Jessy Cannary Muyonjo

The artist

**A few words about your artistic career

I'm a singer, composer and guitarist from Kampala, Uganda. My passion for music and the visual arts began at a very early age. I practised both disciplines and decided to merge the two in my current day-to-day work.

**How long have you been an artist?

I've been an artist for over 10 years and have now moved into music production and digital art.

Why did you apply for this scholarship? How will the scholarship support you?

I applied for this grant because it provides a platform for African artists to showcase different disciplines in a way that allows art to speak for itself and show stories that have not yet been told and that I believe the world needs to see and hear.

What are your concrete artistic objectives after this residency?

My artistic goal is to create an ecosystem that more than one artist can benefit from, because I think that's the key if we want to see growth in the industry. I'll do that with the skills I have and with people who can help build that vision.

His residence

What did you achieve during this creative residency? What is the result (work created)? Who was involved in the creative process?

During this residency, I set out to write, compose, record and produce three songs that I felt best encapsulated and highlighted what had polarised, affected and been the subject of conversation during the pandemic: the negative narrative of old age about African incompetence and inability to manage the spread of the virus, the misuse of public funds by politicians and government that was endemic and the effect this period had on mental health with an increase in cases of depression.

To bring the project to life, I decided to collaborate with two visual artists. A virtual director known as Migisha Boyd and a video artist and director known as Kihire Kennedy, with their interpretation of the songs designed to broaden perspectives where audios were limited.
The project includes two videos, an interactive virtual reality piece and three songs.

How do you think these activities help us to think about the world today, in relation to the COVID-19 crisis, and/or about building for the future?

This activity has allowed me and given me the time to create conscious music that best represents the ideas I have set out. Nina Simone once said "it is the duty of an artist to reflect the times in which he lives" and I wasn't going to let this opportunity pass me by as an artist and not do exactly that.

Music shapes perceptions more than we like to admit. I asked myself what artists like Bob Marley, Marvin Gaye, Fela Kuti, Miriam Makeba or Lucky Dube, who are all champions of social justice, would say at times like this and I set to work knowing that my contribution would move things forward in a certain direction.

These activities are raising awareness and highlighting issues that should be debated further, in the hope that what needs to be addressed by those who can, will be.

How did you feel during the residency? And afterwards?

I felt a sense of satisfaction because I said what I had to say without wondering whether it was marketable to the general public, who bottle up creativity most of the time. Being able to express myself was liberating. In the end, I felt a sense of satisfaction because I was able to do 90 % of what I'd set out to do. Art is never finished, it can always be modified and changed. However, I've achieved the goals I set in terms of volume.

His work

[(

Alkebulan E.P

)]

Politricking

Verse 1
Finally you can see, I never had intentions to set you free
Money and power, so addictive, given my position you would agree
Elections got to be funded, from irrelevant taxes you are not exempted
So please don't be tempted. To riot or protest
Cause I won't hesitate, to make you bleed, I will make you bleed.

Verse 2
It's a lock down and curfew for you
But my privilege affords me a different view
You say I'm out of touch with reality,
News flash I don't care what you think of me
I will bend laws to my will, the bribe is my shield
Fear I instill, that's the order of the day.

[(Faith of Mustard Seed)]

The Monsters aint under your bed, they are in your head
Battlefield of the mind, emotional landmines
civil war, with your spirit and soul
That's how depressions seeks, to take control
Paralyzed and betrayed by your thoughts
Crushing weight of expectations,
Anxiety, look what you've done to me
Depression seeks to take control.

Ending
Learn to forgive your self
There's no shame in needing help
When depression seeks to take control

[(Alkebulan)]

Verse 1
Otabaleka, bakurubate hamutwe
Otabaleka , bakurabyemu amiso
Obwongo bukozese , amiso gasomese
Amaguru garubase, oyegge
Ogaruke, emikono gyombeke
emikono gyombeke eh eh eh hehe

Oh Alkebulan.