Robert chats with Toniks
(Robert met Toniks at Casablanca, Kololo and had an evening of truth telling and unfolding mysteries.)
Why did you join music in the first place?
Music was always a hobby. I used to sing for fun. It’s the people who saw what I did that thought I should give the career a try. Friends talked me into starting to sing. As far as inspiration goes, no artiste inspired me to start singing.
What schools did you go to?
I did my primary in Mbarara, my O’ Level at Kings College Budo, A’ Level at Ntare and my degree in International Business at Mubs.
What’s Vibration Music, I saw the logo on your new video? Is it your record label?
No, Vibration is more like a music promotion and production house and not a label. I do my own production, writing and promotion. It’s just recently that we signed a deal with an American distribution company In Grooves and the international copyright body BMI.
What about the new song Itaano?
Uh, I was just at Sanyu FM and these guys told me they had seen the video and were wondering when I was going to take them the song! It’s one of those random idea songs. It’s not a song I sat down to write with intent of having it sound like that. It comes from a nursery rhyme we used to sing (giggles).
And it’s video like all the rest its splendid!
Thanks, for the video we had ideas, and wanted something that would surprise, just as the song did. I was very involved in it’s making.
Do you think our music industry is getting better?
Well, it’s getting challenging and that only means that it’s getting better. However, the invasion of western and Naija music leaves a very small percentage of the jams played in clubs to Uganda hit songs. 50 per cent of all songs played in clubs is Naija music, 30 per cent is Jamaican riddims, that leaves 20 per cent for Ugandans to compete with Western music, which also is sternly wonderful.
I had you won an award in Namibia!
I did and we’ve been nominated for Channel O for the song I did with the Namibian duo Gal Level, tough category though. Some people in Namibia think I am Namibian. I m working on more collabos like Regular with Navio and a definite hit with Cindy. As long as our styles click, I will work with you.
Which artistes do you think are representing Uganda well on the continent?
Keko. She has gone beyond what most of us could imagine possible for a female emcee, Navio is doing a great job and so is Maurice Kirya.