By Staff Writer
Jade Dramuke aka Jade Sound Makers or Jade Munyenye, is a founder and partner of Sound Makers Music which she started with HerbertSkillz in 2010, British born , from Manchester UK. She has Lived in Uganda 11 years and has been married for 6 years to Herbert Skillz. The two met when she went to Mask studios where HerbertSkillz was the producer to record with him . Shortly after they got together as a couple and in 2010 opened Sound Makers Studio now Sound Makers Music, together.
Jade studied business administration and finance in the UK , but has also always been heavily involved in music. As a child she used to accompany her brothers successful bands to recording sessions and the large gigs they headlined and go with her dad their manager to buy all the equipment for the band, she later started singing with her own band in the UK called Java , and then was lead singer in the UK band Blue Cafe who released several chart songs in the UK.. Since coming to Uganda and before starting Sound Makers with Herbert.
Jade performed with a band called Power Cut at corporate events , and then with Rocky Milley, and Sparrows Band as well as regularly at Sheraton Hotel with the international guest performers . She has also performed at Club Unplugged at Silk with Maurice Hasa and Toniks, Gen Mega Dee on his show Ina De dance ,Entebbe Lido Beach with Butcher Man , Dj Michael , Micki Wine and at Bobi Wine’s Busabala Kigwa Kerri concert , a hot song her husband HerbertSkillz made , as well as several open air concerts and festivals in the UK as Jade Munyenye.
She is the one who mainly researches the new products for production they use in Sound Makers when they set up a new sound studio. Jade can also produce and often voices herself if HerbertSkillz is unavailable and is also a mixing/mastering engineer in her own right having attended a course with HerbertSkillz on sound engineering at Manchester Midi School .
Her family in the UK are Still involved in the music scene and have a studio in Cheshire which is where she and HerbertSkillz work from when in the UK and is also where they often make links to the international music community ,and learn from top UK Producers.
As her brothers have previously worked with many of those who are regarded as legends in the industry , including Phil Collins , Ringo Star, Paul Mcartney, Boyzone, Will Young , they have supported Herbert to grow in his music and develop his art and international connections .These days Jade makes her music , more to show what Sound Makers Music and HerbertSkillz are capable of and to inspire others although she still loves performing. She says
“Once music and performing is in your blood , it never leaves you, there are times when I have had to put music on the back burner to work in the corporate world to earn a living and I also prefer to help support HerbertSkillz up to the top rather than myself , but I still love making music and performing it, and if I see people feeling and enjoying my music , or something that HerbertSkillz and we at Sound Makers have produced it makes my day . I am very protective of my privacy , my family and our brand Sound Makers Music as we have both worked really hard to develop it and to get recognition internationally for our production , and since we are a true mix of British and Ugandan , we try to be ambassadors for both and promote Ugandan Music wherever we go.”
On having the the reputation of being a tough cookie sometimes ,Jade said, “I’m not really tough but I am a survivor and I’m principled and professional , I try to be a kind person and to respect people , but if people see that as a weakness and try to take advantage of me or HerbertSkillz and put me or him down , then I can be a bit of a fierce African Warrior”.
Jade and Sound Makers can be contacted via Facebook and here below is her new song Eyeyo B’Live