Juliana comes of age

Crossing over from a Karaoke singer to one of the biggest divas in your home country is no easy task. Juliana Kanyomozi on the verge of releasing her ten-track debut solo album is one feat to envy. Her latest pop reggae single Nabikoowa (I got tired of it) is burning up local music charts fast (entering Capital radios KT20 two days after release) indicating she is not slowing on churning hits.

The former Karaoke singer explores a turbulent relationship and the resolve to move on. Ndifuna omulala (Ill find another one), Newoli kolotya, wampisa buubi naange nakukwaawa nabikoowa (whatever you do, you treated me bad and I gave you up I got tired of it). Contrary to speculation it was personal, Juliana refutes asserting, its only about things that happen to so many people caught up in relationships that do not work out. She adds sometimes in relationships we need to accept and move on. You have to be strong.

Nabikoowa recorded at Steve Jeans Fenon records, has imprints of a hit: simplicity in lyrics, a widely appealing message, powerful honeyed vocals (with superb octaves), great ad-libs, sweet melody, memorable hook, sparse instrumentation allowing her voice, words and theme to be heard and clean professional production delivered by Steve. It features on her upcoming album slated for July on the same company.

She promises three songs in local pop (luganda) a style she has progressed to from raw slick r&b and easily defined as a fusion of r&b and local pop with Caribbean elements surrounding her distinct voice. Her last two efforts taata wa baana (father of the kids) with Bobi Wine and their equally successful duet Maama mbiire marked the move. With her new artistic direction came a change in image, she became smartly rugged with a Caribbean fresh look

Her direction has been received with much acclaim from fans and critics and led to a hot billing act hardly out of all major concerts in town and omnipresent in the press with positive reviews. She had this to say of the career adjustment,

I followed a style that worked for me; when I sang in luganda I knew it would make or break me. So I feel OK that I did local because that is what people love and I am sure to please them.

Her singles before going local pop Say it and Seven Days were surprisingly hits against the odds of singing in English in Uganda. Seven Days also received rave reviews at Essex FM in England.

Juliana Kanyomozi has all it takes to international stardom. Stage one is winning hearts of a home audience; she has added to this the drive, beauty, voice, image, maturity and a sense of direction. Her secret to remaining top of the game has been working with the right people and a possession of exceptional talent. She names Steve Jean the hit maker who has enabled her to get the best out of herself and others like Bobi Wine with whom she registered cross over success.

A sneak preview of the album has one ballad dont wanna cry where she will show the innermost depth of her singing. Juliana admits to having made quite a good sum of money from her recent success but intends to sing for the rest of her life even when the money dries.

Her heart has not been short of giving back to her community. She was recently in Rwanda to commemorate the 1994 genocide and returns in July to do a concert with other East African musicians, which proceeds, will be sent to orphanages housing children who lost parents to the genocide. She has also held tours and performances in Gulu (the crux of the northern Uganda conflict) where she has shown solidarity with the victims of was.

Juliana who is happily married first recorded with a group called Ijay (Irene and Juliana) a few years ago, an album that received tremendous critical acclaim. In 2004, she received the pearl of Africa music award for best r&b artiste. The sky has become the limit for one of Ugandas exquisite vocalists.

Juliana: Diva on the prowl

There are social icons that some people will grudgingly accept. There are divas and then there are divas. Some people have to fight for their claim to fame. Others try to hide away from the spotlight but they are so good, even if they run they cannot hide. When you meet Juliana Kanyomozi, Uganda's number one female star, you will understand where I am coming from.

Finding out what makes Juliana tick takes me to Capital FM, her work station and the place from where her voice is broadcast far and and wide everyday. It is a hot afternoon and everyone seems to be scurrying to get out of the way of the cruel rays. But Capital is looking fine. It is so cool,the people in this place look like they live on another continent.

She is dressed in black and she is looking sexy as always. I guess it comes with the territory. The atmosphere here would make even the gloomiest moscovite let out a joyful woop. That explains the laid back voice we hear on radio as Juliana makes the afternoons worth living. And, oh, my recorder does not make her uneasy in the least unless I am “going to use it in a court of law or something,” as early as this, she is letting her hair down. Cool!

“I grew up singing, really and music has always been a part of me,” she tells me. She and a host of Ugandan musicians found their wings at Sabrina's Pub, a place that has been given less attention than it deserves. Back then, she would go and do karaoke and just hang out with the other kids who were coming from school and trying to stay out of their parents hair. This pub was the nest of musicians such as Bebe Cool, Irene who was Juliana's partner, Chameleon and many others. For Juliana, sweet sixteen found her singing her lungs out at the pub and she was enjoying every part of it.

