Moses Otieno, better known as Fathermoh among his fan base is one of the most popular artists in Kenya today.
With only about two years since his first song, he already has certified hits on his belt such as Kaskie Vibaya, Dai Dai, Sherehe Sheria and many more.
The hook-master recently appeared in an interview with the Mic Cheque Podcast where he gave his fans a glimpse into the art of writing hooks, his thought process and his success in the music industry.
Would you believe Fathermoh's first experience at songwriting was Wagithomo which became an instant hit and garnered over 2 million views on YouTube?
Introduction to music
Initially, Fathermoh was not passionate about music but one experience with Swat of Ethic Entertainment changed his thoughts about the music industry.
Before his runaway success, Fathermoh was selling slippers and smokies in Nairobi’s Komarock area and after witnessing Swat’s music video shoot, he was inspired to give music a shot.
He entertained the idea of becoming famous through music, and that is when he wrote his first song, Wagithomo. At the time, he did not own a mobile phone and he depended on his friends for updates about the song’s reception.
His next song, Shamra Shamra which he wrote one morning at 9:00 am without a beat, became an even bigger hit garnering over 10 million views.
Songwriting process
According to Fathermoh, his songwriting process starts with a melody. He said that more often than not, the melody will play in his head and then start working on the lyrics.
He added that TikTok played a big part in the spread of his music, having shared snippets of them on the platform.
During the interview, he said that the Kaskie Vibaya song came about as he and Ssaru were exchanging banter in the studio at 10:00 a.m. but after recording the demo, she did not feel the vibe and they all opted to move on and work on other ideas.
Fathermoh decided to post a video on TikTok using the Kaskie Vibaya song as the sound, and the jam went viral, with fans asking for the full jam.
“After it blew up on TikTok and for two months people were demanding we release the song. We linked up with Ssaru again to complete it because it was just the chorus at the time,” he said.
Several other songs have taken a similar trajectory, going viral on TikTok before taking over streaming platforms, TV and radio stations.
Fathermoh also said that his involvement in the hit song Miss Behaviour alongside Boutross and Savara happened by accident.
He was invited by Vic West, the song’s producer to accompany him to a studio session with Boutross, Savara and Harry Craze.
Fathermoh sat on the sidelines as his fellow artists worked on the song because he was only there at West’s invitation.
As everyone else was working on their craft, a melody came to his mind and he wrote some lyrics down and put the paper in his pocket. He entertained the thought of keeping the idea to himself and later shared it with Harry Craze and Vic West.
In his mind, Fathermoh knew he had created a catchy hook and decided that he would only use the material when he got a paid collabo.
However, Vic West managed to get the demo to Boutross and Savara who were instantly impressed and that’s how Fathermoh became a part of the song.