Naava had the audience singing her songs word for word. PHOTOS | ISAAC SSEJJOMBWE
One thing we could say about 2024 as a music year, is the fact that it reminded us of the good old days of music. It is because of this that for the past year, memorable shows have all been throwbacks, tributes to great careers such as Blu*3, Julianna Kanyomozi, Iryn Namubiru, Jose Chameleone, and Mesach Semakula, among others.
This year, Naava Grey seems to be a continuation of this., holding her maiden concert on Friday at Kampala Serena Hotel. It was a long awaited concert from a songwriter who despite penning songs for different people and releasing modern classics, had never held a solo show.
Her ticket was one of the hottest tickets in town, selling out days before the show, with only a few resale tickets available and provisional tickets her team availed and these sold out a few hours later.
But there were Ugandans who still showed up with cash to buy tickets and while some were lucky to get in, many were sent back because the venue was full both in the gallery and the floor.
Naava took to the stage at 9:30pm. Clad in an all-white outfit, she started her set with the song that introduced her to the audience after a stint on the reality show Tusker Project Fame, Aliba Wani.
The song was produced by Naava’s longtime creative partner, Steve Jean, whose Fenon Productions was behind the concert as well.
She took her fans through her catalogue, one which many consider as some of the few bankable ones in Uganda. When many of these songs were released more than 10 years ago, they were never radio anthems, yet, for some reason, many of them have become modern classics.
In one way or another, Naava seemed to prove why despite producing radio anthems she has had the longevity hit makers will always crave. She writes songs that she deeply understands and relates to, through that sincerity with her own lyrics, the honesty gets to the audience; she could barely start the songs because the audience wanted to sing every line and note with her.
These are songs such as Aliba Omu and Ninga Omuloge where the artiste did not need her background vocalists but the audience for the job. They sang those songs loud enough that at some point, Naava could only look on in awe.
And that was the magic, most of the times, the audience was a choir singing in unison, they knew some of the songs by the first note and would start the verses even before the artiste. When they were not trying to take Naava’s place as the singers, they were recording the concert, probably for social media reels. But for those at Kampala Serena, the phone lights on the ground floor offered a multicoloured beam that added to the experience.
The night reached its peak when Naava Grey invited her last bunch of guests; Kenneth Mugabi, whom she has collaborated with. But before their collaboration, he sang three songs, Wamanyiza, Sanyu and Naki, then she joined him for Owuwo.
Mugabi and Naava embody Uganda's modern Valentine's Day anthems, yet for some reason, the two are yet to give Ugandans a joint concert or album.
But she had promised Ugandans a surprise and no one could have suspected she was bringing out Joshua Baraka.
The story of Baraka and Naava’s music goes a long way. Before he became a Trace TV Music Awards nominee, before collaborating and touring with Bien and King Promise, he was a struggling artiste who covered other artistes’ songs at weddings and parties.
In fact, there is even a video of him singing one of Naava’s Ninga Omuloge.
Joining Naava to sing that song was a manifestation for him, considering what he has since become.
Naava closed the night with Nteredde, another song where the audience seemed to compete with her.
Naava’s concert was a testament of the difference between moments and a legacy. With the support of a few friends, she reconnected with Ugandans the same way she did when some of these songs were fresh more than 10 years ago.
