Bill Sellanga, known by his stage name Blinky Bill, is a Kenyan musician/producer and DJ based in Nairobi. He is also a founder of the Kenyan art and music collective Just A Band. Blinky Bill chose his stage name after seeing his name in a newspaper and thinking that it looked too boring. The name was inspired by the Australian cartoon of the same name, which was also his nickname in high school.

Music career

When Blinky Bill studied at Kenyatta University, he met Daniel Muli and

Jim Chuchu Jim Chuchu is a Kenyan film director, photographer, singer-songwriter and visual artist. He first came to attention as a member of Kenyan music group Just A Band and subsequently as director of Kenyan LGBT film '' Stories of Our Lives''. Career ...

and formed the alternative art and music collective Just A Band. Their debut album, ''

Scratch to Reveal ''Scratch to Reveal'' was released by Kenyan house/funk trio Just A Band in 2008. Combining features of disco, funk and electronica, this was the first studio album by the Kenyan trio. The album includes "Oh Ndio", a remix of a song by defunct K ...

'', was released in 2008. In 2010, the music video for their hit single ''Ha-He'' became widely described as Kenya's first viral video. In 2018, Blinky Bill released his first solo studio album, ''Everyone’s Just Winging It And Other Fly Tales''. One of the album tracks, ''Feeling It'', appeared on the original motion picture soundtrack of the 2018 film ''

Rafiki is a 2018 Kenyan drama film directed by Wanuri Kahiu. ''Rafiki'' is the story of romance that grows between two young women, Kena and Ziki, amidst family and political pressures around LGBT rights in Kenya. The film had its international premi ...

''. The album followed the EP ''We Cut Keys While You Wait'' from 2016.

Emirates Emirates may refer to: * United Arab Emirates, a Middle Eastern country * Emirate, any territory ruled by an emir ** Gulf emirates, emirates located on the Persian Gulf ** Emirates of the United Arab Emirates, the individual emirates * The Emirat ...

partnered with Blinky Bill in 2019 to create a "pan-African anthem" celebrating the talent and achievements of young Africans. It was part of Emirates' "New Africa" campaign. The campaign described Sellanga as the "embodiment of a renaissance in African music". Blinky Bill is a

TED TED may refer to: Economics and finance * TED spread between U.S. Treasuries and Eurodollar Education * ''Türk Eğitim Derneği'', the Turkish Education Association ** TED Ankara College Foundation Schools, Turkey ** Transvaal Education Depa ...

fellow and was named to the Yerba Buena Centre of the Arts’ 2018 YBCA 100 list of people shifting culture and creating change.

Discography

Studio albums

Solo

* ''Everyone’s Just Winging It And Other Fly Tales'' (2018) * ''We Cut Keys 2'' (2024)

Just A Band

* ''Scratch To Reveal'' (2008) * ''82'' (2009) * ''Sorry for the Delay'' (2012)

EPs

Solo

* ''We Cut Keys While You Wait'' (2016)

Just A Band

* ''The Light Fantastic EP'' (2006) * ''BLNRB'' (2010)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Blinky Bill Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Musicians from Nairobi 21st-century Kenyan musicians Kenyan DJs Kenyatta University alumni