Uganda’s music industry is having a moment, and the proof is sitting right in your YouTube queue. This week, a string of new visuals landed from some of the country’s biggest names, including Azawi, Bebe Cool, and Eddy Kenzo, each bringing a distinctly different energy to the screen. If you needed a reason to pay attention to what’s coming out of Kampala right now, consider this your sign.
The new crop of Ugandan music videos this week covers a wide range of moods and influences, which says a lot about where East African pop sits in 2026. It is no longer a single genre story. It is a conversation between continents, between rhythm traditions, and between artists who are clearly watching the world while staying rooted in their own culture.
Azawi Rides the Kompa Wave with ‘Tewali Kibulayo’
If you have been paying any attention to Ugandan music over the past several months, you already know that Kompa, the Haitian-origin rhythm that has swept through the African continent in a big way, has found a very comfortable home on Ugandan airwaves. Azawi’s latest offering, “Tewali Kibulayo,” fits right into that movement without feeling derivative. The track is warm, fluid, and built for movement.
The visuals match the music’s elegance. Azawi uses the video as a platform to put her dancing front and centre, and it works. She has always had a performer’s instinct for how to inhabit a song physically, and this video gives her the space to do exactly that. The cinematography is considered, with shots that complement the track’s softness rather than compete with it. It is the kind of video that rewards a second watch.
Kompa is interesting precisely because it does not demand dramatic production to land emotionally. It operates through mood, and Azawi understands that. “Tewali Kibulayo” feels like a conversation rather than a performance, which is a hard balance to strike.
Bebe Cool Goes West African with ‘Shekete’
Bebe Cool is one of Uganda’s most enduring musical figures, and his latest visual proves he has no intention of coasting on legacy. “Shekete” is one of two tracks he released simultaneously, and the video, shot by Sasha Vybz, draws clear inspiration from West African creative aesthetics. The palette, the movement, the overall visual language: all of it points west, and it lands well.
There is something refreshing about a veteran artist genuinely reaching into a different sonic and visual tradition rather than simply borrowing a beat. The West African influence here feels considered rather than opportunistic. Bebe Cool has always been a polarising figure in Ugandan pop culture, but his willingness to experiment at this stage of his career is hard to dismiss. The visuals are easy on the eye and the track has the kind of repeat-play quality that his best work tends to have.
The double release strategy is also worth noting. Dropping two tracks at once is a gamble because it splits attention, but it also signals confidence. He is betting that audiences will follow both threads, and given his fanbase, that is not an unreasonable bet.
Eddy Kenzo Tells a Story with ‘5G’
Eddy Kenzo’s approach to music videos has always leaned toward narrative, and “5G” continues that tradition. The song itself is a love track, with Kenzo celebrating his partner and the hold she has over him. It is the kind of romantic subject matter that could easily slide into predictability in less capable hands, but Kenzo leans into the storytelling format to give it texture.
The visuals bring back the kind of sequential narrative structure that Kenzo has used to great effect in the past. Rather than simply presenting performance footage, the video builds a small world around the song’s emotional core. That approach takes more effort to pull off, but when it works, it gives the audience something to follow beyond just the music. Here, it works.
Kenzo remains one of the continent’s most internationally recognised Ugandan artists, and “5G” is a reminder of why. He understands that a great song needs a visual story to give it longevity on platforms that reward rewatch value.
The Bigger Picture for Uganda’s Creative Industry
What this week’s releases collectively suggest is that Ugandan artists are operating with a sharper sense of visual identity than ever before. The days of music videos being an afterthought to a single are clearly over. Azawi’s choreography-forward aesthetic, Bebe Cool’s internationally influenced production choices, and Kenzo’s narrative-driven approach all reflect artists who think of the video as part of the art, not just a promotional tool.
The Kompa influence visible in Azawi’s work also speaks to something broader: Ugandan artists are listening to what is resonating across the continent and responding to it in their own voice rather than simply mimicking. That is the mark of a scene that is genuinely creative rather than just reactive.
Gloria Bugie and Afrie also feature among this week’s new releases, adding further depth to what is shaping up to be one of the more productive weeks for Ugandan music in recent memory. The output, taken together, paints a picture of an industry that is busy, ambitious, and worth watching very closely.
Which of this week’s Ugandan music videos are you hitting repeat on, and which artist do you think is setting the visual standard for the region right now? Drop your take in the comments below.
