Jesse Mwenda, a Kenyan DJ and architect, creates the sustainable studio Can-V to empower DJs
In Nairobi, Studio Can-V has formally opened its first portable music center, converting abandoned shipping containers into a stylish, fully furnished creative space for Kenya’s upcoming DJs and musicians. The brand-new Studio Can-V, created and established by Kenyan DJ, architect, and proponent of sustainable design Jesse Mwenda, has opened at the Kuona Artists Collective.
Held on July 2, 2025, the premiere event commemorated the debut of Studio Can-V’s first studio project, which was made possible by Jägermeister’s worldwide Save the Night Fund. Leading figures from Kenya’s nightlife scene, local Meisters, Feierstarters campus ambassadors from Kenya, Meera Karia, Director of Business Development at distributor Viva Global, media partners, and the Jägermeister global team, which included Lewis Jones, Vice President Middle East & Africa, Kea Kleihauer, and Kai Deschling, Director of Global Experiential and Culture Marketing, were all present at the event.
Jesse began his career as a DJ at the age of 14, spinning his first set at Carnivore in Nairobi. Jesse’s idea outperformed hundreds of proposals worldwide to get a €50,000 prize from Jägermeister’s global Save the Night Fund in 2023. The end product is Studio Can-V, a modular container-studio equipped with acoustic treatment, turntables, mixers, and streaming cameras. It serves as a practice pod and school during the day, but at night it transforms into a small showcase space where performances will be recorded and streamed on social media and YouTube, creating a living library and showcasing Kenyan DJ talent.
Jesse said, “Today is a beautiful collision of many things,” during the launch celebration. It’s the beginning of a long-sought dream and a vision that stems from my passion for sustainable design, architecture, and music. Studio One is the realization of that idea.
Motivated by his personal situation and prior experience, Jesse explains, “I had to borrow equipment and sneak into a friend’s house to practice back then. I considered what kind of help I needed at the time, and Studio Can-V is my solution to that challenge: a place where anyone, from any background, can study, practice, and share their sound with the world.
“It’s important to have people like Jesse who make it possible for everyone to take part and feel included,” Kea Kleihauer, Global Culture & Experiential Manager for Jägermeister, stated during the Studio Can-V launch event. That is the main goal of Safe Zone: uniting people and establishing places where they can enjoy a night out and truly interact with one another. We are so delighted that we can all spend this time together, and it’s such a lovely thing.
According to Jesse, Studio Can-V considers sustainability and durability to be among its basic objectives rather than being a one-studio endeavor. The initial studio launch will provide DJ training and livestream sets in response to the demands of DJs. Jesse affirms that studio 2, which is scheduled to open later this year, will be dedicated to producing music for sound engineers and producers.
“Everywhere nightlife is under pressure from safety to sustainability, but young Kenyans still need stages and Studio Can-V puts those stages back in their hands, free of charge, as a non-profit,” Jesse says in closing. “With the help of Jägermeister Save the Night Fund, we’re recycling containers to recycle opportunities.”
