Yvonne Kushe on ‘Kulikayo’, and Making Ugandan Music Palatable for a Global Audience

‘Kulikayo’, Yvonne Kushe’s new single, is about welcoming a lover home, however, according to the Ugandan-Canadian neo-soul & R’nB singer-songwriter, it’s a love song she wrote to herself. This is in contrast to her previous release, “Ngambira”, which implores a validating response from an undecisive lover,” she tells Satisfashion UG. “Ngambira was a cry for love. When I wrote it, I was in a funky place. I wanted to be understood and loved. After self-introspection, grace and growth I realized I’m already loved and “Kulikayo” is my welcome-home-to-love song.” 

Creating Kulikayo

‘Kulikayo’ was produced by Isaac Kalema, who is also the producer behind ‘Ngambira’. “I didn’t have to explain in detail what I was looking for, he understands my sound and frequency,” she explains. “He sent me the beat, which I loved. However, it actually took me a while to pen the song.”

Kushe, who was Miss Uganda North America, goes ahead to share how she found the inspiration to write the song.

One Sunday evening while making dinner, a month after receiving the beat, she randomly played the beat and just like that ideas came flowing. “I began writing ‘Kulikayo’ that evening in between cutting onions and almost burning my food,” she recalls.

Ugandan music created in the disapora

Her sound is eclectic; a mix of Ugandan themes and languages with other influences picked from her home in Vancouver, Canada. “I just love the sound of our languages. The way we roll our R’s in Runyankole and the vowel emphasis in Luganda is absolutely beautiful.”

Kushe, who is a cultural ambassador for Uganda to North America, is a Munyankole who grew up in Kampala. “Paying homage to these languages through my music is my own way of decolonizing  myself. The irony is I’m doing this interview in English,” she laughs.

On creating Ugandan music for a global audience, she has no worries about the language barrier. “Music is meant to be felt and it doesn’t necessarily have to be understood,” she explains. “I’m not worried about the language barrier, I see this as an opportunity for them to tap into my beautiful culture.”

Unchained, her debut album

“For such a longtime I thought that I had to box myself in and stick to one particular genre or sound but I have learnt that, by letting myself explore all that I can do with music, I’m being my truest self. I am unchained and this new album is evidence,” she explains the thinking behind the title of her debut album.

Watch ‘Kulikayo’ below.

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