Doadoa: where music was discussed and sung

An official of Fezah App explaining to musician Andrew Ssebaggala about how to the App works. Fezah App is a digital platform where musicians can be booked and earn from their artistic works. Photo by Edgar R Batte

What you need to know:

  • The session was as interesting for the views that it attracted especially about the importance of branding where an artiste has to create value around their musical persona and then the unconventional thinking around performances and why artistes need to create and promote their own performance platforms on social media.

Doadoa East African Performing Arts Market is more than music. Whereas many people were keen on the evening programmes which publicised line-ups of artistes and musicians that would be performing, there was a lot that went on during the day. It gives stakeholders in the music industry an opportunity to exchange knowledge and experience through a number of workshops and conferences that feed into the support structures and systems of the music industry. The sixth edition this year took place between May 3rd and May 6th at Uganda Museum, in Kampala.
From personal branding for artistes, to marketing music locally and beyond, the topics were diverse and so were the panellists and views.
Isaac Daniel Katende observes, “Doadoa is the best thing that has happened to Uganda’s performing arts. The connections there, the mind-set of the people there, the ideas that were discussed are unique. Doadoa is what Uganda performing arts especially musicians need to move to that next stage.”

An official of Fezah App explaining to musician Andrew Ssebaggala about how to the App works. Fezah App is a digital platform where musicians can be booked and earn from their artistic works. Photo by Edgar R Batte


Simon Kaheru was on the panel that discussed the distribution of music through digital channels in East Africa and Africa at large. Dubbed “The success of digital distribution in East and Southern Africa”, Mike Strano moderated panellists Ben Oldfield from France, Martin Nielsen from Kenya, David Alexander and Kaheru who all shared views on risks and challenges the musicians face.
Copyright protection and musicians not earning their rightful dues from the music or pieces they produce dominated the discussion. “One of our suggestions was for them to engage professionals to run music as a business. These would include lawyers, accountants, and promoters. We identified a few supportive professionals who are offering pro-bono support to the industry in order to bring them up to a level of sustainability. We are still engaging brains on these – including some events and expos we have been neglecting but where a lot can be gained,” Kaheru shared.
Maureen Rutabingwa moderated a session on “Sustaining your career- art and money- generating income as an artist”, a session that unpacked sustainability of the music industry.
The session was as interesting for the views that it attracted especially about the importance of branding where an artiste has to create value around their musical persona and then the unconventional thinking around performances and why artistes need to create and promote their own performance platforms on social media.