Juliana scoops Kora
Juliana named best East African female. COURTESY PHOTO
The accolades keep coming in for singer Juliana Kanyomozi. Last week, she scooped a Kora award in the Best East African Female artiste category.
The awards gala was held in Abidjan, Ivory Coast last Sunday and Juliana beat the likes of Kraan Caraal of Somalia, Hellen Brehe and Asther Awakhti both of Ethiopia, and Tanzania’s Saida Karoli to the award.
Juliana who didn’t attend the event was elated on getting the news and she posted on her Facebook page, “Thank you all my loving family for the votes. As most of you know by now, we won the Kora award for Best Female East Africa. Thank you Kora for the recognition,” she said.
Juliana was nominated for the song I am Ugandan, and she was thankful to the people who helped put the song together, “Thank you Esther Naabasa, Michael Fingers, Steve Jean, Kaweesa and Onoh, I thank God for the opportunity to work with such amazing talent, thank you for sharing it with me on I am Ugandan. My God is an amazing God!!!”
The awards that are billed as the African Grammys have been on and off, over the last decade, though they were off to a good start when they were launched in 1994. This year’s event had several glitches with the event being postponed from Saturday to Sunday because of the late arrival of special guest, American singer Chris Brown.
Ernest Adjovi, the event organiser initially blamed the delay on Brown missing his flight, but later said heavy rain and other logistical hiccups were behind the postponement.
Brown later arrived in Abidjan with his on and off girlfriend Rihanna. However, he still didn’t attend the Kora event because he was performing at a related event, dubbed the Peace in Africa Concert at the national stadium, during the time the awards were taking place. Brown took home the accolade for Best Male Artiste in the diaspora, while Rihanna was named Best Female in the diaspora.
Other winners included Nigeria’s Chidima who was crowned Best African Female for her song Kedike that is also popular here in Uganda.
Ivory Coast’s Dj Arafat Yorobo Kpankaka won best African Male, while Nigeria’s Davido beat our own Aziz Azion among others to the Best Newcomer gong. Ivorian group Magic System won the Best African Group category while Burundi’s Kidum, who also has a collabo with Juliana was named Best East African Male.
Juliana could soon be shopping for a new trophy cabinet for her numerous awards. Just two months ago, she won the best Afrobeat International Act Award at the 2012 British Entertainment Film Fashion Television Art awards (Beffta).
