A singer seeking to excel

By Joseph BatteOne of the hottest chart-topping hit machines that has cropped up in the recent history of Ugandan music is a beautiful crooner with a face to match called Betty Mpologoma.She combines traditional gospel singing with elements of pop. According Travis Kazibwe, her husband, manager and producer, Mpologoma is among the leading vocalist on the local scene: “Her talent should not really come as a surprise. She comes from a family with a deep love for music. And like all Seventh Day Adventists, she started singing in the church at a very young age. She has been hired by different choirs to sing alto and in recording sessions,” he says.Mr Silver Ndawula, the proprietor of Lusyn music dealers, also adds: “The most important aspect about Betty Mpologoma is that she has worked hard on her career while her predecessors seemed to come and then just fade from the scene. This is because they were into music because of money while Betty cares more about her talent than money.”Mpologoma first stormed the charts in 2000 with Ekirimudungu album that featured another gifted singer called Martin Angume. She returned the following year and made waves again with DJ Nsomerayo Akalango. Recently, Lusyn Enterprises of Market Street released her latest outing titled Eki Love Love, which features fellow Diamond Productions band-mate Ali Yawe. Though her new album sounds like another tatty moneymaking exercise, the addictive hooks and ear-candy grooves are clear indication it was laid down in the studio with heart and soul. Quite frankly, she sounds very convincing and natural even while singing about the very tired subject of love on Big Daddy, Eki Love Love and Ndi Lovely. Ali Yawe’s voice is not the type that can make goose pimple sprout on your skin, but it has an endearing earthy quality that is certain to win him a handful of fans. His major plus is being a good composer. For example, his only two tracks on the album, Jennifer and Tuli bana ba Nambi come with gorgeous melodies, good arrangements and vivid guitars that you wish would not stop playing.Producer Travis Kazibwe is, as usual, prolific as hell. He pulled the songs together perfectly with all you could want and not a sixteenth note wasted in studio. The style is typical top-notch Ugandan pop that only Kazibwe and his comrades-in-crime can craft— reggae groove combined with rumba to create a mid tempo groove that anybody anywhere can sway to. In the face of bland dancehall and Ndombolo, a Eki Love Love is a welcome bit of filtered boogie relief. Go for it.