Bella: Queen of Dance Hall

It's about time we interview Barbara Ndagire aka Bella right here on UGPulse.com. Apart from being a dominant force in Ugandan music, Bella also happens to be my cousin... our mothers are sisters. So not having her on this site has always been a regret until now.

UGPulse Promo

Bella burst onto the scene with "Faasi"... singing "Njagala Faasi" or "I want Space", and since then, she really has had no other female artist coming close to challenging her reign as "The Queen of Dancehall." She demanded space and with such a convincingly demanding tone in her voice, you needn't speak the language... Luganda, to give her just that... out of respect if not in awe.

Faasi

So I met up with Bella towards the end of June 2009, right at the end of my 09 vacation to Uganda. While I was waiting for her Maurice Kirya happened to be doing some work in the area where I had been meeting the ladies for their interviews. Thank god he was there with his laptop because my old fashioned tape recorder decided to quit on me and after several frantic attempts to getting it to work, and after a couple of times of stopping and resuming the interview, Maurice offered us his laptop, with an inbuilt microphone and recording software. Without that I'm not sure what we would have done. So don't be surprised if he jumps in the interview a couple of times.

Peter: What keeps you Bella?

Bella: What keeps me Bella is my kind of performance, my musical style... I do dancehall music and when I'm on stage my performance is totally different from what others do.... So when I'm on stage anyone can say, Ya... That is Bella doing her thing and my voice too... its different.

Bella

Peter: And where does that style come from?

Bella: Oh my g-aiih... (she breaks into laughter) Ok... where I learnt the style from... It's from Jamaican artists. I used to listen to their music so much... I watched their videos... you get what I'm saying? I admired their style...

Peter: Can you name some of those artists that influenced you?

Bella: Primarily Patra.

Patra with Pull Up to the Bumper

She no longer does music anymore...

Peter: (Thinking...) I thought she had an album coming...

Bella: I heard... (Its clear that the idea of another Patra album is exciting Bella.) I heard of it. But I can't be so sure. I would have really liked to do something with her.

Peter: There is a lot of umm... There is a lot that gets said about Ugandans singing in Jamaican accents... I'm not sure if you have read some of these comments...

Bella: Yes...

Peter: So w... what say you to the critics who say we should not be imitating Jamaican accents?

Bella: What I have to tell the critics... In the beginning they are not positive about it... but those same critics end up liking it.... You know what I'm saying?

Like for me when I first began in dancehall music it wasn't easy... cuz I was a female. Ya? So they started relating me with all kinds of things. With you know.... A wrecked up girl... you know.... All sorts of things.

But the fact that I showed the critics that... No... I won't give up because of the words they were calling me... people eventually got to like who I am.... Basically they started understanding who Bella is.

Peter: (Sensing Bella's struggle) Hmnn... How hard has it been keeping your ears closed to all the criticism?

Bella: (She laughs while reflecting on what she's been through.) Heh! Heh! Actually it was really tough... Heh! Ya! It was tough to some extent. But because I was a dancer before... I was in a group called Shadow's Angels... so I was used to it. The media... the critics saying all sorts of things was not new to me. So I even knew how to deal with it.

Peter: Okay... Tell us some more of that life before "Bella"? You said you were with Shadow's Angels... Where you always musically inclined?

Bella: Yes... especially when I was in school I loved music and made sure I always participated. Dance and drama too.

Peter: Now we do have Maurice Kirya with us... Maurice perhaps you could ask Bella a few questions...

Maurice: How would you categorize your music on a personal level... They call you the Queen of Dancehall... But now Patra... You remind me of Patra... To me there is a uniqueness that makes you different... or even better than Patra... because you are original as an African... So there is that side of the African Patra... How would you call it in your own words... your style... your dancehall style?

Bella: (laughing and blushing... Maurice and Bella know each other well.) The African?... Oh my God...

Maurice: Cuz there is no one sounding like you right now...

Peter: No one.

Bella: Are you sure?... They do try....(laughing and blushing) Like the Obsessions tried... The Wafagios with their Mukidongo.

Peter: They can try to sound like Patra... But they don't sound like you.

Maurice: You are just a different version of Patra... It's your uniqueness. Its your own thing here... So how would you describe it? Where does it come from?

Bella: Hmnnn. How I would describe it... The aggressive side of Bella... cuz when I'm not doing that kind of music I'm different. When I do dancehall I get into character. So perhaps the uniqueness comes from my being the first female artist to put it out there. While there are many other female artists doing all sorts of things, there is no other female artist consistently doing dancehall. They will have a dancehall single then the rest would be Afro Beat or RnB. And definitely the fact that I am an African woman doing dancehall... that is something different.

Peter: Before you showed up I was sitting here with Maurice and when I mentioned that I was waiting to interview you he was like, "Bella is real cool. She doesn't have any problem with anybody." (Bella laughs) How would you describe yourself offstage?

Bella

Bella: I'm just an average Ugandan girl... like everybody else... But when I'm doing my music its Business... its Professional... That is what I do.... My job... my career. I stay out of trouble by keeping a low profile. Even if someone angers me I don't become aggressive over it. I keep it easy... cuz that won't be the first person to anger me... nor will they be the last.

Peter: Tell us a little about what you are working on... You are just about to go for your Girl Power Tour...

Bella: Yes... I'm on the Girl Power Tour with Priscilla Kalibala, Cindy and myself. We will be hitting discotheques around the country.

Peter: How did that come about?

Bella: Girl Power is all about empowering the woman. It began with Priscilla and myself... I believe that was in 2006 or 2005. I met Priscilla at a concert and then we talked... It was my first time to actually talk to her. We began by complimenting each other on our music and then we were like, "Maybe we can do something."

So we got help to get sponsorship and eventually had the first Girl Power show at Steakhouse... it was really big. We had other female artists like Juliana and Iryn.

This year we really wanted someone to get onboard. So when we called Cindy up she was willing. And with her being a solo artist now... she was no longer with Blu 3... It was a good opportunity for her to tour different parts of the country as "Cindy".

Peter: There is a song to go with that... right?

Bella: The song is called "Girl Power." Its all about the strength of a woman. We're giving credit to our selves and what we've done and where we've come from. The song is in English, Patwa and Luganda, The video will be coming out soon. After the tour we'll settle and do the video.

Peter: Now you are not new to giving back to the community... You also did some work with Mariam Ndagire...

Bella: Tudde eri Abaana... The song about kids suffering in Uganda... ya? Street kids... She called me up and said, "You are the only female artist doing a different style and I think it would be good working with you." And I agreed... And it was about children too... it had a good message so I said, "Why not?"

Tudde eri Abaana Mariam Ndagire ft Bella

It became a big song... Mariam had many concerts at the time where she was trying to get sponsorship for sickle cells, hospitals... and helping children in different hospitals. I think I have attended like three of her charity concerts.

Peter: Before we get into your own personal music... you are getting married soon.. right?

(Bella blushes while she laughs).

Maurice: That's is news to me... (more laughter). I'm actually jealous.

Bella: Yes... I'm getting married soon... That will be in February... around the 28th.

Peter: So does this mean you will be moving to the UK soon?

Continues at: Bella: Queen of Dance Hall Part 2