Maddox Your Valentine
Jan 22, 2004
MADDOX Sematimba the popular Sweden-based Ugandan reggae singer is coming home to thrill people with his melodious reggae tunes on Valentine’s Day.
By Sebidde Kiryowa
MADDOX Sematimba the popular Sweden-based Ugandan reggae singer is coming home to thrill people with his melodious reggae tunes on Valentine’s Day.
Maddox last performed in Uganda at the Nile Hotel Gardens and Nakivubo Stadium, on Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi’s birthday in April last year.
Maddox, who jets into the country on February 12, with a 10-man entourage, will be staging two performances over the Valentine weekend. The first of which will be on February 14, at Didi’s Amusement Park. Gates open at 3:00pm. Couples will have to part with sh25,000 while singles will have to fork out sh10,000 each to gain entrance.
The second show will be held at Nakivubo Stadium on Sunday February 15. Gates will open as early as 10:00am while revellers will have to part with sh5,000.
Maddox’s entourage will comprise various Ugandan and Swedish artistes. The artistes are: Sammy Kasule (vocals); Aggrey Willis Ssembatya (sound mixer); Esther Bakyerabidde (vocals); Erik Bodin (Drums and vocals); Hakan Wirenstrand (lead guitar); Fredrik Kallgren (bass guitar) and Anders Loveberg (keyboards). Maddox himself, besides singing also plays the lead guitar.
The promoters of the show are still in negotiations with Kadongo Kamu virtuoso, Paul Kafeero of Dipo Nazigala fame; songstress Chance Nalubega and the Obsessions dance troupe, as opening acts for the show.
Maddox who rocketed to fame with his hit Namagembe in 2001, will also be launching his latest album Omuto, which include his latest radio singles Kampala, Nalweyiso and Lekankulagge.
Remmy Lubega, the events publicity officer, on behalf of Umoja Productions, the promoters of the show, said the singer was a natural choice for Valentine’s Day because of his beautiful love lyrics.
He said Maddox was very particular about the sound system to be used and the reputation of the promoters he was dealing with. Umoja have promoted Makoma, a Congolese gospel group based in Holland, twice before in Uganda.
“We shall have 45,000 mega watts of sound on stage, good lighting, a back-up band and two giant screens for revellers to see what is happening,†says Lubega. He also mentioned that the singer will meet VIPs at an exclusive cocktail at Didi’s Restaurant, before the show, but that these details would be divulged later. He added that all couples would automatically be deemed VIPS and receive a rose on Valentine evening.
Maddox’s brand of easy-listening reggae coupled with his sweet melodious voice, has endeared him to multitudes of Ugandan music lovers across the board, despite the fact that he mainly sings in Luganda.
His debut album Tukolagane generated such radio favourites as Munakyalo, Irene and Eddembe.
The 32-year-old star who was a teacher at Makonzi Boarding Primary School before he pursued a music career, says music runs in his family citing his sister Justin Sematimba, who plays the drums at Jesus Worship Centre Church in Kampala.
Maddox left Uganda for Sweden in November 1991, where he joined his brother and used to play in Swedish nightclubs.
In 1998, Madoxx returned to Uganda to release his single Tukolagane, which was reportedly later claimed by George Mulindwa, then a DJ at Radio Simba as his own composition. In 2000,
Tukolagane was released as an album, but its charm failed to really sink in until later on in 2001.
Maddox is humble about his success so far. “I did not know what it means to be a star. It’s good that people appreciate what I do, but who am I to show off?†said Maddox on his last visit in 2002.
Maddox is married to Eva Linck, a Swede. They have one son Christopher Sematimba. They live in Sweden.
Ends
MADDOX Sematimba the popular Sweden-based Ugandan reggae singer is coming home to thrill people with his melodious reggae tunes on Valentine’s Day.
Maddox last performed in Uganda at the Nile Hotel Gardens and Nakivubo Stadium, on Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi’s birthday in April last year.
Maddox, who jets into the country on February 12, with a 10-man entourage, will be staging two performances over the Valentine weekend. The first of which will be on February 14, at Didi’s Amusement Park. Gates open at 3:00pm. Couples will have to part with sh25,000 while singles will have to fork out sh10,000 each to gain entrance.
The second show will be held at Nakivubo Stadium on Sunday February 15. Gates will open as early as 10:00am while revellers will have to part with sh5,000.
Maddox’s entourage will comprise various Ugandan and Swedish artistes. The artistes are: Sammy Kasule (vocals); Aggrey Willis Ssembatya (sound mixer); Esther Bakyerabidde (vocals); Erik Bodin (Drums and vocals); Hakan Wirenstrand (lead guitar); Fredrik Kallgren (bass guitar) and Anders Loveberg (keyboards). Maddox himself, besides singing also plays the lead guitar.
The promoters of the show are still in negotiations with Kadongo Kamu virtuoso, Paul Kafeero of Dipo Nazigala fame; songstress Chance Nalubega and the Obsessions dance troupe, as opening acts for the show.
Maddox who rocketed to fame with his hit Namagembe in 2001, will also be launching his latest album Omuto, which include his latest radio singles Kampala, Nalweyiso and Lekankulagge.
Remmy Lubega, the events publicity officer, on behalf of Umoja Productions, the promoters of the show, said the singer was a natural choice for Valentine’s Day because of his beautiful love lyrics.
He said Maddox was very particular about the sound system to be used and the reputation of the promoters he was dealing with. Umoja have promoted Makoma, a Congolese gospel group based in Holland, twice before in Uganda.
“We shall have 45,000 mega watts of sound on stage, good lighting, a back-up band and two giant screens for revellers to see what is happening,†says Lubega. He also mentioned that the singer will meet VIPs at an exclusive cocktail at Didi’s Restaurant, before the show, but that these details would be divulged later. He added that all couples would automatically be deemed VIPS and receive a rose on Valentine evening.
Maddox’s brand of easy-listening reggae coupled with his sweet melodious voice, has endeared him to multitudes of Ugandan music lovers across the board, despite the fact that he mainly sings in Luganda.
His debut album Tukolagane generated such radio favourites as Munakyalo, Irene and Eddembe.
The 32-year-old star who was a teacher at Makonzi Boarding Primary School before he pursued a music career, says music runs in his family citing his sister Justin Sematimba, who plays the drums at Jesus Worship Centre Church in Kampala.
Maddox left Uganda for Sweden in November 1991, where he joined his brother and used to play in Swedish nightclubs.
In 1998, Madoxx returned to Uganda to release his single Tukolagane, which was reportedly later claimed by George Mulindwa, then a DJ at Radio Simba as his own composition. In 2000,
Tukolagane was released as an album, but its charm failed to really sink in until later on in 2001.
Maddox is humble about his success so far. “I did not know what it means to be a star. It’s good that people appreciate what I do, but who am I to show off?†said Maddox on his last visit in 2002.
Maddox is married to Eva Linck, a Swede. They have one son Christopher Sematimba. They live in Sweden.
Ends