Ugandan singer Joshua Baraka has fired back at King Saha over his advice to concentrate on the local music market, describing the veteran musician’s thinking as “shallow” and making it clear that his ambitions stretch far beyond Uganda.
Baraka believes artists should not limit their dreams to the audiences immediately surrounding them, arguing that pursuing international recognition requires the courage to think differently and venture into bigger markets.
His response follows recent remarks by King Saha, who advised him to prioritise Ugandan music consumers instead of investing heavily in an international breakthrough that could take years to achieve.
But Baraka does not appear convinced by that approach.
Using a religious reference to explain his position, the singer suggested that remaining in familiar surroundings could limit how far someone’s influence and message travel.
“I feel like if Jesus just stayed in Nazareth, he wouldn’t be as heard as he is now. Sometimes you just have to dare to be different. It’s sad that some of the people we are supposed to look up to have very shallow mindsets,” Baraka said.
The singer went further, using an ocean-versus-pond comparison to explain the difference between his ambitions and what he believes some people expect from Ugandan musicians.
“They want to be kings of the pond. Me, I want to be the king of an ocean. I want to be a shark,” he declared.
The statement captures Baraka’s determination to pursue a much wider audience rather than measure his success exclusively through dominance of Uganda’s music scene.
Meanwhile, King Saha has repeatedly questioned Baraka’s international ambitions, encouraging him to build a stronger connection with local listeners before focusing on overseas markets.
Saha’s position reflects his belief that Ugandan artists should first establish themselves at home, where they can develop a solid audience and strengthen their commercial presence.
The disagreement also comes amid Saha’s recent criticism of local music promoters for booking international performers whom he believes are no longer as relevant as they once were.
He specifically mentioned Nigerian superstars Wizkid and Burna Boy, claiming that both artists had “fallen off” long ago.
Those comments have added another dimension to the ongoing conversation about Uganda’s music industry, international bookings and the balance between supporting local talent and pursuing global opportunities.
For Joshua Baraka, however, the ambition appears clear. He is not interested in being the biggest name in a small pond when he believes there is an entire ocean waiting to be explored.