Abitex paid me handsomely for 'Wandekera Omwaana' album - King Michael

According to Michael, when he released the Wandekera Omwaana album, events promoter Abitex paid him well to organise events based on it

"In the past, we used to sell albums," he said in an interview, "do you know how much Abitex paid me for Wandekera Omwaana album?"

King Michael, born Michael Mugwanya, dropped out of school due to financial challenges, following death of his father.

He was born in Najjanakumbi and it's here that he landed his first gig as an emcee at a bar called Britania. After dropping out of school, he befriended the bar's deejay, who was called Shaba, and convinced him to allow him to emcee while he (Shaba) is mixing.

King Michael landed this gig when he "was about 18".

In 2000, the owner of Lido Beach, the late Samson Muwanguzi, started wondering why Britania was always packed, so he offered Michael a job.

Michael, who was then just an emcee, now had to learn deejaying. It's while at Lido that he got ideas for singing.

He recorded his first song from AK Studio in Lugogo and it was produced by Shadrack whom he paid Shs150k. It was about Bell Lager. UBL didn't pay him. He just sang about the beer.

The owner of Lido Beach was impressed, so suggested he sings another one praising the beach. He then released Lido Lido.

Ragga Dee gave him money to record the song. The Lido Beach boss was happy and raised Michael's pay to Shs300k per month from 200k.

He also gave him money to film the video of the Lido Lido hit.

The song became so big, one day Rasta Charz, the husband of Sister Charity, offered him money to do multiple shows in parts of Mbarara. He only had two songs -- Bell and Lido Lido -- at the time but they earned him good money.

It's this that pushed him to sing a third song, the hit, Wandekera Omwaana.