By Ian NKera Ford
She will breathe into a microphone and still sound better than many artistes who will release albums year in year out. She is talented as she is graceful. She doesn’t need to show skin and act all skunky on stage for recognition. Her voice does the talking for her.
Her voice has moved mountains for years and has inscribed her name into music folklore as one of the best selling artistes in Uganda. Call her whatever you want to. A Whitney Houston incarnate or Mariah Carey clone. She is Juliana Kanyomozi. A talented lady who is struggling to make a mark again.
Where did the best voice fade to?
The Juliana who made a cross over from singing in English to Luganda turning a new chapter in Ugandan music in the process has been missing. The array of hits like Nabikowa, Diana, Kanyimbe, and Usiende Mbali were testimony of a diva, a born star. She never set a foot wrong and despite her much documented private life, she remained focused and suffocated us with many hits. She even won the much coveted Artiste of the Year at the recently disbanded PAM Awards.
Fast forward many years and its sad to see charts dominated by lesser mortals as far as talented is concerned. Even with notable songs like Libe Sanyu, Omukwano Guluma and that new song Eddiba, the Juliana Kanyomozi of old is basking somewhere nobody knows.
As she jeers up for her Eddiba concert next month, we can only wish her the best and hope that we see a better and rejuvenated Juliana Kanyomozi.