Uganda's sound gets continental nod at Africa Rising Music Conference
Uganda's growing presence did not go unnoticed. This year's conference recognised Uganda as the focus country, with singer Vini Mercy performing at the official showcase.
Uganda's sound gets continental nod at Africa Rising Music Conference
For decades, Uganda's music industry has produced stars, chart-topping songs, and viral moments. But behind the glamour lies a recurring challenge: many artists know how to make music, but few are taught how to build careers from it.
That reality recently played out in Johannesburg, South Africa, where five young Ugandan artists joined hundreds of industry professionals at the Africa Rising Music Conference (ARMC), one of the continent's biggest gatherings of musicians, publishers, managers, and record executives.
The artists—Mbeewo, Vini Mercy, Amanya, Matt Travers, and Nana Nyadia—were part of a cohort selected under the inaugural AUMEX Artist Accelerator Programme, which seeks to expose emerging talent to the business side of music. Their experience highlighted an issue that many observers say continues to hold back Uganda's creative economy.
"The talent has never been the problem. The infrastructure has," notes AUMEX, pointing to years in which artists have operated with limited knowledge of contracts, publishing rights, and international music business practices.
The Ugandan delegation also visited Downtown Music Publishing Africa, where participants received one-on-one guidance on managing their catalogues and intellectual property.
Uganda's growing presence did not go unnoticed. This year's conference recognised Uganda as the focus country, with singer Vini Mercy performing at the official showcase.
Yet beyond the performances and networking sessions, the trip reflected a broader shift taking place in Uganda's music industry. With a new copyright framework in place and increasing conversations around royalties and ownership rights, industry players are beginning to pay attention to the structures that support creativity rather than focusing solely on hit songs.
As preparations begin for the AUMEX Conference, slated for November 14, 2026, in Kampala, one question remains: Can Uganda build an industry that is as strong behind the scenes as it is on stage?