Singer Ebrahim Soul'o says Ugandan artists are 'blinded by money'

Last weekend he was one of the performers at the Blankets & Wine Festival in Kampala.

In an interview after the show, Soul'o talked of the improvements in the quality of Ugandan music, noting its importance for global competitiveness.

"The quality of music is improving, which is crucial for our global competitiveness," he told Okay Africa

Born Balunywa Ibrahim, Soul'o’s journey into music began with performance poetry, which naturally transitioned into songwriting.

"I never imagined I'd become a musician, but as I started writing and playing instruments during my undergrad, I found my home in music. I also play the guitar. I've been performing actively for about four years, though I've been in production and playing instruments for around ten years now," he said.

Now at 32, Soul'o describes his music as "self-help music," aiming to inspire and uplift listeners through themes of resilience and social awareness.

Quality vs. Financial Pressure

When asked about the evolving Ugandan music scene, particularly the hip-hop genre, Soul'o noted the urban growth and the need for further audience education.

"The music scene is growing, but it is growing more in an urban sense. For Uganda, that’s a small percentage to make a change. The quality of music is improving, which is crucial for our global competitiveness," he observed.

However, Soul'o expressed concerns about the financial pressures faced by artists.

"As artists who desire to speak to the craft, we reach a certain point where we really want money to come and see a return on investment. Sometimes [that desire] can blind us. I'm aware of my privilege, and that privilege has enabled me to stick to a lot of moments where I'm doing things for free. Because all those moments have built my grit, performance endurance, and passion for just being on stage and sharing myself and my work," he said.

Despite the financial challenges, Soul'o remains committed to his art. "It doesn't take away from me doing another free performance, as long as I'm given the chance to connect with people," he added.

Recently, Soul'o has been drawn to the vulnerability and excitement of live performances. Reflecting on his experience preparing for Blankets & Wine Kampala, he shared,

"Despite this being my second performance, I still feel the same fear I had the first time. The fear when you're on a big stage is, ‘Will they receive what I have for them?’ But [I was] also excited because it [was] another chance for me to do what I love to do."