Ugandan singing duo Kataleya and Kandle have ruled out quitting music anytime soon, saying their love for the industry and the changes it has brought to their lives remain reasons to keep going despite the challenges they face.
For Kataleya, the decision to continue is rooted in more than the money music can bring.
She said the duo often think about their beginnings when they encounter difficulties, using the distance they have travelled as a reminder of why they started.
“We can’t quit music because we grew up on music. Since we were kids, we’ve been stars from the word go.”
Kataleya said their relationship with music goes beyond the pursuit of financial success, describing it as something they do because they genuinely enjoy it.
“Sometimes, when things happen to us, we remember where we came from. It’s not that we came to music to make money. It’s passion. It’s something we do because we love it.”
Their comments place their commitment to music at the centre of their story, even as they acknowledge that pursuing a career in the entertainment industry comes with difficulties.
Before they started making music, the duo sold clothes at Kajja Market, according to Kandle.
Their work sometimes involved hawking merchandise, while social media offered another way to promote the clothes.
“Before joining the music industry, we used to sell clothes in Kajja Market, and sometimes we could hawk them and post them on social media.”
The experience gave them an understanding of hard work before they pursued music professionally.
Kandle said their lives changed after they began making music, giving them a reason to keep moving forward rather than return to their previous way of life.
“We went through all the hustle until we started making music, and life changed a bit. So there’s nothing that can push me to return to the old lifestyle I lived.”
Her account offers a glimpse into the duo’s life before music became their main pursuit, although the length of time they spent selling clothes and the exact period when they entered the industry have not been established.
The singers have not disclosed specific financial details about the changes they experienced after starting their music career.
Beyond reflecting on their personal progress, Kandle pointed to the response from listeners as another reason to remain in music.
For her, hearing an audience sing along to their songs makes the demanding side of the profession worthwhile.
That connection gives the duo something to value beyond the challenges they encounter while pursuing their careers.
“However much music challenges me, it changed my life. Making music and finding an audience singing line for line feels so nice. To every youth still chasing life, don’t let your background define you. You can still make it, and you can still do what you want to do.”
The statement combines Kandle’s account of the duo’s experience with a message directed at young people pursuing their own ambitions.
Their journey from selling clothes to making music provides the context for that advice, while their comments about fans show the importance they attach to having people connect with their work.
The duo have not identified particular performances or songs in connection with the audience response described by Kandle.
The duo have made clear that they do not intend to quit music anytime soon.
However, no new album, single, concert, tour or other upcoming project has been confirmed in the information available for this report.
Their latest comments focus instead on their reasons for staying in the industry: a longstanding love of music, the changes they say it has brought to their lives and the satisfaction of seeing fans sing along to their songs.
Their remarks also leave the specific challenges they have faced unexplained, with neither singer detailing particular setbacks in the statements provided.
For now, their position is clear: the difficulties associated with music have not outweighed the reasons they have to continue.
Kataleya and Kandle’s decision to keep making music is closely tied to how they view their journey so far.
Kataleya points to passion and their beginnings, while Kandle recalls the work they did selling clothes and the difference music has made in their lives.
Their message to young people follows the same theme, encouraging them to pursue their goals regardless of where they start.
For the duo, continuing in music is not simply about financial rewards but also about the work they have put in, the lives they say have changed and the audiences that sing along to their songs.
