Use the 220 millions to establish yourselves first – Cindy Sanyu tells UPRS

Singer and Uganda Musicians Association (UMA) president Cindy Sanyu is not happy with Uganda Performing Right Association (UPRS) decisions for artistes. Cindy Sanyu said this after the chairman of UPRS said they have been collecting money and they are almost distributing it among the artistes.

In Uganda there are more than 500 artistes and the number increases day by day. The music alone is expensive like studios, video cameras, producers themselves and many others. And at the moment, it looks like artistes are not earning a lot from their music both on social media platforms like YouTube and performing on concerts. Promoters released a standard payment list for each artiste and it is not worth how much they put in.

As UPRS, they are entitled to collect money of artistes from different media houses and give it back to artistes. Ever since it was formed, no money has ever been given to an artiste that it is from a media house. With mounting pressure put on them by Uganda Musicians Association (UMA) UPRS said they only have ugsh 220 millions  and they are ready to distribute it among artistes.

According to Cindy Sanyu the president of UMA, the money UPRS is going to distribute is very little. An artiste can’t even get enough from it to record a song in the studio. She said they should use the money to establish themselves first, get working ethic and people who know what they are doing then they will do better for an artiste.

“220 million they are bragging about divided by the 5000 artist in Uganda equals to petty cash. Let them use that grand to first establish themselves.” Cindy Sanyu responded to UPRS.

It should be noted that Ugandan artistes mainly earn from performing on stages and other people benefit from their music on social media platforms.