I will not wallow in self-pity

It is exactly two months since her husband, the late musician Martin Angume, passed away after losing his battle with
multiple organ failure. But, his widow Julie Angume, mother of the deceased’s last-born child and guardian to his three other children, has decided not to wallow in self-pity. Julie has launched a solo music career to help her raise the children as well as keep her husband’s legacy. It all started with the song Muweyo Chance Emu, (Give him just one more chance). She composed this song for Angume when he was on his death-bed in Mulago Hospital. In an interview, Julie told Blitz writer Elvis Basudde, that even though the song did not salvage the husband’s life, it launched her music career. Excerpts from the interview here below.

Q: I am so sorry for your loss, Julie. It must be so painful…

A. Yeah, it is painful, a very big blow. It is still hard to believe he is gone forever and I will be raising the children on my own.
To date, I fi nd myself in isolation crying over the loss and it is hard to cope. Life will never be the same without him. I am still grieving, along with the children: Drake, 11; David, 8; Desire, 5 and Daniel Angume, 3.

Q: What kind of person was he?

A. He was so kind, always encouraging and loving in nature, with so much love for his children. He also believed in hard work, honesty and was so generous and social, a character I liked about him when I fi rst met him in 1997,
in The Diamond Production, a band I had just joined at a tender age. Angume, together with Kato Lubwama were directors. He made the fi rst move, but I played hard to get for some time. His sincerity is one of the things that got me – I mean, he told me about his past relationship from which he had three children.
A dishonest person would have lied and I wouldn’t have known till later. Somehow I ended up accepting and we started living together as a couple.

Q: So how is the singing coming on now?

A. Well, I am not going to sit here and cry forever when the children have to eat. That is why I have launched a solo singing career. I am not new in the music industry – I have been singing alongside Martin, but in the background. But most people
learnt of my singing when I sang Muweyo Chance Emu , where I was calling upon God to give my husband one more chance. While bedridden, Martin often prayed aloudthat, “God, please, give me one more chance, I will serve you from henceforth.” I was always touched whenever he said those words. So I used his very words to compose the song.

Q: But I hear you have changed the song title…

A. No, the song title remains Chance, just that I edited some bits in the lyrics, where the chorus goes like “Mukama Tuweeyo Chance Emu Twenenye…” (God give us one more chance so we can repent). In the song, I call upon musicians to repent their sins. Before he died, Martin had embraced Christ and often preached to us. He had repented his sins and forgave those who had wronged him.

Q: What is your background in the music business?

A. I started singing in primary and continued when I joined Muyenga High School, where I won a number of awards despite not having had any prior training in singing. When I dropped out of school I met Kato Lubwama and Angume, who auditioned me and recruited me in Diamond Production Band. I have appeared in a number of Angume’s videos, including Switch. I have over eight songs, my maiden one being Oli Sasi (You Are a Bullet), written by my co-mentor Kato Lubwama. Now I have four videos and Muweyo Chance Emu is currently enjoying the good air play.

Q: You are still so young. Any plans of re-marrying?

A. That is totally out of my mind right now, my focus is on the children. But who knows? Maybe if God
presents me a good man in future.

Q: You are still renting, have children to raise and bills to settle. What now?

A. Honestly, I am scared too. By the time Martin died, we had not built a house or bought land. Yet, he left me in a very expensive rented house in the National Housing Estate, Namungoona. As we speak, my heart is not settled.

Q: Any influence Angume had on your music career?

A. He was my mentor and inspiration and that added a lot of value to my talent. Whenever he was invited to perform at functions, we went together and people got to know me. We had even planned to start singing together as a duo. But I will keep his legacy going, especially since his father allowed me to keep the name Angume. We were planning to wed so I could take on the name offi cially, but that did not happen. But with his father’s permission, I will go by Julie Angume, not Julie Ssemugga. That will keep Martin’s name out there, as well as make it easier to promote my music.

Q: Have the people who promised to give a hand fulfilled their pledges?

A. Godfrey Kirumira, chairman of Kwagalana Group, is paying fees for one of our children, David Angume, at St. Mary’s
Secondary School in Nabbingo. He even promised to get him a job upon completion. There is a lady called Grace based in the UK, who is sponsoring Dick Angume in school. I would like to also use this chance to thank the Vision Group CEO Robert Kabushenga and Hajat Nabukenya of Bukedde TV and all Vision Group employees for the moral support they gave to Angume when he was bed-ridden. May God bless them all, plus everyone else who played a role.

Q: Any future plans?

A. My whole life revolves around music. I am looking for a manager to promote my music; my husband did not have one. And with my new song Yagala Musajja Wo (Love Your Husband), I am planning to throw a major show, hopefully in August if I get funding. I also want to try my hand on business.