By XINHUA

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To thunderous applause from the audience, Meshack Lasio and his band members gyrated to the beat as they performed a traditional song from his native western Kenya, extolling the virtues of wildlife conservation.

The lead soloist livened up the auditorium at the National Museum of Kenya, where a live concert was held Thursday to raise awareness of the plight of wildlife. 

Lasio and his Isukuti vocalists and dancers were the star attraction at the New Era Conservationist Live Concert in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi, which served as a rallying call for the artistic community to advocate for increased protection of iconic wildlife species facing multiple threats. 

The concert that culminated in the screening of a movie brought together musicians, poets, instrumentalists, and dancers, whose thrilling performances highlighted the urgency of resetting wildlife protection models in Kenya and beyond.

Among the conveners of the concert were the World Animal Protection (WAP), an international animal welfare lobby, and GreenTalk Art, a Nairobi-based organization that leverages art and culture to raise awareness on animal welfare issues.

 "Through our songs, we hope to rally everyone toward this noble cause of protecting our wild animals in their natural habitat.

"These animals are part of our heritage, and we should not allow them to disappear," Lasio said. 

Filled to capacity, the National Museum of Kenya's auditorium was in a frenzied mood as a diverse cast of Kenya's rising stars in performing arts showcased their prowess in conveying messages that exhort nature or wildlife conservation. 

Read: Africa to get $25m to help protect wildlife

A 20-year-old rap artist going by the stage name of Adrian Honcho was lyrical in his delivery of a tune that condemned poaching as a vice while encouraging the audience to be part of a new movement dedicated to conserving iconic wildlife species.

Honcho said his passion for wildlife was nurtured at a tender age, while music has provided him with a platform to advocate for better policies and legislation aimed at strengthening the protection of charismatic species like giant land mammals. 

Dozens of upcoming artists defied frigid weather to stage electrifying performances during the live concert, which aimed to kick-start a national conversation on innovative ways to advocate for better wildlife conservation measures.

With his stage presence and baritone voice stealing the thunder, Ramadhan Tsuma, a spoken word artist from the coast region, proved his prowess in Swahili poetry to draw attention to the plight of wildlife countrywide.

In his presentation of a Swahili poem, Tsuma decried predatory behavior by mankind that has decimated wildlife habitats, leading to the loss of tourism revenue and livelihoods to Indigenous communities.

For the second year running, Kenya has hosted a live concert showcasing the power of music, dance, and poetry in rallying policymakers, donors, researchers, and local communities to enhance the protection of charismatic wildlife species in the country and across Africa.

Tennyson Williams, regional director for Africa at the WAP, said the new generation of artists has the energy and vigor to reignite a national conversation on reshaping wildlife conservation policies and legislation. 

Going by the stage name Lucy Empress, a young female poet, Lucy Wanjiru, was sentimental while appealing to the attentive audience to sacrifice their time, resources, and expertise to protect wildlife. 

According to Wanjiru, all forms of art can be effective in rallying communities toward abandoning practices that harm wildlife including illegal hunting and encroachment on habitats.