Eddy Kenzo Named among Billboard’s Top 15 Sub-Saharan African Artists.
Edrisah Musuuza, known professionally as Eddy Kenzo, is a Ugandan singer and music executive who is a member of Big Talent Entertainment. He received international attention after the release of his 2014 single, "Sitya Loss" and an accompanying viral video that featured the Ghetto Kids. In total, he has released 4 albums, including most recently, Roots, in 2018. Kenzo has also won numerous national and international awards, including a Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award in 2018, a BET Award in 2015, and multiple All Africa Music Awards.
Early life and education[edit]
Kenzo was born Edrisah Kenzo Musuuza[1] in Masaka, Uganda.[2] His mother died when he was 4[1] or 5 years old,[2] and he spent the following 13 years living largely on the streets of Masaka and Kampala.[1] Initially, Kenzo aspired to be a professional footballer[3] and joined Masaka Local Council FC's camp at age 9. He would later receive a sports bursary to attend Lubiri Secondary School in Masaka, but he never finished his studies.[2]
Career[edit]
Kenzo began making music using his stage name, Eddy Kenzo, in 2008. That year, he released his first song titled "Yanimba" with Mikie Wine.[4] In 2010, he released another single, "Stamina".[5] The song was used as a theme song[6] by many politicians during the 2011 Ugandan general election[7] At the Pearl of Africa Music Awards in 2011, Kenzo was given the Best New Artist award.[8] Kenzo also established his Big Talent Entertainment record label early on in his career.[9] He continues to serve as a member of that venture.[10]
Kenzo continued releasing new music in 2012.[11] In 2013, he held his first concert at the Kyadondo Rugby Club that year in support of the track, "Kamunguluze".[12] Kenzo's first major international breakthrough came with 2014's "Sitya Loss" and the accompanying album of the same name. A YouTube video featuring a group of Ugandan children known as the Ghetto Kids dancing to the song went viral after it was shared on social media by record executive, Sean Combs. Kenzo also started a petition to earn the children an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.[7][13][14] As of 2019, the video has accumulated over 22 million views on YouTube.[15] After the release of "Sitya Loss" and the album of the same name, Kenzo went on a brief United States tour with dancehall musician, DeMarco.[16]
In January 2015, Kenzo performed at the opening ceremonies of that year's Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea alongside Akon.[17] He also performed at the tournament final.[18] Around that time, he produced a remix to his 2014 single, "Jambole", with a guest appearance from Nigerian singer, Kcee.[19] In June 2015, Kenzo was honored with the BET Award for "Viewer's Choice Best New International Artist".[20] He was the first East African artist to win a BET Award of any kind.[21] In July 2015, he performed at the KigaliUp Music Festival in Rwanda's capital.[22] In October of that year, he released a remixed version of his song, "Mbilo Mbilo", featuring Nigerian singer, Niniola.[23] The original version of that song later appeared on the soundtrack for the 2016 film, Queen of Katwe.[24]
In December 2015, Kenzo released the lead single, "Soraye", off of his second album, Zero to Hero.[25] In March 2016, he went on a tour Africa, with stops in Kenya, Ivory Coast, Mali, and others.[26][27] Later that month, he released Zero to Hero.[28] Throughout the remainder of 2016, Kenzo earned a writing credit on Jidenna's "Little Bit More",[29] was featured on the Mi Casa single "Movie Star",[30] and won an All Africa Music Award for his "Mbilo Mbilo" remix.[31] He also went on another US tour late in the year.[32] In May 2017, Kenzo was named the ambassador of the Kenyan Tourism Board[33] and was appointed to a similar role in Uganda the following year.[34]
In July 2017, Kenzo went on a European tour ahead of the release of his third studio album, Biology, a month later. The album featured guest appearances from artists like Mani Martin, Werrason, and Mi Casa, among others.[35] It also featured the single "Jubilation", which had an accompanying music video that won the Best East African Music Video Award at the Zanzibar International Film Festival.[36] He would go on to win two awards at that year's All Africa Music Awards, including Best East African Male Artist.[37] He would later donate that award along with his 2015 BET Award to the Uganda Museum in Kampala.[34]
