American R&B legend Chris Brown has no plans to perform in Kenya again, even if offered a significant amount of money. This was disclosed by Joy Wachira, the Managing Director of Madfun Group, the organization in charge of bringing Afrobeats sensation Burna Boy’s eagerly awaited concert in Nairobi on March 1.
In a conversation with Nairobi News, Ms. Wachira stated that Chris Brown was initially on the list for the event, but after talks, he opted not to perform in Kenya a second time. She clarified that Brown’s decision was not based on financial factors but concerns regarding Kenya’s infrastructure.
“We first reached out to Chris Brown before we made the decision to go with Burna Boy,” said Wachira. “However, Chris declined our offer, pointing out that Kenya’s infrastructure is insufficient to accommodate his type of show. He noted that Kenya lacks the necessary facilities to host his spectacular performances, akin to what he recently delivered in South Africa, where he impressed audiences with an intricate show featuring aerial acts. This made us realize that we need to enhance our infrastructure for such large-scale events.”
Chris Brown’s sole performance in Kenya took place on October 8, 2016, during the Mombasa Rocks Festival. The event garnered significant attention, with reports indicating that the artist was paid around $900,000 (approximately Sh90 million) for his hour-and-a-half show. It was noted that ticket prices for that event were some of the highest seen in Kenya, with regular tickets at Sh10,000 and VIP tickets priced at Sh20,000. In contrast, VIP tickets for Burna Boy’s forthcoming concert in Nairobi will be sold for Sh65,000.
Ms. Wachira also reminisced about Chris Brown’s Mombasa performance, describing it as a more intimate event and acknowledging that the music industry and performance standards have progressed since then. She remarked, “Expectations from artists have transformed, and so have the benchmarks for performances. We must evolve to meet those standards.”
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