Brain Behind PAM Awards
ISAAC Mulindwa is one of those rare creatures that God created. He portrays himself as man who is bold and tough. A man to be feared. Yet in the same measure, he is sensitive, homely and cracks many jokes to be liked by whoever comes into contact with him.
ISAAC Mulindwa is one of those rare creatures that God created. He portrays himself as man who is bold and tough. A man to be feared. Yet in the same measure, he is sensitive, homely and cracks many jokes to be liked by whoever comes into contact with him.
But if he were asked to make a wish, he would certainly ask to live on another planet, Pluto perhaps, where everything moves fast.
Mulindwa’s life, too, seems to be propelled by a quick kicky rhythm.
For example, when he speaks, words roll off his tongue in quick succession like an AK 47 firing rapidly. He even walks with a haste of a man who is afraid of his own shadow.
In case you didn’t know this, Mulindwa is the same man who moved with such lightening speed and made history by organising music awards in Uganda.
Alhough he is modest enough to reveal that the awards were not his original idea, had it not been for his organisational skills and quick thinking, music awards in the country would be a far-fetched dream. “Yes, there were so many people out there who were mulling over the music awards idea. The problem is, it is easy to have an idea, but implementing it is another matter and the hardest part of it all,†says Mulindwa.
However, when some two people sold the same idea to him again, he picked interest.
“I straight away went to work. I told them it would be possible if they were willing to put in some serious leg work as well. I went out to sell the idea to other members, and look for sponsors. I also set up a team, which would successfully help in realising this dream, Mulindwa adds.â€
He says the first edition of the Pearl of Africa Music (PAM)awards at Munyonyo was produced by something akin to a symphony orchestra of committee members, Celtel and Bell beer brand of Uganda Breweries, stage designers, performing artistes, the print and electronic media.
In the beginning, the project had its fair share of hiccups. Big-name musicians were very skeptical about the idea because it sounded like a dream to them and another of those money-making ventures.
The artistes were also torn by bitter rivalries, but once they saw the awards steam-rolling to the last day, they hurriedly joined.
What surprised Mulindwa and his colleagues in the committee, were the many artistes, who were given forms to fill, but could not even spell their names right. Many could not even categorise the style of music they performed. Instead of filling in genres like soukous or socca, they wrote the names of languages like Lingala.
Mulindwa blames this on their lack of education, especially music education. “This country has alot of talent, but it has to be nurtured first,†Mulindwa says.
“Unfortunately, government is somehow ignorant about the potential of the music industry as a source of income. The world is changing and we should always change with it. How long shall we remain in the business of selling matooke like our great grand fathers?
“Exporting a container of matooke can earn you $10,000 yet if we could produce a singer in the caliber of Senegal’s Yousour Ndour, we could bring in double that amount from staging only one show in Europe,†says Mulindwa.
The blessed music promoter adds that before we look at foreign markets for matooke, we should explore markets abroad for our music.
“For example, it is estimated that last year, Africa earned $1.2b from music exports to the western world. But most of it went to South Africa, West Africa and Congo. I don’t think Uganda even earned $10,000 of that amount.†He estimates the number of Ugandans living abroad at about three million. “That is already a viable market for Uganda music. For instance, if a local artist sold a CD to each of them for $10, which by the way is very little to anybody living abroad, that would amount to about $10m per year.
Before we do this however, we must have our music well recorded and packaged. “Right now, we are just on stage one – the quality and production stage after, which we shall look at packaging, distribution and retailing. It is painfully a slow process, but we shall make it hence, the PAM awards,†he says.
Mulindwa is aware that people think he is reaping something more from PAM awards, cold hard cash, but he says his motive is beyond that. “The key word is exposure. Our intention is to put Uganda on the world music map. We want musicians who are hardly recognised in this country not only to feel proud of their work when they win that beautiful all-glass award, but also to earn a decent living. Ugandans should be informed that musicians are some of the most famous people in the world. With the PAM awards, I’m trying to give something back to my country after spending over 20 years abroad. I have lived in Kenya, UK and US. I have travelled the world over, but my heart has always been in Uganda.â€
He reveals that his hand is not only dipped into the PAM pie as many people assume. He is also one of those gifted people who can dabble in this and that and do it well. “I consider myself an investor.
I have interests in radio, music production, micro-finance and entertainment. I’m the executive directory of One2net internet service company situated on the 7th floor, Workers House. I’m also a director in many companies,†says Mulindwa.
How does he manage to successfully shuffle all these? Despite his heavy schedule, Mulindwa radiates and enjoys life to the hilt. “The key word is speed. I don’t like anything that is slow. I love living on the edge.â€
He reels off his hobbies, which occupy him during his free time –– fast cars, bungee jumping, cat racing, jet skiing at Munyonyo, the list is endless.
Mulindwa adds that he usually shares this life on the fast lane with his pretty wife and beautiful daughters, Sharifah and Tara. He reveals that since he return in 2002, he finds that ‘speed’ is something which many Ugandans do not value.
“Things are slow here. People seem to take forever to make even the simplest decision. They leave many things unfinished, preferring to finish them tomorrow. They walk on the streets as if they were not going anywhere. But since I returned, I prefer to focus on the positive, especially the achievements which the current government has scored.
