Maurice Kirya is an award winning mwoyo (Ugandan soul) musician.His first album MISUBAAWA is a great listen and will have you asking for more. He just concluded an RFI tour of West Africa which was wrapped up with a concert in Paris. Last week i had a chance to date interview this lovely musician. This will be a long read but well worth it. play the videos at the end as u read.
How would you describe your music ?
I call my music mwoyo which is the luganda word for soul, It's a fusion of many things but it sounds allot like soul so i call it that. I see myself as the urban African. Sometimes people expect you to step onto stage in a huge kitengi. Yes i am African but also urban.
Growing up,what were your musical influences?
I was influenced allot by the music that was always playing in the house . The likes of Stevie wonder, Rachael and Richard senkebejje, ABBA, Michael Jackson. I was also influenced by the music my brothers played which included yellow man, shabaranks and alot of other reggae music
Fondest musical childhood memories
There are a couple but one distinct one was way back in Namugongo girls school. When i was younger, i looked like a girl and so my sister would dress me up and sneak me into her dormitory on visitation days. A group of girls would gather around while i sang for them. I also remember playing the piano at home. My family is a very musical one. Two of my brothers are also artists
What has your musical journey been like?
I started singing really early on . I experimented with different styles until i found myself doing mwoyo.I remember walking around with my guitar asking to play at any event.wedding , birthday, funeral and sometimes they chased me away but when they let me , i sung my heart out. Myself and a group of other musicians would perform at DVD for free. Those were fun but interesting time .It was hard for people to take my music seriously, they always said "ebyo byabazungu"(that's white people music). It took forever for me to get the recognition i deserved. I worked really hard and eventually people started to come round. I then started the Maurice kirya experience a monthly concert featuring other alternative style musicians. Its been a long interesting journey and finally reaping from it is amazing. I have great structural support around me and the band is a great part of the music.
On winning the RFI award discovery award 2010
Over 500 people entered the competition and i won, of course i was excited. The RFI discovery award had been won in the past by artists from francophone countries and to be the first Anglo musician to win was an honor. I am blessed to have the opportunity to represent my country.
Yes, I know people say you have to be humble but fact is i won a.....prize and now I'm a little rich. I have worked so hard to get here i think its only fair that i enjoy it.
Tell us about your just concluded tour of west Africa.
The tour was amazing: playing to French speaking audiences that knew the lyrics to the luganda songs. That was just nice to watch. I had the opportunity to visit so many countries and experience life like never before. I experienced golden sunsets, crossed rivers on small boats and visited orphanages in the different countries. A very important part of the tour was encouraging and engaging young people and hopefully i inspired some. We played 24 concerts in 14 countries in 2 months so of course i am tired and my sleeping pattern is messed up but the experience was great.
Can we now say you have arrived?
No not at all , i believe there is still so much for me to do. There is always more for an artist. This is only the beginning
What would you like to bring to the Ugandan music?
I want to put Uganda and Africa on the map musically and also reflect artists as positive members of society and not just the nuisances we are sometimes.
Any other stuff you're good at?
I am actor and dancer. Maurice starred in the Oscar winning film in the last king of Scotland, even though i only had a small part i am more than proud of that achievement. I have also starred in Scenes of the parents, Live Joseph and the painter.
I am also a seasoned painter. I used to draw and sell my really not so good paintings for money to pay my school fees when i was younger. it is something I'm not so good at but i really enjoy.
On past working experience
My first job was an assistant on construction sites. This may sound like some fancy job but its actually not. Things were really bad financially at home and my mother asked me to go to a building site and work as a porter, helping out the actual builders. i was paid 3000 shs a day but it taught me about hard work
I was also a farmer at some point. In an effort to raise money and teach us the values of hard work , my mum divided the garden into patched for me and my siblings and each was given their own land to till.In mine i grew sweet potatoes a maize which i sold for money. I also made paper bags that i sold to restaurants. I paid my school fees through school from an early age.
What is your status? listen up ladies
I am currently single and enjoying that. i love women and what they are about.
After being probed on the matter by yours truly
Well there are a couple of ladies i find interesting particularly one i connected with in west Africa but i feel like to take things further would be wasting her time. I am on tour and not settled and who would want a boyfriend like that. I don't really have a specific taste in women, i just love them all. I could hit it off with just about anyone.
Are you monogamous? i was curious about the "I love women"
Yes of course.When i am in a committed i am completely monogamous. I however enjoy to hang out with ladies and sometimes if the activities are called dates then they are. I love being in the company of a beautiful woman. date or no date.
What do you ride in?
I drive a 1971 golfswagen beetle. The car actually belonged to former Ugandan president Idi Amin. The car has let me down with girls before but i love it. I am into vintage things. I have this pendant from Egypt that i have had for over 10 years and the guy that sold it to me told me it was really old.
What are your the plans for 2011?
I will be playing in Washington, New York and Arizona with Jordin Sparks. The second leg of the RFI tour kicks off in a week but there are plans for Uganda too. The maurice Kirya experience will be back this year and also a Maurice kirya concert.
What are your other hobbies?
I like to catch movies at the cinema, meet up with my friends and hang out, swimming and im a video game addict.
If i ever - Maurice Kirya
Misuubawa - Maurice Kirya
Boda Boda - Maurice Kirya
Catching up with Maurice was much fun but also very inspiring. There is a lesson on hard work and persistence from hearing his story.Patience and hard work really do pay, eventually. I say whatever your dreams or plans are ,go for them and don't loose sight of the vision no matter what the present may look like
Visit the Maurice Kirya's website for more on him and support his music
HERE
