Most Ugandan artistes are studio-made, producers say after Sheebah/Cindy battle

Following the Sheebah/Cindy music battle that took place at Kololo Independence Grounds in Kampala on September 15, the public criticised Sheebah's vocal skills, deeming her unfit for a live performance.

In response to the reactions, music audio producers have stepped forward, asserting that many Ugandan artistes owe their success to the producers rather than talent.

In a social media post, seasoned music producer Micheal Unegui, also known as Renix Pro, stated that music producers should apologise to the public for essentially "spoon-feeding" artistes and catapulting them into the music scene, as these artistes struggle without producers' support.

"As producers, we need to apologise to the public. We do a lot of work for those artistes; pitch correction, pitch flexing, autotune, compression, and other efforts. Whenever we are not around, they mess up. This is really bad," Renix wrote.

Adding his voice to Renix's statement, legendary producer Paddy Kayiwa Mukasa, also known as Paddy Man, urged the public to respect producers now that it's evident their efforts play a pivotal role in an artiste's success.

"Now you understand what music producers go through. Maximum respect, comrades," Paddy Man remarked.

In an interview with New Vision, Genius Goddy, the owner of City Jam Records in Makindye, a city suburb, attributed the poor performances by artistes to money-driven managers who prioritise financial gain over an artiste's talent development.

Goddy emphasised that focusing solely on showbiz rather than nurturing talent leads artistes to believe that being in the limelight is sufficient, whereas more dedication and training are necessary. He advised artistes to engage voice trainers and invest time in rehearsals.

"We undertake numerous efforts that the public remains unaware of. Many artistes here don't even synchronise with the beats, so we endure sleepless nights refining their sound. The unfortunate part is that they neglect rehearsals, while their managers prioritise profiting from them rather than honing their talents," Goddy lamented.

He further mentioned that managers often invest heavily in polishing their artistes' work, even when the artistes lack inherent talent. They also pay the media to promote these less-skilled artistes, leaving them ill-prepared when they need to stand on their own.

Rapper and music producer John Rogers Mulindwa, known by his stage name Kian Banks, shared insights as both a producer and singer. He explained that this dual role has provided him with a comprehensive understanding of the music industry.

Kian Banks expressed satisfaction in learning music production as it helped him showcase his talent as a singer. He proudly claimed to be a singer who can proficiently play various musical instruments, setting him apart from those who rely solely on producers.

"Most artistes in Uganda can't even play a single instrument, yet they claim grandeur. They simply visit producers, read lyrics from a paper, and rely on producers to work their magic. I am happy that I can excel in both aspects," he asserted.

In Uganda, a select few artistes stand out for their ability to deliver exceptional performances by playing musical instruments and singing simultaneously. These include Kenneth Mugabi, Maurice Kirya, Geosteady, Andereya Baguma and Joel Sebunjo.