Some artists speak. Others echo. But a rare few, like Wakio Mzenge, resonate.
When Wakio steps into a room—or behind a microphone—there’s a presence you can’t ignore. It’s not just her voice; it’s her vision. A vision shaped by years of experience, refined by discipline, and fueled by a deep desire to lift others as she climbs.
In this candid and compelling interview, Wakio shares the heart behind her bold, multidisciplinary approach to art. She opens up about building Beyond the Mainstream Storytellers, the powerful roots of the Pokeza Skills Program, and the mindset required to not only survive in the creative industry—but thrive.
This is more than a conversation about craft. It’s a masterclass in purpose, process, and personal growth.
Can you give us a brief introduction about yourself?
I’m a mom to three children. I’m a God-fearing woman who approaches most things in life, including my career, from the perspective of a mother. Even as a director, I think of my actors as my children. I wish them all well, but I understand that each of them has a unique path. My role is to help identify their individual strengths and weaknesses.
When I look at how I run my business, I take the same approach—a motherly one. In everything I do, whether helping theatre actors or voice actors, I equip them with the tools they need to navigate this unpredictable industry.
I also help them realize that sometimes it takes someone else to see the strength within them, just like someone once did for me. On my journey, someone saw greatness in me that I hadn’t seen in myself, and they helped me bring it out. I firmly believe in the philosophy of the relay race, passing on the baton. I always look for opportunities to share what I know: my experiences, knowledge, attitudes, and skills, with those coming after me, so they have a better chance at winning the race.
Where are you from and how does that affect your work?
I was born in Mombasa, a coastal town in Kenya known for Swahili. I went to high school in Nakuru, which is in the Rift Valley and not particularly known for Swahili. Then I attended University of Eldoret, deeper in the Rift Valley, home to many of Kenya’s great athletes.
Later, I did my internship in the western region of Kenya—in Kakamega and Bungoma, specifically a place called Kimilili—where I taught English and Literature at Friends School Kamusinga. Eventually, I moved to Nairobi, the core of Kenya, to work.
These diverse locations had a significant impact on me. Being exposed to different cultures and languages helped me understand the unique value I bring as an artist. I believe that when you remove an artist from their familiar surroundings, a spark of creativity ignites. You become curious about how your art will be interpreted in new spaces, and this pushes you to be more creative and innovative.
I’ve always been an artist—my mother says so. I joke that I was born performing: I weighed 5 kilos at birth, and my mother calls that my first performance, “getting out of her” as she puts it. Growing up, I followed her around to women’s meetings, church gatherings, and conferences. She always volunteered me to perform—whether singing, reciting memory verses, or praying. She put me on many “stages,” and this built my confidence and helped me develop my performance skills.
Then something magical happened in 1994. At the schools and colleges drama festivals in Kisumu, I was announced as the best performing artist and invited for a radio interview. The moment I spoke into the microphone, I felt a connection. I didn’t know what it was back then, but that’s where my love affair with the microphone began.
Years later, while in university, I was chosen to voice a documentary. When I stepped into the booth and started speaking, that same feeling from 1994 returned. I didn’t know how or when, but I knew I had to pursue something involving the microphone.
So, in my third year of university, I applied to a local radio station in Eldoret. I worked there throughout university. Still, at that point, voice work didn’t seem like something you could present to your parents as a real career. So, I joined mainstream media, where I gained exposure to the various things I could do with my voice and art.
One thing led to another—from volunteering at the radio station to screen acting, returning to stage acting, and embracing all that the industry had to offer.
In 2014, I became very intentional about what I was doing. I needed to find what made my voice unique because there were already so many amazing voice artists out there.
I discovered that being a mother gave me a different lens. My approach to life and work stopped being about me—it became about others. That shift helped me understand my clients’ needs better. Instead of focusing on how good my voice was or how talented I was, I focused on the people I was serving.
