Viboyo has offered fresh insight into Irene Ntale’s departure from Swangz Avenue, saying the singer made the decision to leave the label herself.
Ntale left Swangz Avenue in 2017 to pursue a solo career, bringing an end to a highly successful chapter of her music journey. A year later, she marked the next phase with her “Irene Ntale Unchained” concert.
But the circumstances surrounding her exit have remained a topic of discussion among Ugandan music fans.
According to Viboyo, however, there was no mystery over who made the decision.
“Irene Ntale wanted to move on. It was totally her decision. She wanted to move on, and she did. The contract was still on,” Viboyo said.
Her comments suggest that Ntale’s departure happened while her contractual relationship with Swangz Avenue was still active, although Viboyo did not provide further details about the terms or what led to the decision.
Ntale had established herself as one of Uganda’s prominent female artists during her years with the label, releasing music and building a strong following before embarking on her independent career.
The discussion around her departure has also been accompanied by debate about what happened to her career after leaving the label. Music critics have argued that she has not reached the same career heights she achieved while signed to Swangz Avenue.
That assessment, however, remains a critical view rather than a fact established by Viboyo.
Viboyo also used Ntale’s story to make a broader point about what can happen after artists leave record labels.
According to her, leaving a label does not automatically determine the direction of an artist’s career.
“It goes back to what kind of person you are. Some people leave record labels and get even more aggressive. Others leave and their careers drop,” she said.
For Viboyo, the outcome ultimately depends on the individual artist and what they do after leaving the structure of a record label.