Tim Rimbui, better known as "Ennovator" is a Kenyan record producer, sound engineer and songwriter who has worked with many prominent Kenyan and East African artists. He is generally thought of as one of the leading music producers in Kenya. With the foresight of being creative, innovative and unique he chose the name Ennovator, which would best describe his sound and approach to music production.
Musical background
Tim fell in love with music at an early age while attending Sunday school at Lavington United Church, Nairobi. He later started playing the piano and keyboards at the age of 9. Tim was inspired early in his life to pursue music as a career after watching five alive – a Kenyan a cappella group that graced the Kenyan music scene in the early 1990s. He studied music in high school – Nairobi School and later at . He also received music training in theory and recording from Wisseloord Studios and in the Netherlands.
Growing career
Tim’s first experience in music production was as an assistant sound engineer at and later at Samawati Productions as a sound engineer/producer. While at Samawati he began working under the moniker “Ennovator”. In 2004 Tim Rimbui left Samawati to partner with Kora Award winner and one of Africa’s top World Music artists Eric Wainaina to form , a music studio and Production Company, where he still is today. Tim’s productions can be best described as a fresh urban sound. He specializes in R&B as well as World Music. He has worked with renowned Kenyan artists such as Kora award winner Eric Wainaina, Suzanna Owiyo and Gallo Records’ artist . Tim has produced 3 Kora Award Winning artists: Neema Ntalel – Best East African Artist Category ; Kaz – Most Promising Female Artist Category ; and DNG – Best Gospel Artist Category. He has also received 5 nominations for the Producer of the year at the Kisima Music Awards. In 2007 he partnered with Wandiri Karimi to form , a Production Company that undertakes writing, producing and recording for bands and solo musicians and recently entered music production for film, radio, television and other commercials. They later formed Ennovatormusic Publishing Company in 2008 after signing an agreement with in South Africa which handles all the intellectual property rights for published works as well as handling worldwide publishing agreements for other musicians keen to protect their original compositions. Tim’s influence and inspiration is drawn from Quincy Jones’ work on Michael Jackson’s Thriller, as well as Ted Riley on Black Street. Producers such as Timothy Mosley, Kanye West and will.i.am have also influenced him and so have African musicians Freshlyground, Lira, Aṣa and Richard Bona.
Personal life
Tim married his friend and love, the current director of Kenyan Conservatoire of Music, Wandiri Karimi, on 5 July 2008.
