Maasai musician turns traditional sounds into a voice for climate justice

Maasai musician Leshao Sopia Leshao, known as Leshao Leshao, uses traditional Maasai music to bring climate change and Indigenous rights to the forefront. Raised in the Maasai Mara, he observes the deep connection between communities, livestock, wildlife, and the environment. Traditional songs and oral storytelling played a significant role in his upbringing, a cultural system for preserving history, knowledge, and identity.

Today, Leshao applies that tradition to address a changing climate. For the Maasai, climate change is a tangible issue impacting daily life, with prolonged droughts, altered rainfall patterns, and floods jeopardizing water and pasture access for pastoralist livelihoods. Leshao, who began his musical journey in 2019 and took it seriously in 2022, decided to use his Maa language songs as a platform for climate advocacy in 2022.

He believes music can help preserve the Maasai language and culture while demonstrating that embracing education and modern opportunities does not necessitate abandoning one's identity. Leshao's songs cover various themes, including Indigenous culture, love, education, gender equality, justice, and climate change. He has received recognition beyond his community, including being named Rift Valley Male Artist of the Year and appearing on Global Citizen and Nation Media.

In May 2025, Global Citizen featured Leshao through its Emerging Creatives program. His climate advocacy has also led to partnerships, such as with SASAL, which resulted in climate-focused songs. Leshao uses his music and traditional sounds to make complex climate issues more accessible, often participating in international climate spaces like COP29 and COP30.

These platforms allow him to introduce Indigenous and pastoralist perspectives, which are often sidelined in technical discussions. Despite his background as a trained civil engineer, Leshao sees no contradiction between his engineering and music pursuits. He credits engineering with teaching him problem-solving and discipline, while music offers a unique way of communicating ideas and connecting with people.

Leshao's goal is to preserve the Maa language, amplify Indigenous voices, and spark conversations about climate change, education, gender equality, and justice. He firmly believes that artists can make environmental challenges visible and provide communities with platforms to share their stories. For Leshao, climate advocacy transcends policies, scientific data, and negotiations—it's about the stories and experiences of the people directly affected by climate change.