Eddy Kenzo

Spending much of his youth on the streets following the untimely death of his mother, Edrisah Musuuza (born in Masaka on Christmas Day 1989) experienced a difficult upbringing, although the Ugandan singer’s brand of radiant afropop has always been exceptionally upbeat. Debuting under the moniker Eddy Kenzo in 2008 with the Mikie Wine collaboration “Yannimba”, he later found success with the 2010 follow-up “Stamina”, which led to a Pearl of Africa Award nomination and was used extensively as a campaign song throughout his country’s 2011 general election. By 2014, he had soared to prominence internationally, with his single “Sitya Loss” spawning a viral dance, aided by a high-profile endorsement from US rap veteran Diddy. Kenzo’s album of the same name soon followed, and he went on to receive the 2015 BET Award for Best New International Artist as decided by viewers, making history as the first East African to ever win at the coveted ceremony. After embarking on a 2016 tour across the continent to promote his follow-up album, Zero to Hero, he set his sights on Western audiences, touring Europe with his third LP, 2017’s Biology, and picking up a 2018 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Award. After releasing a fourth album, Roots (2018), Kenzo returned in 2020 with a 101-track compilation entitled Semyekozo, packed with a combination of hits and lesser-known cuts including the Harmonize collaboration "Inabana". Meanwhile, outside of music, he has demonstrated an enduring commitment to philanthropy, raising funds for healthcare professionals, aspiring footballers and children with HIV and also donating multiple awards to the Uganda Museum.