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Iyanii explains why he lied to Fathermoh about liking his song
06th January, 2026 01:08 PM
Kenya’s award-winning musician and songwriter Ian Okwemba Oure, widely known as Iyanii, has opened up about a moment of honesty regarding one of the popular Gengetone artiste Moses Otieno, alias Fathermoh’s, songs.
Speaking during a candid conversation with a local YouTube channel in an episode aired on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, Iyanii revealed that there was a time when Fathermoh played a song he was working on for him, and he lied about liking it.
He explained that he lied so that Fathermoh would not feel hurt or have his spirits lowered, and also to maintain their friendship.
“There was this time when Father Moh played for me one of his songs, and I lied that I liked it, but I did not like it; siku naipenda, in my honest opinion, but I did not want him to feel bad,” Iyanii explained.
When asked whether Fathermoh had requested him to add a verse to the track, the ‘Pombe‘ hitmaker jokingly revealed that he would have taken him rounds and not agreed to a collaboration on the song if he had been asked.
“Ningemzungusha,” he said.
Iyanii on his music career
This confession comes after Iyanii expressed strong confidence in his ability to achieve international recognition, including winning a Grammy Award.
Speaking on the Oga Obinna show on Monday, December 15, 2025, the Dongo Maber hitmaker said that anyone exploring his music on YouTube would see the wide range of genres he has explored. While some may perceive him as a party song artiste, he emphasised that he has also released numerous love songs, showing his diversity in the Kenyan music scene.
Iyanii expressed that he is determined to continue proving his critics wrong and remains committed to reaching international standards. He believes that his music has the potential to put Kenya on the global map, and he is optimistic about being the first Kenyan artist to win a Grammy Award.
“If there is something I know about myself, I’m the most diverse artiste. Ukiingia kwa YouTube yangu, you will find whatever you need. If you think I only do party songs, then wewe uko na shida. Nimetoa ngoma za mapenzi mingi, you do your research, and you will find how diverse I am. I know I will keep proving you wrong. Mimi nitakuwa the first artiste kuleta Grammy here in Kenya,” he said.
Adding to his motivation, Iyanii shared that receiving recognition from President William Ruto, who expressed admiration for his work, has been a significant encouragement in his career. He said that knowing the President is a fan of his music inspires him to keep pushing boundaries and creating music that resonates with people both in Kenya and beyond.
“For the President to tell me that he is my fan, and he loves what I do, it means a lot,” Iyanii stated.
