Eddy Kenzo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Eddy Kenzo
Eddy Kenzo
Background information
Birth name	Edrisah Kenzo Musuuza
Also known as	Eddy Kenzo
Born	(1989-12-25) 25 December 1989 (age 35) Masaka, Uganda
Origin	Seguku, Wakiso
Genres	Afropop dancehall
Occupation(s)	Singer music executive
Instruments	Vocal Drums
Years active	2008–present
Labels	Big Talent
Associated acts	Ghetto Kids Patoranking Niniola Harmonize Kawonawojoshua senkungu

Edrisah Kenzo Musuuza, known to many as Eddy Kenzo, is a famous Ugandan singer and music leader. He is the president and founder of the Uganda National Musicians Federation and a member of Big Talent Entertainment.

Eddy Kenzo became well-known after releasing his song Stamina. He gained international fame in 2014 with his hit song "Sitya Loss". The music video for "Sitya Loss" became very popular online because it featured the amazing Ghetto Kids dancing.

So far, Kenzo has released four albums. These include Roots in 2018 and his most recent one, Made in Africa, in 2021. He has won many important awards, like a Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award in 2018, a BET Award in 2015, and several All Africa Music Awards.

In 2022, Kenzo was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Global Performance." This was for the song "Gimme Love", which he sang with Matt B. This song reached number 36 on the U.S. Afrobeats Billboard chart in November 2022. Matt B and Kenzo performed "Gimme Love" at the Eddy Kenzo Festival in Uganda. Over 20,000 people attended, including Uganda's Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja. Eddy Kenzo was the first Ugandan artist to win a BET Award and the first to be nominated for a Grammy Award.

Early Life and School

Edrisah Musuuza was born in Masaka, Uganda. When he was about 5 years old, his mother passed away. For the next 13 years, he mostly lived on the streets of Masaka and Kampala.

When he was younger, Kenzo dreamed of becoming a professional footballer. He joined the Masaka Local Council FC team when he was 9. He even received a special scholarship for sports to attend Lubiri Secondary School in Kampala. However, he did not finish his studies there.

Kenzo is naturally left-handed. But his foster family used to hit him for eating with his left hand.

Music Career Highlights

Eddy Kenzo started making music under his stage name in 2008. That year, he released his first song called "Yannimba" with Mikie Wine. In 2010, he released another song, "Stamina." This song became popular and was even used by politicians during the 2011 Ugandan general election.

At the Pearl of Africa Music Awards in 2011, Kenzo won the Best New Artist award. He also started his own music company, Big Talent Entertainment, in 2011. He is still a part of this company today.

Kenzo continued to release music in 2012. In 2013, he held his first big concert at the Kyadondo Rugby Club to support his song "Kamunguluze."

His biggest international success came in 2014 with "Sitya Loss" and the album of the same name. A video of Ugandan children, known as the Ghetto Kids, dancing to the song became super popular online. This happened after famous music executive Sean Combs shared it in September 2014. By March 2022, the video had almost 42 million views on YouTube! Kenzo even started a petition to help the children appear on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. After "Sitya Loss" became a hit, Kenzo went on a short tour in the United States with dancehall musician DeMarco.

In January 2015, Kenzo performed at the opening ceremony of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea with Akon. He also performed at the final game of the tournament. Around that time, he made a new version of his 2014 song "Jambole" with Nigerian singer Kcee.

In June 2015, Kenzo won the BET Award for "Viewer's Choice Best New International Artist." He was the first artist from East Africa to win any BET Award. In July 2015, he performed at the KigaliUp Music Festival in Rwanda's capital, Kigali. In October of that year, he released a remixed version of his song "Mbilo Mbilo" with Nigerian singer Niniola. The original song was later used in the 2016 movie Queen of Katwe.

In December 2015, Kenzo released "Soraye," the first song from his second album, Zero to Hero. In March 2016, he went on a tour across Africa, visiting places like Kenya, Ivory Coast, and Mali. Later that month, he released the Zero to Hero album.

