Kasiva Mutua is an internationally touring drummer and percussionist based in Nairobi, Kenya. Her exuberant performances reflect a panoply of influences mainly inspired by cultures she has interacted with. One of few African women playing percussion continentally and internationally, Kasiva plays music to celebrate her community’s spirit, tell her people’s stories, and elevate the place of the African woman in music. She is the co-founder of MOTRAMUSIC, an all female percussion collective in Nairobi, Kenya, that teaches young women and girls the art of percussion and drumming. Citing the girl child and gender equality as issues she is passionate about, Kasiva continues to motivate women to diversify their positions in music and inspire the young generation to continue preserving their culture.
Kasiva has also been involved in various inter-cultural musical collaborations including The Nile Project, OneBeat, Giant Steps Music, and Coke Studio Africa. In 2022, Kasiva released her debut EP, “Ngewa”, a percussive experience that tells her story, the stories of her people, and her experiences of traveling the world in her journey as a percussionist. In 2020, Kasiva received a OneBeat Accelerator grant for her project ‘Vibe na Queen’, an online series of musical collaborations and conversations aimed at uniting Kenyan women in music. She is a TEDFellow.