Daddy Andre defends new artistes on quality and sound

Music producer and singer Daddy Andre has used music from neighbouring DR. Congo to illustrate how the local music industry’s obsession with sound as an identity is far-fetched.

He explained that each group will have its sound and it is a product of culture of that particular place and time, like the Congolese with their drum, that they attempted to stray from at some point but the market rejected. They were forced to revert.

“If you look at the Congolese drum, they tried to change. The market refused. They went back to the original.”

Pioneers, he argued, form the harsh judgement new generation artistes are receiving because of the constant comparison to those that came before them.

“We have what we call pioneer. People claim musicians of these days don’t sing as good as the ones before them, yet the others were the first to bring it. Something that is new. It was an introduction. It was original. It will never be faked. Everybody else is going to borrow from that inspiration. You can never beat your master,” he argued.  

Then the constant taunt they receive as producers for not creating an enabling environment for a national sound to thrive, he said Uganda is culturally diverse to settle for one sound. Even his fellow music producers arguing in favour of a national sound haven’t really paid attention to how complex the task is.  

“Nobody owns our music. You are open according to your culture. I am a Samia, we have the Engalabi, here [Buganda] is Kadongo kamu, the Bagisu have Kadodi, and so on. How can one bring all these and music producers together that you are looking for a sound?” he queried.  This was while appearing a local television station over the weekend.