By Bash Mutumba
When 2019 started, Namagembe Shena aka Shena Skies Original, set a goal to write for every new school female artist in Uganda: from Vinka to Nina Roz and everyone in between; and all that she has achieved — and a little bit more. She has successfully made hits for Rema and Spice Diana, and has also written for male artists like Allan Toniks, Levixone; The Ben and Bruce Melody from Rwanda, and many more.
Born in Kawempe, Shena started writing right from her school days, and she always knew music was her calling, even though she studied Computer Science at Makerere University.
“Up to date, l think ‘Jangu Ondabe’ by Spice Diana has gone the furthest(among the songs written). I am incredibly proud of all my works ‘cause l put a lot of me in them. But l did enjoy writing ‘More of this’ for Rema Namakula with Slick Stuart & Roja, and the emotion and heart that came with ‘Bye bye X’ by Fille Mutoni was quite the story.” The versatile artist described her works with effortless fervency.
“l didn’t write Gutujja, people keep thinking l signed an NDA and l was told to not tell but no l didn’t. Or did l ” The Diva left me in unending suspense when I asked if she wrote the hit for B2C and Rema.
She also adds that she can never be paid enough to sell her style, but she isn’t complaining, and that those that like can go on to credit her in the song outros with “S.K.I.E.S”.
However, with all this success in the songwriting business, Shena maintains that she is a singer first, and then a songwriter, and would love that you check out her own music too on YouTube, like “Ayagadde Munne” which is currently enjoying handsome airplay.