![\"\"](\"https:\/\/monkey.ug\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/HVArt6cXkAEYGgS-769x1024.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nHe pointed to cultural music and the adungu, a traditional string instrument, as examples of elements that contribute to Uganda\u2019s musical character.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rather than identifying one dominant genre as the country\u2019s defining sound, Kenzo argued that Ugandan musicians should be able to explore different styles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe have many, we have cultural, adungus and all that\u2026 we have almost everything, and that\u2019s our sound. It\u2019s a matter of anybody doing whatever they feel like they want to do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
His comments present musical diversity as central to the Uganda music industry, challenging the expectation that a country must have one easily recognisable style to establish its identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The interview did not identify the individuals or organisations behind the criticism that Uganda lacks a distinct sound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kenzo\u2019s ranking places Uganda behind Nigeria and South Africa, two countries he identified as leading Africa\u2019s music industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He also recognised DR Congo\u2019s influence, although the available information does not establish how he assessed the country\u2019s contribution or its position relative to Uganda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The ranking offers a perspective from one of Uganda\u2019s established music figures, but it should not be treated as an independently verified industry assessment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
No figures were provided to support the ranking, and Kenzo did not explain whether he was comparing music production, revenue, streaming performance, international collaborations or the reach of Ugandan musicians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Those distinctions matter when assessing the position of any African music industry, particularly when musical influence and commercial success do not necessarily produce the same results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kenzo\u2019s remarks nevertheless bring attention to a broader question about how Uganda\u2019s music scene should be understood as its artists work across different genres and collaborate with performers from other markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kenzo also pointed to his collaboration with Nigerian singer Niniola on Mbilo Mbilo Remix<\/em> as an example of Ugandan music reaching beyond its home market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The collaboration features the two artists and provides a reference point for Kenzo\u2019s argument about the movement of musical ideas across national borders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He connected that discussion to what he described as changes in Nigerian music, arguing that some artists had moved away from earlier sounds towards simpler beats and melodic Afrobeats influenced by styles such as zouk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey moved away from their old sound and started doing the simple beats and melodic Afrobeats, the kind of zouk. All of them changed, but you can\u2019t tell it to anyone here and they agree..\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kenzo\u2019s assessment suggests that musical styles can evolve as artists experiment with different sounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, the interview information does not independently establish that his collaboration with Niniola caused or directly influenced changes in Nigerian music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He also acknowledged that Ugandan artists might disagree with his interpretation, underscoring that his comments reflect his own assessment rather than an established industry consensus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The release date and commercial performance of Mbilo Mbilo Remix<\/em> were not provided, and no figures were available to measure its international impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kenzo\u2019s comments leave questions about how Uganda\u2019s position in Africa\u2019s music industry can be measured and how its diverse musical identity is understood beyond the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Independent industry figures, including streaming data, music export performance and international audience reach, would help establish a clearer basis for comparing Uganda with other African markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Perspectives from producers, cultural researchers and musicians working across traditional and contemporary genres could also provide further insight into the debate over Uganda\u2019s musical identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n No specific follow-up announcement or industry initiative was outlined in the interview. For now, Kenzo\u2019s remarks put the spotlight on both Uganda\u2019s standing in the regional music landscape and the diversity he believes defines its sound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n His central argument is that the Uganda music industry does not need to be reduced to one genre to have an identity; its many musical styles, including traditional influences and contemporary sounds, are part of what makes it distinct.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Ugandan singer Eddy Kenzo has ranked Uganda third among Africa\u2019s leading music industries, placing it behind Nigeria and South Africa, while arguing that the country\u2019s musical diversity is a strength rather than a weakness. Speaking to Galaxy TV, the Big Talent Entertainment boss challenged criticism that Uganda lacks a distinct musical identity, saying the country\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":1012,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,8],"tags":[126],"class_list":{"0":"post-1011","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-entertainment","8":"category-music","9":"tag-eddy-kenzo"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/monkey.ug\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1011","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/monkey.ug\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/monkey.ug\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monkey.ug\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monkey.ug\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1011"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/monkey.ug\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1011\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1014,"href":"https:\/\/monkey.ug\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1011\/revisions\/1014"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monkey.ug\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1012"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/monkey.ug\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1011"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monkey.ug\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1011"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monkey.ug\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1011"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}