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Maureen Kunga opens up on how COVID-19 pushed her to step away from music
13th December, 2025 03:56 PM
Kenyan vocalist and songwriter Maureen Kunga has opened up about how the COVID-19 pandemic became a turning point that pushed her to step away from music and reassess her life, career and personal purpose.
Speaking during an interview with Alex Mwakideu on Saturday, December 13, 2025, Kunga explained that the pandemic period marked a season of deep reflection, not just for her but for many people across the world.
She said the sudden pause brought by COVID-19 forced her to confront questions she had long postponed, particularly about whether she was truly living the life she wanted or simply moving on autopilot.
“I am coming from a time when things were tough, not just for me but for everyone. When COVID came, it was difficult for most people, especially artistes. What delayed my return to music was that I was still discovering other things about myself,” she said.
She revealed that one of the reasons it took her longer to return to music was that she deliberately chose to explore other paths she had never fully pursued.
Having studied law before Elani’s success took off, Kunga said she felt compelled to revisit that part of her life, even briefly, just to understand whether it was something she wanted to commit to. She also ventured into acting, featuring in a film, an experience she described as part of her broader journey of self-discovery.
“When COVID happened, I started asking myself a lot of questions. Was I really doing what I wanted to do? Had I expanded myself enough? So I decided to try everything I had been curious about. I even tried to pursue law, but after exploring it, I realised that music is where I truly belong. That is how I found my way back,” Kunga said.
As she experimented with different interests, Kunga said she slowly began to realise that music remained the one constant that continued to call her back.
She described her current phase as one of growth, adventure and rediscovering joy, noting that adulthood has brought with it a new sense of freedom and responsibility.
She added that she has come to embrace the idea that there is no single blueprint for life, and that trying different things helped her arrive at a clearer sense of self.
“Right now, I am in a phase of discovering true happiness and realising what life really is. I was having a conversation outside earlier, and we were saying that we are all adults now and no one is coming to beat you, so you can actually do what you want. I am discovering adventure, and I am finding my way back to music. It feels like a season of purpose and growth for me, and it is honestly a really good season,” she said.
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Steve Ireri
Steve is a senior writer with over four years of experience in digital journalism. His focus is on the showbiz and human interest stories. Emails: [email protected] , [email protected]
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