Ava Peace believes Uganda’s music industry has had a slower year than usual, and she says politics played a major role.
The singer argues that the country’s general election activities shifted public attention away from entertainment, leaving musicians and fans with less room to focus on music during the early part of the year.
Speaking in an interview with Galaxy TV, Ava Peace said the industry has struggled to maintain its usual momentum but expressed hope that things will improve as the political season fades.
At the same time, she rejected the idea that Ugandan music has stopped making an impact internationally, pointing to her own music and the achievements of established Ugandan artists.
According to Ava Peace, the beginning of the year was dominated by political activity, making it difficult for the music industry to capture the same level of public attention.
The singer said both artists and their audiences have felt the effect, contributing to what she described as a quieter period for entertainment.
“The year hasn’t been good to politicians than to musicians. There has been no focus on the music, but we pray things become easy and we get back to doing music,” she said.
Her comments reflect the broader challenge of keeping entertainment at the center of public attention during an election period, when political campaigns and national discussions can dominate conversations.
For musicians, that can affect how audiences consume music and how much attention is given to releases, performances and other entertainment activities.
Ava Peace, however, does not believe the slower period means Uganda’s music has lost its ability to reach international audiences.
The singer pushed back against claims that Ugandan music is no longer making an impact outside the country.
She pointed to her own experience as an example, revealing that one of her songs recently trended in Fiji.
That international reception, she suggested, is evidence that Ugandan music can still travel beyond the country’s borders.
Her argument goes beyond her own music. Ava Peace also highlighted several established Ugandan acts whose careers have reached international audiences.
She cited Radio and Weasel, who earned recognition at the BET Awards, as well as Eddy Kenzo, who won a BET Award.
She also mentioned Jose Chameleone, pointing to his continued performances around the region, including in Tanzania.
For Ava Peace, those examples show that the industry’s international reach should not be measured only by how busy the domestic entertainment scene feels during a particular period.
Uganda’s music industry has developed a strong regional presence over the years, with artists building audiences both within East Africa and beyond.
Ava Peace is part of a younger generation of Ugandan musicians seeking to build on that foundation.
Her comments come as she assesses the industry’s performance during a year in which political activities have commanded significant public attention.
Rather than arguing that Ugandan music has stopped progressing, she separates the domestic slowdown from the question of international reach.
Her reference to a song trending in Fiji provides a personal example of music from Uganda reaching an audience outside the region.
She also pointed to the careers of Radio and Weasel, Eddy Kenzo and Jose Chameleone to reinforce her broader argument.
Radio and Weasel received BET recognition, while Eddy Kenzo became a BET Award winner. Chameleone, meanwhile, continues to perform in different parts of the region, including Tanzania.
These examples form the basis of Ava Peace’s argument that a quieter local period does not necessarily mean Ugandan music has lost its international relevance.
Ava Peace’s comments highlight the relationship between national events and the entertainment economy.
When political activities dominate public conversation, musicians can find it harder to command the same attention for new music, concerts and other projects.
Her hope is that the industry can regain momentum as the political season fades and audiences return their attention to entertainment.
But her comments also raise a second issue: how Ugandan music should measure success.
For Ava Peace, international audiences remain an important indicator.
Her reference to her song trending in Fiji, alongside the international achievements of established artists, suggests that Uganda’s music industry may have a quieter domestic period without necessarily losing its ability to reach listeners elsewhere.
For musicians, a slow period can be particularly frustrating when it feels like public attention has shifted elsewhere.
Ava Peace’s comments show that she is aware of the challenges facing artists while remaining optimistic about the future of the industry.
Rather than treating the quieter period as a permanent decline, she hopes musicians can return to their normal work once the political atmosphere settles.
Her own experience in Fiji appears to have given her another reason to remain confident about Ugandan music’s ability to connect with audiences beyond the country’s borders.
Ava Peace says politics may have slowed Uganda’s music industry this year, but she believes the country’s artists still have the ability to make noise beyond its borders.
With the political season fading, the singer is hoping the spotlight can return to the music.