Sofiya Nzau and Madism enrich Robert Miles classic with deep Afro dance on 'Hutia'
Over the timeless melody of 'Children' Sofiya Nzau performs in traditional Kikuyu lyricism.
Thirty years ago, Robert Miles made music history with ‘Children’ — a track that blended emotional piano melodies with club-ready rhythms, climbed to #1 in more than a dozen countries, and laid the foundation for the dream house/dream trance movement.
Today, the iconic instrumental returns in a whole new form with a voice that carries it straight into the African savanna on ‘Hutia’, an afro house reinvention featuring Kikuyu lyrics performed by Kenyan singer-songwriter Sofiya Nzau.
This new production comes courtesy of Dutch DJ and producer Madism, a Spotify heavyweight with more than a billion streams and remix credits for artists like Lewis Capaldi, James Arthur, Dermot Kennedy, and Sam Smith. Madism takes the original piano melody and weaves it into a richly layered afro house track that preserves the atmospheric essence of ‘Children’ while guiding the track into a rhythmic soundscape.
In ‘Hutia’, Sofiya Nzau, who first gained attention with Zerb’s viral hit ‘Mwaki’ in 2023, sings in Kikuyu – the language of Kenya’s largest ethnic group – about longing, closeness, and the intoxicating power of love. “Tondu wahutia wahutia ... Ukangorokia” captures a moment where touch upends everything and overwhelms the senses.
What broke new ground for trance three decades ago, inspiring generations of artists from Tiësto to Paul van Dyk, is reborn with ‘Hutia’. At once a heartfelt tribute to Robert Miles and a bold new interpretation, it breathes new life into a track that has never lost its magic.
