Mariam Ndagire reveals what lured her back to music after 17 years

Veteran singer, actress and filmmaker Mariam Ndagire has revealed that money — coupled with persistent demands from her fans — is what finally lured her back to the music stage after a 17-year break.

Ndagire, one of Uganda’s celebrated entertainers, last held a concert in 2009, where she performed her hit song Majangwa before announcing that she was stepping away from music to concentrate on her film career.

For years, she appeared content behind the cameras. But after watching fellow musicians return to the stage for comeback concerts, her fans began asking the inevitable question: when was she going to do the same? The questions eventually got her thinking. Ndagire says she set herself one condition — whoever wanted her back had to come with an offer that matched her worth.

“What pushed me back into music was money,” she said. “People had started asking me why I wasn’t holding a concert since everyone was having one. I said to myself that if someone came with the amount of money I wanted, I would.”

For Ndagire, however, it was not simply about the cheque. She says respect for her craft and the opportunity to stage the kind of concert she envisioned were equally important.

“There is the aspect of money, my respect as an artist and also fulfilling what I want,” she said.

According to Ndagire, several promoters approached her about a comeback show, but negotiations collapsed over money, concepts or the direction of the proposed concerts.

She eventually settled for Twisted Events after finding a promoter who understood her vision and, importantly, offered what she wanted.

“I want a full concert, not half-baked things. I prayed to God to get me the right person who would get me my dream concert that was well deserving of my fans,” she said.

“I went with my events promoter because she told me what I wanted to hear, and so far, we are moving well. I believe the concert will be amazing.

Ndagire is now preparing to reconnect with fans at her comeback concert, The Opas of Love, scheduled for December 11 at Kingdom Kampala.

And for fans wondering whether her old catalogue will make the cut, the answer is a resounding yes. The singer promises to perform her popular old songs, which she believes have aged like fine wine rather than faded with time.

Ndagire says the songs will sound fresh on the night because of their timeless appeal, giving her long-time fans a chance to relive the music while introducing a new generation to her catalogue