As worldwide interest in African music surges, Afrobeats and Amapiano have crystallized their mainstream presence on the global stage. So, it’s only natural that most emerging African artists tailor their sound to these genres to tap into the moment. However, there are a few bold enough to think (and create) outside the box. Joshua Baraka is one of them.
Baraka has been making waves in his home country, Uganda, and the continent at large since capturing listeners in 2020 with his debut single, “Tomorrow.” Then last year, his viral single “Nana” signaled his swift ascent to superstardom – at the time of writing, the song has racked up over 4 million streams on Spotify – and earned him a remix featuring Joeboy, Bien and King Promise.
Yet, he doesn’t see himself as a hit maker. In conversation, he likes to call himself a conceptual artist. His music is where he expresses his truest self, sharing his innermost thoughts and feelings and incorporating his travels, the sounds, cultures and experiences gained. From honing his craft in the church choir to visiting Joeboy in Nigeria, he’s learned not to box himself into a single genre. It is what continues to make him a student of the game. “I try to learn as much as I can,” he admits.
Aside from being a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Baraka also produces much of his music – producing five out of the seven songs on his latest project, Growing Pains. True to its name, his sophomore EP, builds on his 2021 debut Baby Steps. Revealing an artist coming into his own.
For iMullar, Frederick Adjavon caught up with Joshua Baraka to discuss his musical journey, rise to fame, Growing Pains, and plans for the future.
The following Q&A has been slightly edited for length and clarity.
We would like to know the man behind the Artist. Who is Joshua Baraka?
I express myself through music, that’s my best form of expression. I love Anime, I love chilling with my friends. I’m just regular […] I’m not really good at social media. I’m so shy. Most of my personality is in person and through my music.
Early on, what or who inspired your musical aspirations? / How did your upbringing influence your art?
First and foremost, my mom. She was the worship team leader, so I used to be in the church choir, trying to play the instruments. She always played music for me and taught me how to sing. Growing up, it was mostly gospel music – Black American gospel music, Hillsong. Then I got into this Ugandan artist called Radio (from Radio & Weasel), he inspired me when I was younger, and another Ugandan artist called Mercury. Then I had a Bob Marley and Chronixx phase. The rest are instrumentalists because I love playing instruments – I play the piano, guitar and drums and also do production. I just love music, so I try to learn as much of it as I can.
What would you say was the breakthrough moment? When you thought ‘this music thing is working for me.’
It was after I finished my A-levels and I had to go to university – but I had performed really badly. I tried to look for other things I could study, but I wasn’t feeling it. I was so depressed. Until one day, I did a gig. My friend put me on. I went and sang for 10 minutes and I got so much money! So I’m like, ‘I don’t know why I’m hustling like this when I can sing, get some money and focus on that.’ My logic was that if I spent the time I was going to spend in university doing music, it would definitely pay off. So I got into production and grew my craft.
Some artists like to separate the person from the artist. How much of you is in the music?
A lot of the music I make is based on my experiences or the experiences of people around me, so it’s all based on real life. A lot of my personality shines through. I like to believe that in my art is where I’m my truest self. That’s where I express most of my inner thoughts. Music for me is beyond just putting songs together, it’s art for me. It’s an expression. So when you hear a song from me, you’re hearing a part of me.
Tell me about your breakthrough song “Nana.” How did it come about and when did you realise it was the one?
I started making “Nana” around August-September of 2022 with my producer Axon […] and I made the first verse and the chorus. [Then] at the beginning of 2023, I wanted to release something more upbeat. I listened to the song and It was banging. I said, ‘Let me write a second verse and put this thing out there.’ We put it out and made a TikTok and it just went crazy! I’m really thankful for that song and to God for putting that song in my head.
When I first released the audio, every time they played it in the club, girls just went crazy, people came around me. It felt good but I was still like ‘Let’s see…’ When the video dropped, the song was just everywhere. I knew it was big when kids in my neighbourhood were singing it. It was number one everywhere. Every chart you can think of in this country, it was number one. It was number one for a long time, until Davido dropped “Timeless,” haha.
How was it working on the remix with Joeboy and King Promise?
It was such an incredible experience. It was a statement of how far I’ve come and how far I’m going to go because these are people that I look up to […] Being able to visit them in their countries and be in their spaces, I learned so much and I’m really thankful for that.
You released your debut album, Growing Pains, recently...
Yeah, I wanted to drop an album for a very long time but it just didn’t feel like the right time. The project I just dropped, I wouldn’t consider it an album. I feel my album is yet to come. At that time it just felt right because the project is about my growth. It just felt right after “Nana,” after experiencing all that, to talk about my growth and how far I’ve come, what I’ve learned.
[Growing Pains] is about what I went through to get to where I am today. When a baby is growing and their bones are stretching, they call it growing pains. It’s also a reference to my first EP, Baby Steps – so the baby is growing. It’s kind of a double entendre. I believe growth is painful, but still necessary. We just have to embrace the pain, the suffering, learn from it and be molded by it. […] The reception has been great. I get a lot of texts saying, “I really needed this album.”
On “Dreams,” you sing about your rise to fame. What’s that been like and how are you handling it?
Coming from being a regular person to now being recognised on the street is really crazy. The good thing is that I slowly got into it. I didn’t just become famous overnight, [it came] in stages, so it wasn’t as overwhelming, I would say. I just try to not let it get to my head.
What is the legacy you’re hoping to build with your sound in Uganda and Africa as a whole?
With my sound, I want to first and foremost, shine a light on Ugandan music and put Uganda on the map musically. I also want to bring back more expressive, more conceptual music. Art that says something and can touch someone. The music that got me through difficult situations was like that. […] Also, as a producer, I would love to do more fusion of genres and sounds – we’re in a time where genres almost don’t exist, and you can fuse anything. I just love making music. Music that’s selfish enough for me to love but still selfless enough for people to accept and understand.
What are your dream collaborations?
Chronixx is at the top of the list, because his music got me through a lot. Burna Boy, Wizkid, a Jazz pianist called Corey Henry – there are so many – Rihanna, Beyoncé…
What should we expect from Joshua Baraka in 2024?
I’m dropping more music and more features. I want to travel more and get into new markets. I feel like this year might be the year I go double platinum. You never know…
What would you like to say to your fans out there?
First and foremost, thank you so much for everything. I love you all. Thank you for sharing and supporting my music. I pray you keep supporting me and I pray that my music keeps on touching you.
