A group of children dancing with wild joy on a dusty road in Kampala became one of Africa’s most shared videos. The song was “Sitya Loss”, and the man behind it had once been a street child himself.
Masaka
Eddy Kenzo was born Edrisah Musuuza in Masaka, Uganda. His mother died when he was about five years old.
Life on the streets
For the following 13 years, he lived largely on the streets of Masaka and Kampala. The experience shaped his music and his later work with children.
Football first
As a boy, Kenzo wanted to be a professional footballer. He joined the camp of Masaka Local Council FC at the age of nine.
Music
Music eventually took over. He began recording songs that mixed Ugandan styles with Afrobeat and dancehall, singing in Luganda and English.
Sitya Loss
In 2014, he released “Sitya Loss”. Its video featured the Ghetto Kids, a group of children from Kampala’s poorer areas, dancing with remarkable energy. The video went viral around the world.
The Ghetto Kids
The children in the video became famous in their own right, performing internationally. Their story drew attention to the lives of vulnerable children in Uganda.
BET Award
In 2015, Kenzo became the first Ugandan artist to win a BET Award. He has also won a Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Award, in 2018, and multiple All Africa Music Awards.
Grammy nomination
In 2022, he was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Global Music Performance for “Gimme Love”, a song by Matt B featuring Kenzo. It made him the first Ugandan artist nominated for a Grammy.
Helping children
Kenzo has supported programmes for street children and orphans, drawing on his own experience.
A Ugandan ambassador
Kenzo’s success helped put Ugandan pop on the international map and inspired younger artists to aim beyond East Africa.
Business and influence
Kenzo has also built a career as a businessman and industry figure in Uganda, mentoring younger artists and speaking about how musicians can earn more from their work.
Language
Singing in Luganda did not stop his music from travelling. Listeners who understood none of the words still danced, proof that rhythm and feeling can cross language barriers.
Joy from hardship
“Sitya Loss” is full of joy. It was made by a man who knew hunger and loss as a child. That contrast may explain why the song, and the children dancing to it, moved so many people around the world.
