Gelled by music, love and family

Celebrated artiste Roy Smith Mwatia aka Rufftone opens up on marrying his student and fellow musician Susan Njoki aka Krystal, their family life as well as her comeback 

Harriet James @harriet86jim

In 2005, celebrated artiste, Roy Smith Mwatia, aka Rufftone welcomed a young soft-spoken woman who had a strong desire to record a song and also reach out to many with her music. 

That woman was Susan Njoki, aka Krystal, and though Rufftone, who was the CEO of Lampstand Records, was mesmerised by her demeanour, he never knew he would one day be the driving force that would launch the career of the woman who would wow her fans with her melodious voice and heartfelt lyrics.

She would also later on turn out to be his soul mate and the mother of his two children. 

Rufftone had many artistes under his wings such as Ringtone, SK Blue and his own brother, Daddy Owen.

To him, mentoring young artistes has been and is a way of reinventing himself. It’s always his joy seeing a young generation of new artistes take over the stage.

Hence, turning Krystal into a gospel artiste was a mission that he felt up to the task to accomplish. 

“I saw that young men used to like her music and that became our target market.

Worship at that time was just cliché and there was already a couple of renowned artistes who were known for it. That’s why we had to package her differently,” explains Rufftone. 

Born and raised in Eldoret, Krystal’s passion in music had began when she was four years old in Sunday school.

Krystal recalls her teacher always calling her “junior counsellor’ because of the way she led songs.

Her passion for music grew stronger at Loreto Kiambu High School where she was part of the worship team and in Form Three and Form Four, she was promoted to be a choir mistress, worship leader and Christian Union chairlady. 

After her secondary education, she joined PCEA church. “One Sunday, I sang a song, It Wasn’t Easy by Cece Winans.

It was uplifting and some people looked for my mother asking her how they could help me develop my talent. But I didn’t know exactly.

One day, I found a pastor preaching in Kikuyu without a worship leader and told me to assist him,” narrates Krystal.

Her passion to sing made her support the pastor with no pay. Someone spotted her as she led worship and offered to finance her to record her songs.

She didn’t know how to go about recording songs, but her friend introduced her to Rufftone. 

“When we arrived at his studio in Buruburu, a shaggy man with a pair of shorts walked in and introduced himself as Rufftone.

I had never heard about him, except his song Mwikulu, which was popular at that time,” she narrates 

Having grown up in Eastlands, Rufftone understood the music trends at that time, which was reggae and dance hall.

The fact that Krystal didn’t look like a reggae artiste and yet she performed it stunningly was the wow factor that Rufftone desired to bring out of her.

With time, Krystal grew to understand the different types of genre in music. 

“I would go for interviews and be asked why I opted to sing reggae and my mind would go blank.

Then I would remember Rufftone’s advice and I would be good to go,” she adds.

Rufftone has been the leading voice in her career and life.  From knowing how to stand on stage, to how to hold a microphone and even know her way around in studio like singing in line with the beat, Krystal credits it all to him.

For Rufftone, seeing many great artistes fail to make a great performance on stage was the reason he pushed Krystal to polish her craft.

In 2007, Krystal collaborated with gospel band, Verbal and produced a song Whisper. She later did her hit song, Ni Wewe. 

Also, they officially started dating in 2007. “When I met her in 2005, it was love at first sight.

That’s why I would drag her songs to get to spend time with her. She is understanding, loving and patient,” he says. 

The couple did their traditional ceremony commonly known as ruracio in 2012 and finally tiend the knot in 2014.

Family first

Soon after getting married, Krystal conceived and their parenting journey started with the birth of their baby boy in 2015 and a girl a year later.

She took a break to focus on her family. She says being a mother and a wife has helped her grow. 

“The foundation of a child is important. So we decided to raise them ourselves. Proverbs 22:6 says, Train a child in a way that they should go, and when they grow up, they will not depart from it,” says Krystal 

When it comes to raising children, Rufftone admits to go soft on the little ones while Krystal is the disciplinarian.

The music couple is proud that both of their children are showing signs of following their footsteps, but they are cautious to ensure that they focus on studies too. 

But after a  long break, Krystal is now ready to make a comeback in the music scene.

The thought was triggered by a trip she went with her husband last year for a praise night hosted by Pastor Dill Kumar at Alnoor Centre, Nairobi.

While Krystal thought that she was just accompanying her husband to perform, her husband had other plans. 

“When he was asked by the organisers to send his songs, he also sent mine. He told me he desired that I also perform.

I didn’t have confidence that I could do it since I hadn’t practiced for a long time and that was an international stage,” she says.

 After the trip, Krystal went to studio to record her new song, Usiniache, which she sang in collaboration with her husband and Assan, Buzzy Bee’s wife.

“I sometimes feel like I offended my wife because she sacrificed her career for me and the babies.

We were two celebrities in the house, but she decided to just stay. But I’m happy that now is the time for her to make a comeback when she is mature and has grown spiritually,” says Rufftone.