When I’m directing, the focus is on the actors. When I’m working with clients, it’s about understanding their goals and helping them achieve them. This motherly approach made my work quietly unique. You can’t always put a finger on what’s different about how I work—but I know it’s because I’m looking outward, not inward.
Right — it’s about giving value. You’re offering to serve, and that makes you stand out.
Exactly. Here’s the thing about art: the moment your question becomes, “Where is the money?”—you lose your way. Art is about connection.
It’s a principle rooted in God. “But seek ye first His kingdom and righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” If you’re truly passionate about God, you seek Him—not just what He can give you. Likewise, if you’re passionate about your craft, you pursue excellence for its own sake.
If God is to bless the work of your hands, then your work must meet His standard of excellence. You do your part—serve, create, commit—and God does His. My father once told me: “Money runs very fast. If you chase it, you’ll never catch it. But if it chases you, it will catch up and overtake you.”
So it’s really about shifting your mindset and focusing on what truly matters. When you commit to your work and offer it in excellence and service, that’s what brings real influence—and lasting reward.
Can you share the inspiration behind Pokeza Skills Program?
Let me begin by saying—no man is an island. No one can truly stand alone.
We all need each other.
The Pokeza Skills Program is a capacity-building initiative that includes mentorship. As a teacher by profession, and an artist at heart, I found a way to merge both strengths—my passion for teaching and my love for the arts. This program is my expression of that merge. It’s designed to impart knowledge, offer guidance, and be impactful. And the best part? It’s absolutely free for the participants.
But it goes beyond just teaching the craft. We don’t only train participants on how to do voice overs or perform on stage. We take a holistic approach.
We teach: financial literacy and money matters, legal awareness relevant to the creative industry, personal branding, mindfulness and mental well-being.
Mental wellness is a core component because we understand how emotionally vulnerable artistic work can be. Every role you take on demands something of you—and when the job is done, you need to be able to let go and move on in a healthy way.
Ultimately, we want to raise well-rounded, grounded individuals who are prepared to navigate this unpredictable industry and thrive.
How do you define success as an artist?
Success, to me, is living your purpose.
And that begins with knowing what your purpose is—then doing everything within your power to pursue and achieve it in a healthy, respectful, and honourable way.
The beautiful thing about purpose is that it’s not a one-time destination. It’s connected to other goals and seasons. Once you achieve one goal, it often opens the door to another. So, there’s no such thing as a final “peak” in your career. Instead, it’s a journey of mountain after mountain, each one you climb brings its own lessons.
But here’s the hard truth: you don’t just go up, you also have to come down. That descent can be the most difficult part for many of us. We’re never really prepared for it.
Yet, going down can be a beautiful process. It’s full of lessons. Those lessons help you climb the next mountain with more wisdom and maturity.
This is the rhythm of an artist’s life. It’s a wave, not a straight line. And if you ever feel like you’ve reached the top and want to stay there forever—then what’s left to live for? That would mean the journey is over. But the artistic journey is never truly over.
You’ll have seasons when you’re “IT”—everyone wants to work with you, your name is on everyone’s lips. But if you’re not paying attention, you might miss the moment when you’re no longer “IT.”
That’s why preparation is key. You need to have something that keeps you grounded, something that connects you back to the craft, so that you’re ready to climb again when the time comes.
And to be honest, it’s tricky. Because without being spiritual, I honestly don’t know how people do it.
I don’t know how anyone survives this journey without Christ.
For me, I always go back to God. He guides me, He centers me, and He opens my eyes to what I need to do and who I need to be in every season of life.
How do you combine Acting, Voice Acting, Theatre, etc.?
I think one advantage I had was entering the industry when I was much older.
As artists, there’s always something inside us that longs to come out. And sometimes, that internal force can make us a bit reckless—because we don’t yet know how to manage it. It just needs to be heard, needs to be seen, needs to be experienced.