Many of these artistes did the pub routine for a good reason. Big name producers were always around, sniffing for talent and trying to see who would cut the right figure. For Juliana, the first big name to notice her and believe in the power of her voice was Steve Jean. He suprised her on one occasion when after she had done a song, the MC stood up there and announced that Mr. Jean was so impressed with the young girl who had been singing and he had offered to produce a song for her. From then on, as they say the rest was history. She never looked back.

The first time Juliana made an impression on the Ugandan scene was as half of the girl duo, I J. She teamed with Irene, another songstress who left the scene with a lot to offer yet to go to live in France with her fiance then. Well, I guess more pressing issues were at play and we have to accept. The producers who were handling the duo then thought they had voices that complemented each other so well. Indeed, we had some good days, listening to the girls.

So if there is so much talent in this lady, what is keeping back all the other talented people out there? “ There is a very small level of proffessionalism in the industry. Our music is still growing and from the looks of it, it is taking it's time. That definitely will stiffle the talent and the progress will be slow,” she says seriously. Her brow is furrowed as she thinks this over. Is that why we have not heard so many songs from her since she started singing, considering the fact that other artistes seem to be on competition to see who produces the most songs? She is of another view. She believes that everything should be done in its season. There is a time for everything and even with music, one need not sing for the sake of singing lest they tarnish their image.

Listening to her songs, one gets the feeling that only a select audience is allowed to come into the fold. She says she targets the contemporay group which she is very familiar with. She knows that probably, the people in the age bracket of 16-30 will listen to her songs. And she does not try to force her way into markets that will not understand her. That is why she is usually not present at the bivulu (local music grand shows) where there is a lot of Ugandan country music. She will be expected at Miss Uganda or at a street jam or at the launch of some high profile design label, as in the case of the launch of House of Kaine, which understandably attracted a list of who is who in Kampala. House of Kaine belongs to Natasha Kainembabazi, President Museveni's first daughter.

And Juliana was a hot item. She was especially asked by the first daughter. And she did thrill them. One of the highlights of that memorable night, something that will stand out in the memories of everyone who was there was Juliana's cheeky rendition of the Uganda national anthem. No one had done that before. “ At first I was thinking, will the president let me off lightly after this adultrated version? I asked Natasha if I could get away with it she,” laughs as she remembers the shock on everyone's face when she performed.

Watoto wa' mungu is a deep song that was put together by a galaxy of female East African stars, the likes of Titi, Halima and Trishlla. It has been given considerable time on TV. The other person…

…Swahili started with radio jingles; she had to do them in different languages and swahili was always one of those languages. She fell in love.

And she is in love with two men! One is one year and eight months old and the other is her fiancee of four years, Amon. Her son with Amon, Keron is the other man in her life and she is loving each day she wakes up to know that he is in her life. In a few words, she loves him to bits. She did a song solely for him. You are my Centre , written by Kawesa went on to become one of the best dance tracks on radio and also one of her best songs ever. When the little man grows up, he will be proud to be told every time it is played that that is his song.

So what does she see on the horizon? “ I am planning to open up a studio with Amon,” she says matter of factly. And she is very serious, she does not bat a lid. Her fiance has studied Sound and Studio Engineering and he has lived and worked in Europe for close to thirteen years and he is bringing his wealth of experience home. There is a lot of work Ugandan artistes could be doing for themselves but they do not. “This is the result of the lack of proffessionalism stated earlier.” That is what this couple wants to exploit. Maybe there will be some sanity in the whole industry. Maybe people will learn that they can do their own CD covers and music here at a small price.

She is also into fashion. She and her sister inlaw, Jennifer have opened up a boutique and they have appropriately christened it Juliana ‘n' Voyage. She is palnning to go into fashion design big time and the future is bright. This is reflected in her fashion sense. You will always find her prim and proper. Her fashion sense has always been good yet it is being enhanced by her association with Jennifer who is a critic. She is in the right circles, you would say.

And even as we wind up this meet, the lady in question is still rearing to go. The lithe body tells of strength within, strength controlled. Juliana controlls many things, given her busy life. She will be at some show later on or some meeting or she will be heard throwing a joke on air. The listeners will be happy to know that the person behind the voice is a real star who will take opportunity as it comes. She has done it before and she's going to do it again.