Ugandan singer and songwriter Sama Sojah has identified what he believes are some of the biggest challenges preventing local musicians from breaking through internationally, pointing to financial struggles and the frustration they can create.
According to Sama Sojah, many Ugandan artists are affected by what he describes as “hunger and anger” — particularly the difficulty of making enough money to survive while pursuing a music career.
The singer explained that financial hardship can make everyday life difficult and, in his view, the frustration associated with poverty can eventually lead to anger and desperation.
“The challenge or issue affecting most Ugandan artists is hunger and anger. Hunger is of different kinds. There’s hunger of not having money. Because when you don’t have money, life tends to be very difficult and hard.”
Sama Sojah said “hunger” should not be understood only in terms of food, arguing that financial insecurity is one of the major pressures affecting artists.
He further linked financial hardship to the decisions some musicians make when they are struggling to get by.
“Hunger, in fact, brings anger. Poverty also brings anger. When one is broke, they can do unthinkable things.”
The singer also acknowledged that he personally feels affected by the challenges he described.
“So, personally, I’m much affected by hunger and anger.”
For Sama Sojah, the issue goes beyond an individual artist’s ability to make music. He believes financial stability can give musicians more room to concentrate on their craft, develop their careers and pursue opportunities outside Uganda.
His comments come amid continued conversations about how Ugandan artists can expand their reach beyond the domestic market and compete more effectively on the international stage.
Rather than focusing only on talent, Sama Sojah’s argument places economic survival among the pressures musicians must navigate while trying to build sustainable careers.
He believes addressing those financial challenges could help artists focus more fully on their music and improve their chances of making a bigger impact beyond Uganda.