briefly stayed in Kenya before relocating to Tanzania with her Japanese husband.

They had gone there kujivinjari, but chose to live there.

 Do you still talk to Stella?

Yes. We do communicate and in fact she was to come to Kenya last week but due to unavoidable circumstances they went to Honolulu.

She wants her life private. She plans on coming to Kenya in three weeks’ time, so I am patiently waiting.

 Is your wife jealous of Stella?

My wife is more learned than I am and she is a good adviser. I mean, whatever happened in the past in behind now us.

Are you planning on recording a song featuring Stella and how you overcame the grief?

My cousin Azizi Abdi and fellow musician Ted Kalanda will do a collabo. It will be a way to thank me for been supportive despite Stella being married to another man.

What will your next single song be about?

I am thinking of doing a song that will ask my fans what they could have done if they were in my shoes. A woman leaving you for another man.

How did you know you could sing?

I schooled at Changamwe Day and Boarding school, before moving to Alidina Visram. This is where I joined the choir and realised I could sing.

After high school, I was recruited to the Air Force as an artiste. I was then signed by Simba Wanyika band led by the late Wilson Peter Kinyonga and his brother George Peter Kinyonga in 1983.

In 1987 I joined Les Wanyika a group led by the late John Ngereza and Prof Omar. I took part in the long play of Mama watoto, Lipi la ajabu and even Afro.

After my brother joined us, I moved with him from Les Wanyika and started my band, Everest Kings.

 Why did you choose to be a Rhumba artiste?

Rhumba never dies! My grandfather was a rhumba artiste who sang the song ‘Taxi driver nikomboleshe gari...’

 But Rhumba music is facing competition from new generation music...

New generation music is good but it has no message.

Most local musicians have majored in love songs but I would advise them to be creative and produce music that listeners can learn from.

Even their beats cannot long but Rhumba never fades.

 Apart from music, what else do you do?

I am a businessman. I have a wife and children.