Lejosh Jamal brings dreams, survival and self-reflection to life in first solo showcase

Nakuru poet and performer Lejosh Jamal explored the tension between pursuing dreams and meeting life’s responsibilities during his first solo showcase, Picture Me, an artistic performance that blended poetry, music, rap and contemporary dance.

The showcase brought together different art forms to tell stories about ambition, sacrifice and the difficult choices people make while trying to build the lives they envision for themselves. 

Through a series of original pieces, Jamal invited the audience to reflect on their dreams and consider whether they were still pursuing them or had abandoned them in the face of life’s demands.

Speaking after the performance, Jamal described the show as a long-held dream that had finally come to fruition despite the financial and logistical challenges he faced while organising it.

“I didn’t have the funds to do the show. There were challenges with logistics, including how rehearsals would run, because I was sponsoring everything myself without a partner,” he says.

However, seeing the performance come to life made the struggles worthwhile, with Jamal expressing gratitude to everyone who attended and supported his artistic journey.

He explains that Picture Me was inspired by the conflict between dreams and survival, particularly the responsibilities that often force people to reconsider the lives they want to live.

According to Jamal, the concept extended beyond his personal experiences, reflecting the realities of many people who have either given up on their ambitions or are questioning whether pursuing them is worth the risk.

The performance was deliberately structured to combine poetry with music and rap, allowing Jamal to explore different dimensions of his artistic expression. He noted that music complemented his poetry, while rap introduced another side of his creativity that audiences do not often get to experience.

Most of the pieces performed during the showcase were new, having been written within approximately two weeks after he returned from Slam Africa preliminaries. Jamal says he hopes to record and release the pieces if an opportunity arises.

The show was supported by a team of artists who contributed to its overall presentation. Giddy Henry played the keys, while Njeri provided vocals and rapper Omario Baby brought a hip-hop element to the performance. Contemporary dancers McCoy and Munge also joined Jamal on stage, adding movement and visual expression to the production.

Additionally, artwork by McCoy complemented the set, creating a visual dimension that reinforced the showcase’s artistic direction.

"Working with familiar collaborators was an intentional decision since most of the performers were artists I have worked with previously and whose creative strengths I understood," he explains.

Audience member Emily Wakesho praised the showcase for its relatable themes and the way the performance connected with people beyond the poetry community.

She says she was impressed by the growth of Nakuru’s art scene, particularly the number of young people attending and engaging with creative performances.

Wakesho, who recalls Nakuru’s earlier theatre and performance spaces, described the experience as encouraging, noting that the showcase demonstrated how art continues to bring people together across generations and interests.

As the curtains came down on Picture Me, Jamal said he hopes more people would get an opportunity to hear his stories and experience poetry, while expressing optimism about the growth of Nakuru’s creative community.