Becky Sangolo has always made music feel like a love letter, and her latest single, “Pata Potea,” may be her most personal release yet.
On the track, Becky collaborates with Fancy Fingers (Polycarp Otieno), whose signature guitar melodies provide the song’s foundation. The production is further enriched by East African influences and features violinist Bartosz Słatyński, with the track recorded in Poland.
The former Band Beca member, now based in Poland and working with both Polish and Kenyan collaborators, says the song was inspired by the night she met her partner. She describes it as an instant connection that felt like home, inspiring the melody and lyrics that capture the excitement, vulnerability and hope of falling in love.
For Becky, the fusion of Kenyan roots and European production is intentional. Living away from Nairobi has not distanced her from her musical identity; instead, it has refined it. She credits her father for nurturing the harmonies and grooves that shaped her musical ear from childhood—instincts she carried through her time with Band Beca and continues to embrace as a solo artist carving out her own path.
When asked about the Kenyan music and entertainment industry today, Becky says it is not about choosing between home and abroad. For her, being a Kenyan musician in the diaspora means carrying her culture wherever her career takes her and trusting that audiences around the world will connect with it.
There is plenty more to come. Another single is set for release in July, followed by Becky’s new album in August, promising more raw emotion, rich harmonies and authentic storytelling. A long-awaited homecoming performance in Nairobi remains at the top of her wish list.
Until then, “Pata Potea” is the perfect soundtrack for a sunset drive or a quiet moment with someone you hope never becomes the one who got away.