Jamal Wasswa Links Parenting to Decline of Love Songs

Celebrated Ugandan Afro-soul singer Jamal Wasswa has shared his thoughts on why today’s music is no longer rich in love themed songs.

Speaking on The Beat, the veteran crooner said the shift reflects deeper social changes rather than just a change in sound.

According to him, the issue goes beyond melodies and trends, touching on the way society itself has evolved.

He suggested that many young artistes now lack the emotional experiences needed to genuinely write and sing about love.

It just feels like these kids do not have love anymore. They are playing the game the way they want, but you cannot blame them much because it looks like they are out of love words, because if you cannot love somebody, you cannot experience how to sing about love.

Jamal also linked this shift to upbringing and changing family structures.

We are in a situation, or a regime, where a lot of kids have grown up without their parents. How would you expect a child to sing about love?

He went on to argue that modern parenting and the pressure to hustle have also played a role.

The second thing is that we parents have changed the way we love our children. The hustle has become intense, and the love has become less, so our children do not feel so loved at some point. So you cannot expect a child to sing a nice, good love song.

Social media culture, he added, has further shifted attention away from romance.

Even our social media has shifted from true love; everything is just “faster, faster.” If you scroll through your TikTok, you will see more booties than one message of a love song. So, that is the regime we are in.

Still, Jamal believes his generation was fortunate to grow up with clearer lessons about affection and relationships.

We must be lucky that we were raised, even if by a single mom, because she would still teach you what love is and how to treat your friend. Nowadays, it is a bit less.