Many will recognise her from that collaboration song with Fille – Akatijjo. Babaritah, who has not been around for long, has dreams and among those is breaking out on the international scene someday. Her dream are valid and here she shares her journey to joining music.
Who is Babaritah?
My real name is Barbara Mirembe, alias Babaritah. I am a Ugandan artiste who does every style of music and I am signed under Maritini Entertainment.
Elaborate on the point of doing all styles of music?
I am versatile. I can do RnB, Zouk, soul and Afro among others.
When did you realise you could sing?
From childhood. I remember I used to sing when I was a little girl back then and the talent and love for music kept growing and after my studies, I decided that music was what I was meant to do.
Do you come from a musical background?
Yes. My father, Mr Aggrey Mbogo was the head of Music Dance and Drama in Mukono District and my mother Mary Nakato Mbogo was a musician back then, but is now a teacher.
What was your first song?
It was Yono Omwana. Audio was done by Paddyman and Meddie Menz shot the video.
What was the inspiration behind that song?
That was the first song I did under Martini management and my manager told me to come up with a song I felt comfortable with. That is the topic I decided to pick, but it was not out of experience or anything.
What other songs have you done since?
I have Mutano, Kikuteyo, Nkoye with Mun G, Akatijjo with Fille, Yo Sure, Juju and lately Ebiyungu.
What message do you portray in some of your songs?
In Akatijjo we were fighting for a man’s love but for example in Ebiyungu, I am talking about equal time, equal love and equal financial support from a man who has more than one wife. And this was a special request from some women I cannot disclose.
Talking about Akatijjo, who is the right owner of that song?
My manager Martini sat with Kats, Fille’s manager and came up with the idea. They told Dr Brain about it and he wrote the song and we did it with Fille.
Would you consider it your biggest song do far?
Yes. It is so big that it reached places we never thought it would.
Rumour had it that you guys were fighting over the song. How true is that?
It is not true. I am on good terms with Fille.
But on several occasions, we have seen her perform the song alone, which is also the case with you yet back then, you always performed it together.
Sometimes it is all about the bookings. If a promoter has the amount of money for both of us to be on stage, we perform the song together. And then it is not like it is the only song we both have. If I am booked somewhere, I have to sing it alone because it is a big song and so does Fille.
Which artiste inspires you?
Juliana. She is a vocalist, humble and talented.
Where are you five years from now?
I see myself five times better than what I am. I see my music career on an international level.
Which schools did you attend?
I went to Bishop Secondary School in Mukono and Mutesa Royal University where I graduated with a Journalism and Mass Communication degree.
Being an artiste, you would have done courses such as MDD. Why journalism?
It is what I wanted and I feel like the course is related to what I do. We are all into public relations.
What other skill do you have besides singing?
I can play some instruments such as the piano, drums and other local instruments. Remember, I come from a musical background.
For how long have you been active in the music industry?
For two years now.
Should we be ready for your concert any time soon?
Only God’s mercy can determine that but not now.
Besides music, what else does Babaritah do?
I am into farming, I write songs and also train people who want to be musicians, especially vocals.
Are you married?
At home they call me baby, so I am still young. I am a still mummy’s girl.
What challenges are you facing in the industry so far?
There is not much challenge apart from the lack of cooperation among artistes and creation of false stories about artistes by some journalists.
issejjombwe@ug.nationmedia.com