'You can't force people to like a bad song' – Kenzo on Nigerian musicians

"You can't force people to listen to a particular song. Music is food for the ears. No one can like a bad song," the 'Sitya Loss' singer, 32, said Thursday while appearing on Spark TV to comment on the increased promotion of Nigerian shows in Kampala.

"If people like a song, there is a reason why. You can't manipulate anyone with music. That's why an artiste can be promoted and they become famous... but people will still appreciate their music differently."

Kenzo believes for an artiste to be brought to perform in a given country there should be a cause for that.

"I have been to Mali, Benin, Gabon, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, Colombia... I've been to all those places by manipulating people? how?" he emphaised. "Sometimes artistes are loved globally."

However, the 'Tweyagale' singer was concerned with two things when it comes to bringing foreign performers, one being the repatriation of capital that would benefit Ugandans and the second being reduced attention on local talent.

Eddy Kenzo Pulse

"Too much of anything is bad. Though I wouldn't have a problem with Nigerians coming here to perform. It's okay. But if it's overdone, it spoils... There are advantages and disadvantages... most of the time we have to let the water flow," he said.

"But the truth is we have encourage our people to support their own. I urge Ugandans to support local talent.. if you support, you also benefit because attending shows keeps the money around but foreign artistes take it away and we don't benefit much," he went on.

"But personally I can't stop them because they have to come. We have to be inspired. we should just avoid doing it a lot."

Speaking on the same issue recently, Comedy Store proprietor Alex Muhangi, who has hired several local and foreign artistes to perform at his events, dismissed the idea that local promoters are deliberately favouring Nigerian artistes, which is frustrating the sprouting of homegrown talent.

"Local musicians are also doing well... One thing I've learnt about the Ugandan audience is that they like good music," Muhangi, who is a comedian-cum-singer, said in an interview.

"Where there's good music, they'll go... As you've seen even Nigerian artistes who've been here but without good music have held flopped concerts, but the big ones pulled big numbers."

The Nigerian singers that have performed in Uganda recently include GodsFavour Chidozie aka Fave, Kizz Daniel, Tiwa Savage, Akunle Gold aka AG, Ayra Starr and Fire Boy.