Joshua Baraka has responded to veteran musician King Saha’s advice that he should concentrate on the local music market, making it clear that his ambitions stretch beyond Uganda.
The exchange followed comments made by Saha during a TikTok Live session on Sunday, November 1, 2026, in which he questioned the wisdom of pursuing international success without substantial financial resources.
Saha described the international music business as a long game that requires a huge budget and offers no guarantee of returns. He advised people around Baraka to be honest with him about the challenges involved and encouraged him to focus on entertaining Ugandans.
Baraka was unimpressed by the advice, describing the mindset of some established musicians as shallow.
“It’s sad that some of the people we are supposed to look up to have very shallow mindsets. They want to be kings of the pond. Me, I want to be the king of an ocean. I want to be a shark,” Baraka said.
The disagreement reflects two different approaches to building a music career. Saha believes artists should establish themselves in their home market before pursuing international opportunities, while Baraka appears unwilling to limit his ambitions to Uganda.
Saha previously expressed similar sentiments in 2025, arguing that musicians should first leave their domestic audiences satisfied before attempting to conquer bigger markets.
Baraka, meanwhile, has been expanding his reach across East Africa and beyond. His collaboration with Nigerian singer Tiwa Savage on Commando has added to his international profile as he prepares for his forthcoming Recess II project.
He is also scheduled to stage his B’raka Land concert in Kampala later this month.
The singer currently commands approximately 1.7 million monthly listeners on Spotify, with songs including No Bad Vibes and Wrong Places attracting millions of streams.
Baraka’s response has reopened the debate about whether Ugandan musicians should prioritise strengthening their domestic fan bases or take the financial risks associated with pursuing international recognition.