In March 2018, Kenzo won a Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award as the "Favorite African Star."[38] In July 2018, he performed alongside Triplets Ghetto Kids at multiple African music festivals in Canada, including Afrofest in Toronto. He also performed at the One Africa Music Festival in Dubai later in the year.[39] In October 2018, he released his fourth studio album, Roots, which featured the single "Body Language".[40] Kenzo also announced a 10-year anniversary concert in celebration of his time as a musical artist.[41] The concert took place on 4 January 2019 in the Victoria ballroom of the Serena Hotel in Kampala.[42] Leading up to the concert, Kenzo released a new music video for a song from Roots each week for two months.[43]
In March 2019, it was announced that Kenzo would be featured alongside Triplets Ghetto Kids in an upcoming music video for American singer Chris Brown's "Back to Love".[44] In April 2019, Kenzo released the single, "Signal" with an accompanying music video.[10]
Philanthropy[edit]
In 2015, Kenzo launched a charitable organization called the Eddy Kenzo Foundation.[45] In January 2016, he enlisted Ugandan footballers, Tony Mawejje and Vincent Kayizzi, to help donate goods to nursing mothers and staff at the local Masaka hospital. In July 2017, he hosted two charity football matches in Masaka and Kampala that featured Victor Wanyama. The event raised funds for Ugandan children with HIV.[46] In March 2019, he opened the Big Talent Soccer Academy in Kampala.[47] The Academy identifies local youth talent and provides education to help foster their skills.[48]
Personal life[edit]
Kenzo began a romantic relationship with Ugandan recording artist single.[49] On 26 December 2014, Rema Namakula gave Eddy kenzo a daughter at Paragon Hospital, in the Kampala neighborhood of Bugoloobi. Kenzo (real name Edrisa Musuuza), who has another daughter (Maya Musuuza) from a previous relationship,[49] acknowledged he was the father and named the newborn Aamaal Musuuza.[50] Kenzo and Rema separated in mid 2019 and Rema immediately got engaged to her former doctor Dr.Hamza Ssebunya.[51][52][53]
Discography[edit]
Studio albums[edit]
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Sitya Loss |
|
| Zero to Hero |
|
| Biology |
|
| Roots |
|
Singles[edit]
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Yanimba" (feat. Mikie Wine) | 2008 | Non-album single |
| "Stamina" | 2010 | |
| "Sitya Loss" | 2014 | Sitya Loss |
| "Jambole" | ||
| "Mbilo Mbilo" | 2015 | Zero to Hero |
| "Soraye" | ||
| "Jubilation" | 2017 | Biology |
| "Body Language" | 2018 | Roots |
| "Signal" | 2019 | TBA |
| "Semyekozo" | 2020 | |
| "Tubaale" | 2020 |
Awards and nominations[edit]
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2'011 | Pearl of Africa Music Awards | Best New Artist | Eddy Kenzo | Won | [8] |
| 2014 | Africa Muzik Magazine Awards | Best Newcomer | Eddy Kenzo | Nominated | [54] |
| 2014 | Channel O Music Video Awards | Most Gifted (East Africa) | Eddy Kenzo for "Sitya Loss" | Nominated | [55] |
| 2015 | Black Canadian Awards | Best International Act | Eddy Kenzo | Nominated | [56] |
| Afroca Music Awards | Best Revelation Award | Eddy Kenzo | Nominated | [56] | |
| 2015 | BET Awards | Viewer's Choice Best New International Artist | Eddy Kenzo | Won | [20] |
| 2015 | HiPipo Music Awards | Best Use of Social Media | Eddy Kenzo | Won | [57] |
| 2016 | MTV Africa Music Awards | Best Live Act | Eddy Kenzo | Nominated | [58] |
| 2016 | All Africa Music Awards | Best African Collaboration | Eddy Kenzo and Niniola for "Mbilo Mbilo (remix)" | Won | [31] |
| 2017 | Zanzibar International Film Festival | Best East African Music Video Award | Music video for "Jubilation" | Won | [36] |
| TUMA Music Awards | Artist of the Year | Eddy Kenzo | Won | [35] | |
| Best Male Artist | Eddy Kenzo | Won | [35] | ||
| All Africa Music Awards | Best East African Male Artist | Eddy Kenzo | Won | [37] | |
| Song of the Year | "Shauri Yako" | Won | [37] | ||
| 2018 | Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards | Favorite African Star | Eddy Kenzo | Won | [59] |
| International Reggae and World Music Awards | Best African Entertainer | Eddy Kenzo | Won | [59] | |
| Africa Muzik Magazine Awards | East African Artist of the Year | Eddy Kenzo |
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