sigmund 10. Fik Fameica
Shafik Walukaaga has surely carved a name as one of Uganda’s best new crop of artists. Ever since he burst onto the scene in 2017, he has gone on to prove many wrong that he’s here to stay.
His songs such as Kutama, Skonto, Buligita have popularised him as he also commands a big social media following. He’s scooped a number of local awards as well as being the brand ambassador of a number of local brands.
He’s done collaborations with Tanzania’s Rosa Ree and Nigeria’s dancehall heavyweight Patoranking known as Omu Bwati.
9. Ykee Benda
Mpaka records CEO Wycliffe Tugume slots in our number nine. And just as he sang in his Maradona song that he’s number nine on the soccer pitch who scores beautiful goals, this spot befits him.
Ykee Benda rose to fame with his song ‘Munna Kampala in 2016 but it wasn’t until his collaboration with Sheebah on his Farma song that he became a household name. Benda has gone on to cement his place as one of the finest crop of musicians of the time.
He’s released mega hits such as Superman, Farma, Turn up the Vibe, Onabayo among others.
His time in Coke studio helped to increase on his international fame and even went on to release a song featuring Nigerian Reekado Banks. He has an upcoming album titled Malaika in which he has a song featuring Nigerian singer Tekno Miles.
8. Spice Diana
Namukwaya Hajarah aka Spice Diana is one hardworking musician undoubtedly and she’s enjoying the results of her sweat. She’s one of the most followed musicians on social media in both Uganda and East Africa.
She’s also the face of a number of local brands and this all can be attributed to strategizing herself. Her songs such as Kwata Wano, Ready have recieved airplay across East Africa.
The Ndi mu love singer has gone ahead to release collaborations with some of East Africa’s best musicians including Harmonize and Wasafi’s Mbosso. She’s also had the chance to work with the Goodlyf crew and Sautisol during the suspended MTV awards that were slated to happen here in February this year.
7. Navio
Daniel Kigozi is another veteran on this list that is one of the most known musicains abroad. He started out in the early 2000’s and is one of Uganda’s and Africa’s finest rappers.
He started out with his group known as Klear Kut but later pursued a solo career that turned out to be a huge success. Navio has gone to release big songs on the Continent such as Burn, Ngalo, Njogeleza, Rider among others.
Navio has also been nominated for a nunber of continental awards. He also featured in R. Kelly’s star studded song titled “Hands across the world” and Stuttering featuring American Fifi Dobson.
6. Maurice Kirya
Maurice Kirya started his career in the late 2000’s but became a household name in the middle of the last decade. This is because his genre of music by then wasn’t well acquainted with Ugandans.
He is a singer, songwriter and movie actor having made cameo appearancesin movies such as the Queen of Katwe, The Last King of Scotland among others.
He’s considered the pioneer of Ugandan soul music dubbed ‘Mwoyo’. He’s gone ahead to win a number of awards the major one being the Radio France International Discovery award.
Although not so popular locally, he is well known globally among those that understand the type of music he does.
Some of his hit songs include MUlembe gwa Kirya, Busabala, Never been loved among others.
5. Bobi Wine
You all expected the former Kyadondo East legislator to be at the number one spot of this list. Well he is undoubtedly the most popular musician in Uganda at the time and one of the most popular Ugandans at the moment.
However, his popularity is largely dependent on his political fame. Ever since Bobi Wine joined politics his social media following has surged making him the most followed musician on Twitter and Facebook.
Before the Fire base CEO got into politics his numbers were however lagging behind and was barely known beyond Ugandan borders. And since largely this list is musical he sits in number five.
The singer has collaborated with a number of international artists such as Mr G from Jamaica and Mampi from Zambia. However these did not have a significant influence they added on the Bada singer’s musical ventures abroad.
4. Sheebah
What can’t be said about Sheebah! She has done it all and deserves every inch of praise tossed her way. The self styled karma queen is a real hustler and a hard-working queen that has built her empire from scratch to glory.
She started out as a young girl in the girls singing group the Obsessions in the early 2000’s. After the group split, Sheebah went under the radar, came back and did a few songs that didn’t quite work out and most people wrote her off.
