Kwaya

Description

Overview

Kwaya is a unique African choir virtual instrument designed to capture the vastness and intensity of the savanna. Developed by the renowned Eduardo Tarilonte, this passion project features the authentic voices of the Aba Taano choir from Uganda, consisting of four men and two women. The library provides an unmistakable, soulful sound that goes beyond standard choral libraries, offering the warmth and detail of professional studio recordings.

Every voice in the ensemble was recorded individually, granting composers unprecedented control over volume, panning, and tone color. This allows you to build your own custom ensemble and shape the choir to match the exact vision in your head. Whether you are scoring a film, producing Afrobeats, or creating ambient soundscapes, Kwaya delivers pure inspiration through highly organic vocal performances.

The library utilizes a combination of a fantasy language for syllables and Ugandan-inspired poems and vocal effects. Recorded at Eldana Studio using a high-end Pablo Kahayan U47 microphone and API preamps, the samples are presented in a natural state, providing maximum flexibility for post-processing and integration into any professional mix.

Key Details

• Authentic Voices: Features 4 solo male voices and 2 solo female voices recorded individually for total ensemble customization.
• Extensive Articulations: Includes 40 different syllables switchable via keyswitch, plus a distinctive “mm” articulation for authentic East and Central African vibes.
• True Legato: Five “True African Style Legatos” (a, e, i, o, u) allow syllables to connect naturally and smoothly.
• Phrase Arranger: A powerful tool featuring 20 different phrases with eight syllables each for rapid, intuitive composition.
• Vocal Effects & Soundscapes: Access to over 700 vocal effects and 16 atmospheric soundscapes ranging from floating to dark.
• High-Quality Samples: Over 10,000 stereo samples recorded at 44 kHz / 24 bit for professional-grade clarity.
• NKS Integration: Fully compatible with Komplete Kontrol keyboards for a streamlined, tactile workflow.
• Customizable Ensemble: Complete control over individual singer panning, volume, and texture to shape your unique sound.

Use Cases

Kwaya is ideal for film scoring and documentary soundtracks where authentic, emotive vocal textures are required to evoke specific cultural or atmospheric settings. It is also a powerful tool for music producers working in Afrobeats or world music genres who need repeatable, high-quality vocal phrases.

Additionally, the library’s 16 soundscapes and 700+ vocal effects make it perfect for ambient sound design and creating cinematic textures in professional or home studio workflows.

Installation

Kwaya requires the free Native Instruments Kontakt Player (version 5.5 or higher). You can download the latest version of the Kontakt Player via the Native Access download manager. Once Kontakt is installed, follow the manufacturer’s instructions provided with your purchase or via your account portal to load the Kwaya library.

Compatibility

• Supported Operating Systems: Windows 10 or higher (64-bit); macOS 10.14 or higher (64-bit Intel Core i5 or Apple M1 native)
• RAM: 4GB minimum (6GB recommended)
• Disk Space: 7GB uncompressed (approx. 4.5–5 GB compressed download size)
• Plugin Formats: VST, VST3, AU, AAX (Mac); Standalone, VST, VST3, AAX (Windows)

Product Demo

Product Demo