Jackie Akello the surprise gem at Sauti za Busara

Over the years Sauti za Busara annual festival has become a platform where artistes come to showcase diverse African cultures through music dance and dress.

This year wasn’t an exception, with many gracing this platform for the first time in their careers save for some three groups who were making a second appearance.

Of the new faces was Uganda’s Jackie Akello an African contemporary and urban music performer who sings in most popular languages in her native country such as Acholi, Luganda, Swahili and English.

Her short hair style and skin complexion brings to the surface a true definition of an Africanist, one of the terms she has used on many occasions to define herself.

Despite music being a major part of her life Akello is also an entrepreneur who launched her coffee brand Village Belle in 2017.

And on this night at the Amphitheatre stage after a couple of technical hitches she finally got going and it was full house.

Her vocal prowess had earned her admirers during the sound check and they were eagerly waiting for her performance and indeed she got the audience dancing.

Her song Amari which is sung in three languages (English, Acholi and Luganda) got the cosmopolitan audience singing along and so was the blending of the Larakaraka dance which is uniquely Acholi.

Akello believes that, “a woman’s dream is the beginning of greatness”.

It is from this belief that she derives hope for a better tomorrow, for her dream is to patent the greatness of the girl child and the African continent.

Commenting how she manages music and business she says, through good programming and good team to work with helps balance well and meet deadlines. “I grew up next to farm, we were exposed to agriculture at a young age, this little lady farmer never really left, she found herself back out at a later age through coffee, naturally I love coffee, the aroma gets me smiling at all times and I wanted to be a part of that what makes the world smile all morning, all day,” says Akello.

Speaking to The Beat she says, as a team leader she cannot take the glory alone but she is happy that she has managed to build a strong team that supports her and no matter what challenges they still stick together.

He music journey started off at an early age and she was lucky to have been brought up in a musical home with lots of people to look up to.

“I was lucky to have been brought up in a musical home, my parents always encouraged me to sing whenever the chance availed itself, at school, at church and other related gatherings, that built my confidence,” says Akello. However her decision to take on music professionally as a solo career didn’t happen until 2010 that is when she had her very first performance never looked back till this day.

With her organic voice Jackie sings about different subjects that touch her society both in the urban and rural areas.

It is not surprising that she has done more songs talking about the suffering of the Acholi people in Northern Uganda during and after Lord’s Resistance Army war that left many people homeless for such a long time. Her tale of suffering comes out boldly in her single ‘Apwoyo’ where she pays gratitude to God for keeping her alive and now she can sing, dance and laugh.

Whereas in ‘Samanya’ collaborates with Levixone in a gospel song as she calls the suffering to go to turn to the Lord for his protection and unconditional love.

The message of hope is one that she never lets go because to her it is the last thing that one can lose even at the most difficult times.

“During the war lives were lost and my family was among those which were forced to flee for their safety in Kampala whereas others found themselves living in the refugee camps,” says Akello.

Her career kicked off with a song called Wan Wilobo literary meaning we are the world, a song which she dedicates to the Acholi women who struggled to hold homes together during long civil war.

She says, as a voice of hope and love, her music reflects on many life changing stories as well as important global issues. She sings to inspire, educate, unite and empower communities.

Before she became solo she joined a number of live performing bands such as the Sundowners, Janzi and now her own Amari Band.

Commenting on her participation on Busara festival she says, she was very humbled to get another opportunity to perform live and showcase her talent. Other live stages have included Bayimba festival, World Music Day and Blankets and Wine festival.

Her participation in the singing wells project with Abubilla Music based in the United Kingdom has been one of her career highs.

She has also worked with Cindy, Irene, Michael Ross, Nick Nola at an all star project on a song titled Black Yellow Red.