Coming into the industry at a more mature age gave me the clarity to strategize how I would navigate this uncertain landscape. I was intentional about putting certain structures in place—like handling some of my major recurring expenses upfront—so I wouldn’t be burdened by them while focusing on my creative work. Not everyone has the privilege of such planning.
And so, many artists find themselves constantly struggling to balance life, work, and passion.
But here’s something I’ve learned: opportunity meets preparedness. And preparedness means being organized, having clear objectives, and treating your craft as both a career and a profession—giving it the respect it deserves. That respect shows in your discipline. It’s reflected in how you organize your day and divide your time among various pursuits.
I follow a concept called the golden ratio, which helps me prioritize the most important areas of my life and allocate more time to them—while giving less time to supporting or less critical activities.
Planning is what enables me to combine multiple creative paths.
But before you even start merging all these things—you need to walk in authority. Audacity might get you started, but authority sustains you.
You can work with boldness, yes. But without substance, people will eventually see through you. Make sure you’re not just a talented artist but a skilled one. Take time to hone your talent. Attend workshops. Invest in your growth.
Before trying to merge acting, voice acting, theatre, and other forms, build your authority in each. Gain the right to speak as a theater actor. Gain the authority to speak as a voice actor. Only then can you merge those identities and stand confidently as an experimental artist.
For me, that’s what makes it work—authority over audacity.
I also do a lot of experimental work. I don’t like being boxed in by norms. In fact, my company is called Beyond the Mainstream Storytellers—because that’s exactly what we aim to do: go beyond the mainstream.
We want to create without boundaries. Actually, we want to throw the box away entirely.
So, yes—we’re very experimental, and that freedom is what allows us to merge all these different artistic expressions.
What inspiration can you give to beginners in the industry?
To any artist who’s just starting out—or anyone who wants to get into voice work—I’d say this: voice work is hard work.
It doesn’t come easy. It demands discipline, consistency, commitment, and constant practice.
That’s often where we fall short—not just as voice artists, but also as theater and film actors. We need to start thinking like dancers.
A dancer practices every single day, for hours, whether or not they have a performance coming up. But for many of us, we wait until we get a gig—then we start warming up our voices, doing our lip trills, and scrambling to prepare.
That shouldn’t be the case.
Even if you don’t have a job, dedicate at least an hour a day to your voice. Create a voice workout routine. That routine shows your commitment—and God rewards commitment.
Every single day, do something to improve your craft. This is your commodity. This is your business. And if your business is going to be competitive, the product—your voice—must improve constantly.
But if you don’t practice, if you don’t read aloud, if you don’t warm up your voice, or even use your own content (like your social media posts) to create voice overs just for practice or marketing—then you’ll remain stagnant.
Lack of growth will frustrate you. And when you’re frustrated and not seeing results, you’re more likely to give up. But the truth is, you didn’t see fruit because you didn’t labour.
You have to work. This is really hard work.
Especially in voice over, you might not become famous. People may not recognize you on the street. This is a part of showbiz that doesn’t necessarily come with fame. And you must be okay with that.
So yes—it’s hard. And it’s not the part of the industry that puts your face out there. But if you’re truly passionate about the craft, if you’re ready to work hard and stay consistent, then the rewards will come—in their own form and time.
Wakio Mzenge is more than a voice; she is a force—amplifying the stories that matter, nurturing talent with intention, and pushing artistic boundaries with fearless experimentation. Her journey is a testament to what’s possible when passion is paired with purpose, and creativity is backed by consistent work.
If you’re looking for inspiration to stay the course, structure your creative life, or simply walk in authenticity—Wakio’s story offers a blueprint.
Follow Wakio Mzenge’s journey and creative work on Instagram, Facebook, X and LinkedIn.
Let her voice remind you: you don’t need to fit into a box—especially when you were born to build beyond the mainstream.
Chukwu Emeka,
Your expertise in harvesting stories is exceptional. What a blabber I was… Talking non stop from one topic to the next because you made the environment safe to just say it all and that right there my dear ChukwuEmeka is great interviewing talent.