Musician Iryn Namubiru, who recently issued a stern copyright notice to anyone who has ever uploaded her music online, has released a new song and dared internet users to re-upload it.
Although many thought that this was a threat from an angry artiste, Iryn who is now signed to Grajoh Talent Management and Public Relations Ltd is looking out for anyone with her music online with the help of Interpol.
With the release of her new song, the singer will also be looking out for anyone who re-uploads the song and triggering immediate arrest by police for copyright infringement.
Iryn’s move comes at the height of copyright infringement especially for Ugandan music online. In 2013, fellow singer Juliana Kanyomozi had a public outcry where she rebuked people who infringe on her copyright mentioning some popular YouTube channels. Here is a lengthy statement that she issued.
“First I start by appreciating the work people like Din Tv, Afroberliner, Ug Pulse etc have done by uploading Ugandan videos in the past, and it hasn’t been in vain for them since they have monetized accounts and they make money from uploading those videos.
However, I now own a YouTube account and upload my own videos unless I give someone else permission to do so. How can someone report me for copyright infringement on my own video that I paid for and participated in it’s creation?? They don’t know what I go through to create my work, they don’t know what inspires me to do what I do and how much I put in emotionally, physically and financially. They don’t know what my work means to me. But they wait to benefit from a finished product. From now moving forward, I will be uploading my own videos and whoever has been uploading my videos should therefore stop unless I give them permission to do so.”
We will keep you posted.
Listen to Iryn’s song below:
Staff Writer