Rickman Blames Artiste Competition for Uganda Music Struggles
Rickman Manrick has pointed to competition among artistes as a key issue affecting the direction of Uganda’s music industry.
The singer, born Derrick Ddungu, says many artistes now focus more on outdoing each other than on the people who actually listen to their music.
He believes this shift has changed how artistes approach their craft, with comparison taking priority over building a strong connection with fans.
In his view, artistes should place the audience at the center and create music that entertains, educates, or simply delivers a vibe.
Rickman also stresses that music should not turn into a contest, but should remain a form of expression built around the relationship between the artiste and the listener.
The problem with Ugandan musicians is that they are in competition with each other. It is not about who you are better than, it is about good music for your fans be it funny music, educative or vibes. It is about you and the fans. Music is not a sport.
His comments add weight to the ongoing debate and raise a simple question: are Ugandan artistes competing too much and connecting too little?