However, she teamed up with Jeff Kiwa as her manager who has really transformed her into an icon both locally and on the continent.
Sheebah has won numerous awards, is one of the most followed musicains on social media and has several endorsements for different companies.
On top of that she has her own companies, Holic pads and an events company. She has collaborated with a number of foreign artistes such as Orezi, The Ben, Harmonize, Master KG among others.
She was also a representative of Uganda in Coke studio in 2019. In 2019 she was named among the top five African artistes to look out for.
Her songs such as Nkutuse, Boy fire, Nakyuka, John Rambo, Empeta have propelled her to continued fame and success.
3. Bebe Cool
There is no musical list made in Uganda to do with greatness that won’t feature Bebe Cool. If it’s done and he’s omitted, then it’s absolutely trash. He’s worked for it and surely deserves all the praise he gets.
Bebe Cool just like Chameleone started out in Kenya where he got signed to Ogopa DJs a then popular record label in Nairobi. He later returned to Uganda after his friend Chameleone had found success here.
However, Bebe’s lucky star took long to shine and he teamed up with Bobi Wine with whom they formed Fire base Crew. The two later fell out and Bebe moved on to form his Gagamel crew.
The singer has gone to achieve tremendous success in his career and he holds undoubted influence in the music industry. Whenever he sneezes, the whole industry catches a cold.
His Bebe Cool list ranking the biggest songs of the year is one example as most musicains are always left cursing on why they weren’t included and others praising the singer.
Bebe Cool has won a number of awards such as the Mobo award which is the equivalent to a BET award in the UK. He has been nominated a number of times for the MTV awards and channel O awards. Locally, the wire wire singer has scooped almost all the awards he’s participated in.
Bebe has collaborated with a number of foreign artistes such as Rudeboy Charly na Nina, Pitbull, Hororebel, Wyre and Naziz among others winning a channel music award with the latter two in their East African bashment crew.
He’s one of the most followed musicians on social media in Uganda and has shared the table with the world’s finest. His hit songs include Love you everyday, Easy, Wire wire, Born in Africa, Freedom among others.
2. Jose Chameleone
There was a time when the Leone island CEO would undoubtedly top our list but the times seem like they have evolved. Nonetheless Chameleone remains a legend and Uganda’s musical goat according to a large section of the public.
The ‘Wale wale’ singer was not just a Ugandan musical heavyweight but also east Africa and Africa’s at large and he still is. Most foreign musicians who came to Uganda always made sure to look for Chameleone and share a stage with him. These included Beenie Man, Elephant Man, Morgan Heritage, Konshens among others. All of them acknowledged knowing Chameleone musically.
The former lord mayor aspirant has released numerous hit songs that have hit globally such as Valu valu, Wale wale, Vumilia among others. He is also one of the most decorated Ugandan musicians of all times when it comes to awards. The singer also commands a huge following on social media.
Chameleone was one of the singers that participated in the 2010 World cup anthems and celebrations in South Africa.
1.Eddy Kenzo
There is no absolute doubt that Edrisa Musuuza aka Eddy Kenzo is the most popular Ugandan musician globally. The records, the sales and the awards speak for themselves.
Kenzo burst onto the scene in 2009 after a collaboration with Mickie Wine titled ‘Yanimba’ went viral. Kenzo would later go on to launch a solo career and the rest is history.
The Big Talent CEO has gone on to release a number of hit songs such as Stamina, Bolingo, sitya loss, Mbiro mbiro, Tweyagale, Ssemyekozo among others. When it comes to social media following, Kenzo ranks among the top five most followed musicians in the country.
His YouTube channel is the most followed by any Ugandan musician with over a million subscribers. When it comes to fashion, Kenzo has a huge following in the young people who look up to him.
Kenzo has won a number of international awards in his career with the BET being the highlight of his career. Kenzo has even appeared on the famous New York times a record two times. His album Made In Africa released recently is quite doing well globally.
He undoubtedly is the most famous musical export in Uganda as he’s even been able to perform in countries as far as Columbia and revellers were seen singing along to his songs.
