Leone Island musician Jose Chameleone, born Joseph Mayanja, has heaped praise on his music, which he says is exceptional.
While expressing admiration for his work, Jose Chameleone recounted one day when he broke down and cried after listening to some of the songs.
The Leone Island boss confessed during an interview in Rwanda, where he had travelled to entertain his fans. Chameleone couldn’t stop questioning the creative process while writing songs like “Valu Valu.” He noted that he kept wondering what inspired him to produce such a fantastic piece.
“I have listened to my own music and cried one day. When I listen to those songs, a lot of things come into my mind. I start to wonder; how did I get there? What was on my mind? Was I mad? Sometimes I walk out of Chameleone and I wonder,” he said.
Jose Chameleone has created songs that appeal to all age brackets and different generations. His music doesn’t come of age, and he tags this to stay original. He explained that he is not the type of musician to be swayed by trending sounds, sticking to his original music style for all his songs.
“A lot of people sing and when they get relevant, they try doing it to please people. They lose originality. I have never done that. That is why you hear Chameleone with the same sound every other year. I’m not the type of artist that will jump on trends; for example, when Amapiano starts to trend; I do not do that,” he said.
While discussing the current state of the Ugandan music industry, Jose Chameleone admitted that it is not where it is supposed to be, as musicians and producers are focused on creating more danceable beats. This has led to a decline in the quality and longevity of the music, with people preferring oldies.
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He encouraged fellow artists to stick to their identity as the only way to outcompete the rest of the industry worldwide.
“When you sing Amapiano, you are not South African; you are becoming an ambassador of a culture that is not yours. That is why many HipHop artists in Africa have not made it because Hip Hop is not African. It is a culture in America. People should learn to sing music that they can identify with,” he said.
