Artistes Vinka and Alien Skin. Photos | Courtesy
And the winner is… It is that time again, when we celebrate the best of 2023. It is hard to define 2023 musically; it has been a mix of good and bad. There were many forgettable songs that TikTok helped to launch, and there were many excellent songs whose influence extended beyond Uganda. For the first time, a Ugandan song was on top of the Apple 100 in Uganda. That was special. These are the best of 2023; some are surprises while others are obvious, and to do this are Isaac Ssejjombwe and Andrew Kaggwa in the annual sQoop awards.
Artiste of the Year: Vinka
It has been eight years since Veronica Lugya, alias Vinka, took up the microphone to sing. It has been eight years of waiting. What started off as a trial has manifested into a success story for so many in the music industry. Having been a manager for Irene Ntale, Vinka learned everything and forgot nothing. She has pushed and challenged herself as an artiste and it is paying off. Vinka managed to soft launch the career of Dax Vibez through their collaboration, Believe, which has so far garnered 1.1 million YouTube views in two months. But she has also dominated the airwaves with her own single, Bailando, which has so far been viewed 4.4 million times on YouTube. Checkecha, a song she features, has 3.7 million views on YouTube and more than 280,000 streams on Spotify. In this category, we considered artistes like Alien Skin, Fik Fameica, Spice Diana, Sheebah Karungi, and Azawi.
Female Artiste of the Year: Vinka
The formula is easy; you need about two songs and a collaboration to conquer Uganda. Vinka had a single and three collaborations. She submitted her song Bailando for Grammy Award consideration, and according to reliable sources, she made it to the last stage of vetting.
Producer of the Year: Daddy André
There was a time Daddy Andre had chosen to concentrate on being an artiste that we almost forgot he was such a brilliant producer. This year, however, he reminded us he still chops and makes beats, giving Ugandans songs such as Eddy Kenzo’s Balipila Boda, Bentiboys’ Wanawankya, and Vinka’s Bailando, among others. Other producers considered were Bangerboi, who’s been behind Swangz Avenue’s projects, from Azawi to Zafaran; Axon, the man responsible for Joshua Baraka’s singles and EP; and one that needs no introduction, Nessim.
Song of the Year: Bailando
There is a lot that goes into picking a song of the year; it is not necessarily about a hit or famous song. But coincidentally, the two frontrunners here were widely popular. Vinka’s Bailando and Joshua Baraka’s Nana. Bailando, Daddy Andre’s meticulous outing, is one of the best he has given Ugandans in a long time. The song captures Vinka’s energy while throwing people into a party mood without resolve. And it was also such an ambitious song, submitted for two Grammy Award considerations. The song also has that longevity; it remained fresh for nearly nine months.
