For quite some time, UK-based Ugandan artistes have been confined to the sidelines when it comes to big music moments in London. Artists who are flown in from Uganda usually take centre stage. For the ‘home’ talent, the knock-on effect has not been just financial; being confined to the curtain raisers’ bench has been frustrating, to say the least.
Against such odds, singer/DJ/VJ/video director/audio producer VJ OJ and the other artistes who are still keeping their singing talents alive manage to stay afloat. A lot of Ugandan talent in the Diaspora has been lost in the trenches as the more lucrative kyeyo shifts take precedence. OJ instead quit his day job to pursue his dream, “Talents is talent,” he says, “it depends how far you want to take yours. My suggestion to many of our talented people in the diaspora would be not to give up on theirs when they relocate.”
To make ends meet and be able to survive as he chases the music dream, OJ started a production company, First Choice Productions.
“It is not the simplest of journeys, especially if you have to pay bills. It takes a lot of determination, self-belief and faith. There are lots of ups and downs but determination will see you through. I also try to listen to my critics so that I can improve myself.”
Those critics have turned out to include Awilo Longomba with whom he has done two songs so far that, he says, have placed him somewhere where it would otherwise have taken him years to get.
“He is a music genius and has taught me so much about the music industry. He gives me a lot of advice and some tips on how to make good music.”
VJOJ’s career has evolved from Sunday evening karaoke appearances into a consistent recording artist. But if VJOJ is to achieve his dream of getting his music to different corners of the world there is still a lot to be done. For now, with over 14,000 likes on his Facebook page, he is, arguably, one of the most popular Ugandan artists in UK if not the Diaspora. “I feel there is still a big gap that I need to close. I am not targeting one particular crowd. I can’t say I have made it as yet but I see where am heading.”
It is against this backdrop that VJ OJ is stepping up to launch a 20-track album, Your Face, that he describes as ‘diverse’ and the moment as the biggest in his career yet as he prepares for his moment in the spotlight. He will be performing at Park View Main hall in North London today with the backing of Galaxy Band and sharing the stage with Congolese legend Awilo Longomba, Rwandan star Massambe Intore and a host of other UK-based artistes who are only too happy to support this breakthrough event. “It has a wide variety of style of music on it. I tried to cater for every soul without forgetting my roots.”
editorial@ug.nationmedia.com
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