Alien Skin, as alien as his name

Alien Skin’s rise to popularity is one of the things that still intrigues many Ugandans. If it is not his songs, it is his personality. By the time of writing this article, the artiste had surpassed 1.5 million total video streams online, and had almost 100, 000 subscribers on YouTube. In addition to that, his “collisions” with Pallaso and Bobi Wine have helped grow his profile. It is for these reasons that we sought to find him and have a chat about his life, choices and music. 

The search to have a chat with Alien Skin has been difficult, even for us. Despite several phone calls and WhatsApp messages to the Party singer, he was just never one to pick up his phone or answer any messages. 
However, I managed to make contact with his manager and elder brother, Eric Pro. Our hope is to speak to Eric Pro and then perhaps have him link us to Alien Skin. 

I make it to Mesach Semakula’s bar and restaurant in Makindye where we have agreed to meet. Meeting with Eric Pro is intimidating in itself.  I am are asked a few questions by a man dressed in black, wearing sunglasses. 
“Alien gwoyagala mwenyini omumanyi? (Do you know the Alien you are asking to meet?” Eric Pro asks with a very serious look.

My heart skips a beat. Then he smiles back at me and that makes me feel a little comfortable, although he is still accompanied by the gentleman in sunglasses, whom I believe is part of the security. It is then that he begins to tell me about his younger brother. 

Education and background
Eric Pro, real name Eric Nsubuga, is Alien Skin’s elder brother but also doubles as his manager.
“Alien Skin’s real name is Patrick Mulwana, a Muganda from the Mamba clan. He was born in Kiwempe-Kansanga, but his village is Wanjeyo, Nakifuma in Mukono.” 

I notice the joy in his tone, so I slide in the question of how the name Alien Skin came into existence. 
“Of course, you also see how the name sounds. Alien went through a lot, which he survived. I am his real elder brother and I know these things. After surviving all the issues, including getting legal issues for his army attires, Patrick Mulwana had to call himself Alien Skin, with the assumption that he is not of this earth.” 

That begs the question of what he went through, which will surprise you as Alien seems to have chosen the tougher path on his own at a young age. “He dropped out of school in S.2 because he was very stubborn, although our parents had enough money. Alien chose to take on the job of riding a boda boda, switched to mechanics and then music.” 
According to various sources, Alien Skin started doing music in 2017, although he started appearing in the limelight in 2022, thanks to his rare boldness, savage lyrics and risky habits. 

Alien Skin and Eric Pro were born to the late Wilson Nsubuga and Juliet Nanyanzi, but they have step and half siblings. 
I ask why the self-branded superstar joined the music industry and I am slapped with a hilarious reply. 
“He joined the music industry to show other musicians that singing is too easy. Alien does not do anything to make his name sell, rather please his ego and be happy.”

According to Eric Pro, the ghetto built Alien Skin into who he is. 
“He avoids sports and politics not because he lacks knowledge, but because it is not his passion,” he reveals, adding that the singer is an excellent mechanic, boda boda rider and salonist.”
When I attempt to ask about the various brawls the artiste is involved in, Eric Pro declines to comment, saying he is in no position to discuss the controversies.

I then ask him what the future looks like for Alien Skin, according to him. 
“Alien Skin will not change. He is the kind of person who will keep helping the ghetto children. He goes back to those kids where he grew up and encourages them never to give up,” Eric Pro says.
I then ask what it felt like for Alien Skin to be on a plane for the first time in June when he had a show in London, UK.
“Alien never really fantasised about airplanes because he loves his country Uganda more than anything else,” says Eric. 

I am not convinced by this response, so I immediately switch topic to ask about the singer’s military-like outfits. I am informed that he has never been part of the army but loved it as a child. Eventually, he found himself buying army-print coloured clothes. However, this habit caused him problems with security officials and the police. 
“It is just after he became a star that the army and police slowed down on running after him. Alien has come from very far, if you ask me,” Eric Pro says.

Hobbies, collaborations and relationships
Alien Skin enjoys listening to kadongo kamu, believes in the notion of ‘ come  what may’ and his favourite song is Sitya Danger. This is the most popular song in the Alien Skin catalogue and it blew up both because of the lyrics and his public stunts that happened after the song went viral. The scuffles he encountered marched the lyrics and before we knew it, Alien organised the Sitya Danger concert, which attracted huge crowds at Freedom City.

According to Eric Pro, the star enjoys eating kikomando and drinking Minute maid. Alien also loves taking miraj, also known as nkwacho or kakoola. He has collaborated with several artistes including Clever J, Daxx Kartel, Young Mulo, Cheff Meddi and Diana Nalubega. 

I ask what it feels like for the singer to be on top and trending countrywide. Eric laughs it off, “We expected our success. Alien Skin has had self-belief since he produced his first song Emboozi Y’enkoola. After that, he released Tonkaka, followed by Private Part. He has never had a tough time because he has alien skin, meaning he is used to the hustling.”
According to Eric Pro, Alien Skin refuses to talk about his relationship status but he is a proud father of two daughters and the best decision he believes to have made was joining the Ugandan music industry. 

What advice does Alien Skin have for other people trying to make it in life? The direct response from the manager is “Ebyo biziibu byabwe! Nga tebaliwo nga mbonabona?” (It is up to them. Nobody advised him when he was struggling with life!) It is quite clear the music star lives the savage lyrics in his daily routine.

After I have squeezed as much as I can from Eric Pro, I try asking if we can have a quick chat with Alien Skin but I am told in a firm tone that that would not be possible. Alien Skin has chosen to flip what many musicians do. Instead of running after the media seeking to promote himself and his work, he minimises his profile and according to Eric Pro, he prefers to remain average rather than become overrated.

At the end of the chat, having had an interesting conversation, we bump-fist goodbye and I leave feeling like although I have found out quite a lot about Alien Skin, he still seems so alien and there is still very much I do not know about him.