By Our Reporter
In 2016, after a successful Irene Ntale concert at Sheraton Hotel, many believed the singer had bid poverty farewell. Whereas Swangz Avenue had made Irene Ntale to some extent, it was also right to say Irene Ntale had made Swangz Avenue.
Instead what followed in the next weeks were excuses after excuses as the Swangz Avenue management gave Ntale peanuts from the concert. “She just could not believe that all she had made out of the concert was pocket change of Shs 4 million,” her close friend tells us.
“Can you believe she could not even buy a new car. She really thought after the concert she would embark on a house construction project and move out of her parent’s home. It never happened,” the friend continues. “What followed was Irene Ntale switching off all her phones and denying the Swangz Avenue team access to her. It took much pleading to get her back to the studios. But even when she got back, it was clear she was all out to draft an exit plan.”
We have also learned that Swangz Avenue continued to favour other artistes over her. There was Winnie Nwagi who was treated like a Buganda princess; everyone worshiped her booty and everything she did. Ntale got even more depressed. There was her dancer, who was rumoured to have something special with one of the bosses. Vinka was more respected at Swangz than Irene Ntale. It was as though there was Irene Ntale and another camp called “them.” Only Joel Kisakye treated Ntale well at Swangz.
So as she went out to pray on New Years, Ntale had one resolution–to leave Swangz Avenue and fly out of this prison.
“It is Swangz avenue that made her to bleach. They always made her feel inadequate. Her self-esteem had really gone to its lowest. It is funny but if Winnie Nwagi brought a song and Ntale brought hers, the producers would give Nwagi first priority again and again. The poor soul was being side-lined,”another friend tells us.
On Thursday evening, we have now learned that at her family place in Ntinda, Irene Ntale gathered some of her close friends and family members and told them enough is enough and on Monday she would air out an official statement.
During this meet-up, Ntale was quoted saying; “I have been in bondage. Swangz Avenue used me like a condom, they paid me peanuts. Yes they did great for me, but they milked out much more. I was that cow that they milked daily but fed less and less. I can’t be a chicken anymore. I have to fly like an eagle I am supposed to be.”
Another source at Swangz says that Ntale is just ungrateful and very egoistic. “Can you believe an artiste is supposed to travel with her manager to all concerts. But when we booked her for the UNAA convention, she traveled with Jonathan of Laftaz instead of her official manager. Who does that? I think it is better to let go of spoilt tomatoes than leaving them in the basket to spoil others. Ntale is very divisive. She was almost breaking up the unity at this place. We have no personal vendetta but we are also content she has left. She is ungrateful.”
BigEye.ug will in the following weeks reveal to you how Irene Ntale one day even ran out of fuel and could not find money to buy fuel. When she called Swangz avenue, they told her she should learn to manage her money well. The girl broke down in tears crying; “Bidna should have never dumped me.”