robertoluoch oluoch
June 11, 2019
Alicios Theluji, better known as Alicios, is a recording artist and songwriter from the Democratic Republic of Congo. She was born in 1987 in the eastern side of the Democratic Republic of Congo in a place known as Goma. She must have inherited her musical prowess from her mother, Jacky Kahara Laini, who was also a singer. Besides singing, Alicios’ mother was a tailor. Her father, on the other hand, was a businessman. Unfortunately, when Alicios was only four, her father succumbed to a road accident.
Alicios, her mother and two siblings later on relocated to DRC’s capital city, Kinshasa. In 1993, they visited Kenya and returned to their home country. However, in 1996 a war broke out in order to remove the then president, Mobutu Sese Seko, from power. This led them to seek refuge in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi. While in Nairobi, she undertook her high school education in St. Mary’s School Nairobi. From there, she moved to Sweden for her higher education. She obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Economics at Blekinge Institute of Technology and Master of Science in Business Management from another Swedish university.
After staying in Kenya for twenty-four years, Alicios finally moved back to her home country. She disclosed that she decided to move back to the Democratic Republic of Congo since it had become peaceful. Moreover, she felt that she needed to learn some things from her home country. She also spends quite some time in Sweden where her mother and step-sister are based. Alicios is a mother of one; her son is called Kito.
Music Career
She sings most of her songs in Swahili and Lingala. She can, however, speak English and French fluently. She made her debut appearance in the music scene in 2012 after she released her first song, ‘Mpita Njia’, in collaboration with Ugandan star, Juliana Kanyamozi. The song, which was composed and written by Alicios, was received well in the East African Music scene and became a hit. This earned her a couple of awards and much recognition among popular musicians in East Africa whom she was able to work with thereafter. They include P-Unit (Kenya), Kagwe Mungai (Kenya), Kaligraph Jones (Kenya), Bushoke (Tanzania) and Kidum (Burundi).
Her other hit songs include ‘Niko Poa’, ‘Posa Ya Bolingo’, ‘Anita’, ‘Mobimba’ featuring P-Unit, ‘Pete’, ‘Nitadata’, ‘Ya Nini’, ‘Future Wife’, ‘Nyumbani’, ‘Loved by You’, and ‘Checho’. In 2017, Alicios signed a four-year, three-album recording contract with Taurus Music based in Nairobi Kenya. This record label is associated with artists such as Atemi Oyungu, Tanzanian star Lady Jaydee, Kagwe Mungai, Gin Ideal, Dela, Trina Mungai among others.
Alicios has maintained a fan base that enjoys her mellow vocals. Moreover, she is known for maintaining good looks in her short hair which she occasionally dies in various colors. She would once in a while rock a wig or braids but people identify with her more in her short hair.
Awards and Nominations
She received two nominations in the 2012 edition of the Kenyan Kisima Awards: Best Upcoming Artist and Collaboration of the year for her song ‘Mpita Njia’. ‘Mpita Njia’ was also nominated for the 2013 edition of Uganda’s HiPipo Awards as the Best Zouk Song.
