Listen to This Article Enhance your reading experience by listening to this article.

Derrick Mutune, an introverted child who loved his space, grew up to be an actor, singer, songwriter and model, as his sister Hulda Mutune reveals

Derrick Mutune, popularly known as Rick is one of the most revered Kenyan actors from Mombasa.

He features in several TV series including Maisha Magic’s Kovu where he played Luka. He also appears as Denno in one of Kenya’s top telenovelas- Selina. 

His TV journey began in 2016 when he travelled to Nairobi from Mombasa in pursuit of a modelling career.

He did give it his best shot as he was one of the best male models in Kenya from 2017 to 2018, before he decided to quit the runway and join the commercials business. 

Commercial modelling was his official gateway into the acting industry. He started out as an extra in the TV series Selina while it was starting.

After that, a writer saw him and contacted him for a role, which he was actually afraid to take because it seemed hard considering that he had never had a serious role in acting before going into modelling.

Nonetheless, he took it and did his best. This encouraged the producers to give him a role in Selina again as Deno and later a minor role in Crime and Justice. 

Surprise move

Joining the entertainment industry, as his sister Hulda Mutune shares, was a move that surprised many family members.

But not their mum, Salome Mutune, because she had somehow initiated the acting and singing passion in him at a young age.

He was an active child and being the last born of the family made him the favourite of the family, yet stubborn.

All the same, his happy place was his room watching a movie. And if he was not watching movies, in his free time he would be heard singing or humming random melodies in his room. 

“We grew up in a house full of children: Rick, our brother and I, plus our three cousins.

He loved movies and music ever since he was young. However, he was a bit of a loner and loved his space, so he never really liked talking in front of people.

But our mum is probably the one who initiated the passion because she would push him to join church choir and plays, and that is definitely where it all began,” shares Hulda.

Rick was also part of music choirs in primary school, but when he joined secondary school in 2012, he became a fun of sports.

After his Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination at Likoni Secondary School in 2012, he joined Mombasa Aviation College to pursue a degree in procurement between 2013 and 2015. He again took to music when he joined university. 

“When he was a child we used to make him sing and dance in front of us after dinner – something that I make fun of to date.

In secondary school, he focused mostly in sports, specifically basketball. Then he surprised us by rejoining music again in college where Mombasa Aviation music team, which he was part of won at the national levels in 2014. We didn’t see it coming, but it was definitely a pleasant surprise,” she shares.

 In 2016, he joined St Paul’s University, Nairobi campus, where he is pursuing a   degree in Management Science.

“He was called back to Mombasa to act  in Kovu TV series and had to shift his classes to online.

Then, he realised he couldn’t handle all of them at the same time, so he decided to take a break and build his career first,” explains Hulda.

Guilty pleasure

 As much as he mostly likes spending time alone, he doesn’t mind having people around.

In fact, one of his strongest traits, as the sister shares, is his ability to easily warm up to people, even the ones he meets for the first time. 

“He is a cheerful and friendly person. You will find him talking and laughing with someone he just met,” says Hulda about her baby brother.

As a singer and a songwriter, aside from doing several song covers, the 27-year-old has also written a lot of songs for some top musicians, none which can be revealed due to confidentiality contracts signed. He plans to start producing his own music soon. 

Rick is also an entrepreneur. He is one of the directors of Aspire Africa tour, a travel company. He runs an online clothe line, he is in the Airbnb business and also helps his father run his company, Capital Guards Seculity ltd.

His one guilty pleasure, Hulda shares, is the gym. And well if you have seen how ripped his body is…it won’t take science to explain.