Maurice Kirya steps out
Jan 27, 2005
His is one of the best voices of his generation in Uganda today
By Sebidde Kiryowa
His is one of the best voices of his generation in Uganda today. Some might remember him as the teenager who spellbound audiences with a stirring guitar performance at B& H Street Bash at Club Silk about three years ago.
But most will recognise his face and voice from his most recent outing –– Binadamu, a collaboration with Tanzanian Bongo Flava impresario AY, which has enjoyed as much rotation on radio as it has on East Africa TV.
Better still, Kirya will forever be remembered as the smooth-voiced chap who, in a near tear-jerking moment, narrowly missed representing Uganda at the Pop Idol contest in South Africa in 2003. The judges settled for 23-year-old Godfrey Angunda to represent Uganda at the highly competitive continent-wide reality TV show. However, the latter has since disappeared off the face of the local music scene. One hundred and thirty wannabe stars auditioned.
Most Ugandans especially R&B music fans will also remember him for the scintillating urban slamming groove Stop back in 2003. Though not much of a radio favourite, this song became a sort of dance floor anthem for young revellers.
Whatever his claim to popularity on the local scene, Kirya is one of the most underrated vocalists of our time. But the towering 21-year-old is little bothered that people have not paid that much attention to his skill yet, preferring to concentrate his energies on developing his talent further.
Last week, he released two new singles to radio. The first one, Beera Nabo (stay with them), a mid tempo musical effort is a skillful blend of R&B and Afro soul that draws the listener in.
Written by Kirya himself and produced by Andrew Kiwanuka, the song alternates English and Luganda lyrics in a clever juxtaposition characterised by rhymes for effect. Kirya, a keen guitarist also lends his strumming expertise to the track.
On Beera Nabo, Kirya sings of love gone sour. A woman he loved so much left him for another man and now wants to return to him. To her, he resolutely says, beera nabo.
The second single, Let's Go, an R&B single was produced by Steve Jean and Wzz, a quintet of young Ugandan producers based in Denmark.
“What happened is they had a track ready. When they heard Stop, they decided I was the right voice to go with it. They sent it to me on MP3, I wrote to it and Steve Jean recorded the voices,†Kirya says.
The songs are now playing on radio and Kirya is planning to work on a video for Beera Nabo soon. After that, he will be off to studio again to work on his debut solo joint, which Kirya says, will comprise entirely different songs.
Then he will start up his own website.
In the meantime, Kirya is basking in the glory that the AY collaboration has accorded him, especially (ironically), away from home.
“Binadamu is the biggest song of my career thus far. The song is so big in Tanzania (where AY is an A-list artist) because they get the full message,†Kirya says.
Already, he says, bookings for him to perform in Dar-es-salaam are flocking in and, depending on how he plays his cards, this might just be his break.
Kirya started out singing at school at eight years old. He also acted in school dramas. At home, their mother always taught them a new song whenever there was a power cut while their father took them to perform at Hotel Equatoria and bachelor parties.
Kirya’s brothers are also artistes of substantial standing. There is Elvis Vamposs) and Alex (Krazy Native of Bataka Underground, a Luganda rap outfit.
His is one of the best voices of his generation in Uganda today. Some might remember him as the teenager who spellbound audiences with a stirring guitar performance at B& H Street Bash at Club Silk about three years ago.
But most will recognise his face and voice from his most recent outing –– Binadamu, a collaboration with Tanzanian Bongo Flava impresario AY, which has enjoyed as much rotation on radio as it has on East Africa TV.
Better still, Kirya will forever be remembered as the smooth-voiced chap who, in a near tear-jerking moment, narrowly missed representing Uganda at the Pop Idol contest in South Africa in 2003. The judges settled for 23-year-old Godfrey Angunda to represent Uganda at the highly competitive continent-wide reality TV show. However, the latter has since disappeared off the face of the local music scene. One hundred and thirty wannabe stars auditioned.
Most Ugandans especially R&B music fans will also remember him for the scintillating urban slamming groove Stop back in 2003. Though not much of a radio favourite, this song became a sort of dance floor anthem for young revellers.
Whatever his claim to popularity on the local scene, Kirya is one of the most underrated vocalists of our time. But the towering 21-year-old is little bothered that people have not paid that much attention to his skill yet, preferring to concentrate his energies on developing his talent further.
Last week, he released two new singles to radio. The first one, Beera Nabo (stay with them), a mid tempo musical effort is a skillful blend of R&B and Afro soul that draws the listener in.
Written by Kirya himself and produced by Andrew Kiwanuka, the song alternates English and Luganda lyrics in a clever juxtaposition characterised by rhymes for effect. Kirya, a keen guitarist also lends his strumming expertise to the track.
On Beera Nabo, Kirya sings of love gone sour. A woman he loved so much left him for another man and now wants to return to him. To her, he resolutely says, beera nabo.
The second single, Let's Go, an R&B single was produced by Steve Jean and Wzz, a quintet of young Ugandan producers based in Denmark.
“What happened is they had a track ready. When they heard Stop, they decided I was the right voice to go with it. They sent it to me on MP3, I wrote to it and Steve Jean recorded the voices,†Kirya says.
The songs are now playing on radio and Kirya is planning to work on a video for Beera Nabo soon. After that, he will be off to studio again to work on his debut solo joint, which Kirya says, will comprise entirely different songs.
Then he will start up his own website.
In the meantime, Kirya is basking in the glory that the AY collaboration has accorded him, especially (ironically), away from home.
“Binadamu is the biggest song of my career thus far. The song is so big in Tanzania (where AY is an A-list artist) because they get the full message,†Kirya says.
Already, he says, bookings for him to perform in Dar-es-salaam are flocking in and, depending on how he plays his cards, this might just be his break.
Kirya started out singing at school at eight years old. He also acted in school dramas. At home, their mother always taught them a new song whenever there was a power cut while their father took them to perform at Hotel Equatoria and bachelor parties.
Kirya’s brothers are also artistes of substantial standing. There is Elvis Vamposs) and Alex (Krazy Native of Bataka Underground, a Luganda rap outfit.