Throughout 2016, Kenzo helped write Jidenna's song "Little Bit More." He was also featured on the Mi Casa song "Movie Star." He won an All Africa Music Award for his "Mbilo Mbilo" remix. He went on another US tour later that year. In May 2017, Kenzo became an ambassador for the Kenyan Tourism Board. He was given a similar role in Uganda the next year.

In July 2017, Kenzo went on a European tour before releasing his third album, Biology, a month later. This album featured other artists like Mani Martin, Werrason, and Mi Casa. It also included the song "Jubilation," whose music video won the Best East African Music Video Award at the Zanzibar International Film Festival. He won awards at the All Africa Music Awards that year, including Best East African Male Artist. He later gave this award, along with his 2015 BET Award, to the Uganda Museum in Kampala.

In March 2018, Kenzo won a Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award for "Favorite African Star." In July 2018, he performed with the Triplets Ghetto Kids at several African music festivals in Canada, including Afrofest in Toronto. He also performed at the One Africa Music Festival in Dubai later that year. In October 2018, he released his fourth album, Roots, which included the song "Body Language." Kenzo also announced a concert to celebrate his 10 years as a music artist. The concert happened on January 4, 2019, at the Serena Hotel in Kampala. Before the concert, Kenzo released a new music video from Roots every week for two months.

In March 2019, it was announced that Kenzo and the Triplets Ghetto Kids would be in a music video for American singer Chris Brown's song "Back to Love." In April 2019, Kenzo released the song "Signal" with its music video.

Kenzo released his 2021 album "Made in Africa." It featured Hunter Nation from Tanzania on the popular love song "SoulMate."

In 2022, Kenzo worked with US musician Matt B on "Gimme Love." This song entered the Billboard US Afrobeats Songs chart at number 49 in October and reached number 36 in November that year. He and Matt B received a nomination for the song for Grammy Award for Best Global Music Performance at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards. This nomination made Kenzo the first Ugandan musician living and working in Uganda to receive a Grammy nomination.

Kenzo shaking hands with Yoweri Museveni

On August 22, 2024, Eddy Kenzo was appointed as the Senior Presidential Adviser on Creatives by President Yoweri Museveni. This important role means he advises on topics related to the creative industry, like music and performing arts. Kenzo’s appointment is seen as a big step to help the creative industry in Uganda grow and get more support from the government. He joined a group of over 160 presidential advisers.

Helping Others (Philanthropy)

In 2015, Kenzo started his own charity called the Eddy Kenzo Foundation. In January 2016, he worked with Ugandan footballers Tony Mawejje and Vincent Kayizzi to give gifts to new mothers and staff at the Masaka hospital. In July 2017, he hosted two charity football matches in Masaka and Kampala. These games featured Victor Wanyama and raised money for Ugandan children living with HIV. In March 2019, he opened the Big Talent Soccer Academy in Kampala. This academy finds talented young people and provides them with education to help them develop their skills.

Concerts and Performances

On November 12, 2022, Eddy Kenzo held his biggest concert ever, the "Eddy Kenzo Festival," at the Kololo Airstrip in Kampala. Many local and international guest performers joined him at this event.

On January 4, 2019, Eddy Kenzo celebrated his 10-year anniversary in the Ugandan music industry with a concert called "10 Years of Eddy Kenzo." This event aimed to bring together two of Uganda's well-known musicians and political figures, Bobi Wine and Bebe Cool, who had a long-standing disagreement.

Personal Life

Kenzo had a relationship with Ugandan recording artist Rema Namakula. On December 26, 2014, Rema Namakula and Eddy Kenzo had a daughter named Amaal Musuuza. Kenzo also has another daughter, Maya Musuuza, from a previous relationship.

Kenzo and Rema separated in mid-2019. Rema later got engaged to her doctor, Hamza Ssebunya.

In early 2024, Kenzo was seen in photos with Phiona Nyamutoro during her inauguration ceremony. She had been appointed a State Minister of Energy by President Museveni. On June 30, 2024, Kenzo and Phiona Nyamutoro made their union official with a traditional introduction ceremony held in Buziga, a part of Kampala.

Studio Albums

Singles

Awards and Nominations