Iryn Namubiru performs at Friday Night Live at Club Guvnor. PHOTOS BY EDGAR BATTE
The dance floor was busy, with bodies shaking to the rhythm, oscillating between slow zouk-like tempo to Afro-pop and dancehall. Some couples soothed each other at ‘zero distance’ as they sang along to her songs.
Iryn Namubiru was in a good mood and shared her vocal abilities with the crowd that turned up for monthly ‘Friday Night Live’ fete at Club Guvnor on Friday night.
From her breakout hit song, Nkuweki, to Tebiba Bingi, Kabi ki, Esimu Y’ekiro, the Empiza Zo rendition of Philly Lutaaya, to Birowozo and Begombeko, Namubiru expended her vocal power and range to feed desiring fans who sang along, danced and even appreciated her with tokens, to express their adoration and support.
The singer whose music largely celebrates love and its nourishment comfortably hit the high and low keys and generally put up a spirited performance, characteristic of her poise in stage delivery as the veteran ensemble, Afrigo Band provided her with a backline.
Namubiru is one of Uganda’s celebrated singers, with consistency. She started out in the late 1990s, with Juliana Kanyomozi, under the stage name I-Jay, a duo that was formed at Sabrina’s Pub, a place that provided a platform for young, ambitious singers to expose their vocal abilities.
Over the years, her music has enjoyed crossover appeal, to the young and old thanks to its charming lyrics, with music videos to go with. Her gig at Guvnor was a heart-warming experience as her song triggered memories in but only seven songs, some of her best in the 18-year-long career.
She was happy with her stage delivery. “It felt so good. And many people were telling me they were there for me. Everyone was up on their feet. That’s the kind of show where I can go on and on and on. Unfortunately, we could only do seven songs,” she explains.
She will probably have more time to showcase more at the Easter Holiday showcase in a maiden performance at Hotel Hollandia in Bukomansimbi. She is also new videos for two songs; Gutojjere and Omwana Aleese munne.
Well, she was done performing, Afrigo took it on from there, with its diva, Joanita Kawalya opening the night long ‘classic’ session with slow, rhumba-fused Susanna.
She went on to raise the tempo with the 1990’s tune- Mpedembe, and then Kangende. One reveller came on to do two Congolese timeless songs, Juste un peu d’amour and Nzele, by Madilu System.
Afrigo Band also performed numbers off a forthcoming album, and by the time the band bowed at the climax of their appearance, it was minutes past the wee hour of 3am.