“it must be admitted that things are improving. The economy is growing. Thank god somebody advised government that one has to construct drainage before roads are built. But all this development could only happen with good security.â€
Asked what his wish would be if he died, Mulindwa says, “When I go to heaven, nothing else will please me more than to see the PAM awards legacy carried on.â€
Ends
But if he were asked to make a wish, he would certainly ask to live on another planet, Pluto perhaps, where everything moves fast.
Mulindwa’s life, too, seems to be propelled by a quick kicky rhythm.
For example, when he speaks, words roll off his tongue in quick succession like an AK 47 firing rapidly. He even walks with a haste of a man who is afraid of his own shadow.
In case you didn’t know this, Mulindwa is the same man who moved with such lightening speed and made history by organising music awards in Uganda.
Alhough he is modest enough to reveal that the awards were not his original idea, had it not been for his organisational skills and quick thinking, music awards in the country would be a far-fetched dream. “Yes, there were so many people out there who were mulling over the music awards idea. The problem is, it is easy to have an idea, but implementing it is another matter and the hardest part of it all,†says Mulindwa.
However, when some two people sold the same idea to him again, he picked interest.
“I straight away went to work. I told them it would be possible if they were willing to put in some serious leg work as well. I went out to sell the idea to other members, and look for sponsors. I also set up a team, which would successfully help in realising this dream, Mulindwa adds.â€
He says the first edition of the Pearl of Africa Music (PAM)awards at Munyonyo was produced by something akin to a symphony orchestra of committee members, Celtel and Bell beer brand of Uganda Breweries, stage designers, performing artistes, the print and electronic media.
In the beginning, the project had its fair share of hiccups. Big-name musicians were very skeptical about the idea because it sounded like a dream to them and another of those money-making ventures.
The artistes were also torn by bitter rivalries, but once they saw the awards steam-rolling to the last day, they hurriedly joined.
What surprised Mulindwa and his colleagues in the committee, were the many artistes, who were given forms to fill, but could not even spell their names right. Many could not even categorise the style of music they performed. Instead of filling in genres like soukous or socca, they wrote the names of languages like Lingala.
Mulindwa blames this on their lack of education, especially music education. “This country has alot of talent, but it has to be nurtured first,†Mulindwa says.
“Unfortunately, government is somehow ignorant about the potential of the music industry as a source of income. The world is changing and we should always change with it. How long shall we remain in the business of selling matooke like our great grand fathers?
“Exporting a container of matooke can earn you $10,000 yet if we could produce a singer in the caliber of Senegal’s Yousour Ndour, we could bring in double that amount from staging only one show in Europe,†says Mulindwa.
The blessed music promoter adds that before we look at foreign markets for matooke, we should explore markets abroad for our music.
“For example, it is estimated that last year, Africa earned $1.2b from music exports to the western world. But most of it went to South Africa, West Africa and Congo. I don’t think Uganda even earned $10,000 of that amount.†He estimates the number of Ugandans living abroad at about three million. “That is already a viable market for Uganda music. For instance, if a local artist sold a CD to each of them for $10, which by the way is very little to anybody living abroad, that would amount to about $10m per year.
Before we do this however, we must have our music well recorded and packaged. “Right now, we are just on stage one – the quality and production stage after, which we shall look at packaging, distribution and retailing. It is painfully a slow process, but we shall make it hence, the PAM awards,†he says.
Mulindwa is aware that people think he is reaping something more from PAM awards, cold hard cash, but he says his motive is beyond that. “The key word is exposure. Our intention is to put Uganda on the world music map. We want musicians who are hardly recognised in this country not only to feel proud of their work when they win that beautiful all-glass award, but also to earn a decent living. Ugandans should be informed that musicians are some of the most famous people in the world. With the PAM awards, I’m trying to give something back to my country after spending over 20 years abroad. I have lived in Kenya, UK and US. I have travelled the world over, but my heart has always been in Uganda.â€
He reveals that his hand is not only dipped into the PAM pie as many people assume. He is also one of those gifted people who can dabble in this and that and do it well. “I consider myself an investor.
I have interests in radio, music production, micro-finance and entertainment. I’m the executive directory of One2net internet service company situated on the 7th floor, Workers House. I’m also a director in many companies,†says Mulindwa.
How does he manage to successfully shuffle all these? Despite his heavy schedule, Mulindwa radiates and enjoys life to the hilt. “The key word is speed. I don’t like anything that is slow. I love living on the edge.â€
He reels off his hobbies, which occupy him during his free time –– fast cars, bungee jumping, cat racing, jet skiing at Munyonyo, the list is endless.
Mulindwa adds that he usually shares this life on the fast lane with his pretty wife and beautiful daughters, Sharifah and Tara. He reveals that since he return in 2002, he finds that ‘speed’ is something which many Ugandans do not value.
“Things are slow here. People seem to take forever to make even the simplest decision. They leave many things unfinished, preferring to finish them tomorrow. They walk on the streets as if they were not going anywhere. But since I returned, I prefer to focus on the positive, especially the achievements which the current government has scored.
“it must be admitted that things are improving. The economy is growing. Thank god somebody advised government that one has to construct drainage before roads are built. But all this development could only happen with good security.â€
Asked what his wish would be if he died, Mulindwa says, “When I go to heaven, nothing else will please me more than to see the PAM awards legacy carried on.â€
Ends