Muroki Explained

Muroki
Birth Name:Muroki Mbote Wa Githinji
Years Active:2017–present
Label:Olive Records
Associated Acts:Benee

Muroki Mbote Wa Githinji (born 2000/2001), known mononymously as Muroki, is a Kenyan-New Zealand reggae musician. A member of the bands Cloak Bay and Masaya, Muroki debuted as a solo musician in 2019. In 2021, Muroki's song "Wavy" became a hit single in New Zealand.

Biography

Muroki grew up in Raglan, New Zealand, and attended Hamilton Boys' High School. At 14 he decided he wanted to become a musician.[1] Together with Lennox Reynolds, the pair formed the group Cloak Bay,[1] releasing their debut extended play Digi Town and the Boogie Boys in 2017. In 2019, Muroki began releasing music as the bassist for the band Masaya.[1]

In 2019, Muroki released his debut solo single "For Better or Worse", which caught the attention of New Zealand musician Benee, who played it during her appearance on Elton John's podcast Rocket Hour.[2] Benee later reached out to Muroki over Instagram, and asked him to perform as a supporting act of her New Zealand tour in late 2020.[3] [2] In October 2020, Benee signed Muroki as the first musician on Olive Records, her personal imprint label.[4] [5]

In April 2021, Muroki released Dawn, an extended play he had been working on for a year alongside producers Josh Fountain and Djeisan Suskov.[2] The lead single from the EP, "Wavy", became a hit in New Zealand later in the year, and during Te Wiki o te Reo Māori Muroki released a Te Reo version of the song, entitled "Rehurehu".[6]

Discography

Singles

As lead artist

TitleYearPeak chart positionsCertificationsAlbum
NZ
[9]
NZ
Artist

[10]
"For Better or Worse"2019
"Light Me Up"2020Dawn
"Wavy"202126 3
"Crossroads"
"Surfin"rowspan="2"
"Still Care"
"Find Me"[12] 2022Heading East
"Simple Pleasures"
"Sweet Lime"[13] 2023rowspan="2"
"Middle Ground"
"Love Cocoon"
[14]
rowspan="2"
"Timezones"2024
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart.

As lead artist

Guest appearances

Notes and References

  1. Web site: NewTracks New Artist: Muroki . NZ Musician . 2021 . 5 December 2021.
  2. Web site: Muroki on how an Instagram DM changed his life . Micah . Davis-Rae . Massive Magazine . 3 May 2021 . 5 December 2021.
  3. Web site: In Review: Benee at Spark Arena . Hazel . Reid . Tearaway Magazine . 17 October 2020 . 5 December 2021.
  4. Web site: Cultured! Musician Muroki on the origins of his sunny, surfy sound . Josie . Adams . The Spinoff . 9 October 2020 . 5 December 2021.
  5. Web site: Cultured! Musician Muroki on the origins of his sunny, surfy sound . Amy . Campbell . GQ Australia . 11 October 2021 . 5 December 2021.
  6. Web site: Muroki longs for home on bubbly new single ‘Surfin’ . Matt . Doria . NME . 28 September 2021 . 5 December 2021.
  7. Web site: Official Top 20 NZ Albums. Recorded Music NZ. 26 April 2021. 5 December 2021.
  8. Web site: Dawn - EP . . 5 December 2021.
  9. Web site: Discography Muroki. Recorded Music NZ. Hung Medien. 20 November 2021.
  10. Peak positions for Muroki's singles on the NZ Artist singles chart:
  11. single. New Zealand. 5270. true. 26 March 2022.
  12. Web site: Muroki shares new dancefloor ready single, 'Find Me'. Laura. McInnes. Sniffers. 16 March 2022. 26 March 2022.
  13. Web site: Locals Only - Muroki 'Sweet Lime'. 7 March 2023 . ZM . 18 March 2023.
  14. Web site: Muroki & BENEE Sing Psychedelic Lullabies On New Collab 'Love Cocoon'. Life without Andy]. 1 December 2023. 1 December 2023.
  15. Web site: Hot 20 NZ Singles. Recorded Music NZ. 16 April 2022. 16 April 2022.
  16. Web site: Answer (feat. Muroki) - Single . iTunes. 26 March 2022.
  17. Web site: Hot 40 Singles Chart. Recorded Music NZ. 20 September 2021. 5 December 2021.