Afro-music artiste Kevin Omondi, who is better known as Japiny of the Voice of Africa band, has released his debut album and VCD titled Adak Kata Ionge, or I live without you in the Luo language.

The collection has realised good sales, and will be launched in Nairobi next month. "My new album is already in the market and at the FM radio stations where it is doing very well," the artiste says not without a touch of smug satisfaction. "But it will be officially launched in April, this year."

The album has nine songs, including Adak Kata Ionge, which is about a man who does not have a wife and a woman has no husband.

There are also Adong' ka Ayuak (I remain crying), Pesa (money), Acha Waseme (let them say), Nyar Kisumo (a lady from Kisumu), Joka Joka (those people) and Itimo Maber (you've done well). Yet others are Africa, which is about the continent -- its beauty and the plenty to be found in it, and Hongera, Mama Mzazi (mother).

Omondi was born at Kandaria village of Nyakach district 30 years ago. The music bug bit him at the tender age of 12 when still in school in 1993, and performed at various clubs in Kisumu town.

As a student, he admired and derived inspiration from established musicians such as Them Mushrooms (now Uyoga) of Teddy Kalanda Harrison and the Kenge Kenge traditional group.

In 2000, he formed his own group and called it Kabii. He then recorded his debut single, Bomb Blast, in memory of the terrorist bomb attack on the US embassy building in Nairobi in August 1998.

In 2004, the band broke up, but this did not deter him in the least. He started working with a long-time friend, Yuddah Francis, and went on to record at the Them Mushroom studio in Nairobi. Here, he met Teddy Kalanda, who taught him to produce Afro-music songs.