The first time I heard an Elijah Kitaja song was March last year.There was quite a bit of hype about him,especially as he had just been signed by Swangz Avenue,but I really wasn’t familiar with his game.Then I heard him on the radio.
To cut the long story short,he sounded just so different.The intonation of his words,the way he used his voice to deliver melodies that can only be described as unconventional.He just had that cheat code of a sound that stands out.No wonder “This is unusual” is his tagline of choice.
Fast forward to the present day.Kitaka is established,after a run that started with the labelmate Vinka-assisted break out “Tutu Mama”,followed by his first project,the Bedroom Essentials EP,which included Kontrol and Nothing.
But I would say Dawa is the song that has made him a truly household name.Even those who were only casually aware of Kitaka now know what he is all about.For those who may not be in the know,a tide of change is currently underway in Uganda.
The so called urban music movement that has been gathering momentum since the turn of the decade is finally taking off.Joshua Baraka’s rapid ascent has opened up a portal for the uptown sounds that cool kids have dubbed urban music to begin slowly going mainstream.
The thing is…kidandali has been the dominant sound for over twenty years.It is not going to cede its place easily.So in this transitional era there is a gap for artistes who are comfortable doing both.Kitaka embodies the ongoing urbanisation of kidandali so perfectly.And I think that is partly why this song is blowing up.
The melodies and arrangement remind you of Kohen Jaycee circa 2019,but more funky.The recruitment of renown beatmaker Daddy Andre for the production is a masterclass because he provides the kidandali tea for Kitaka’s urban milk.The track is quintessential Daddy Andre…actually the same instrumental he has been criticised by some for overusing.But he clearly doesn’t care and neither do fans.
Or Kitaka for that matter.His lyricism through out the song is simple but sweet.He opens with the now viral “Misuwa gyona gyeleeze…”,but it is the “…Nteeka ku ccupa…” that starts the thematic references to medication.The chorus picks up from there,with Kitaka letting his love interest know she is the only medicine for the pain that grips his soul whenever she is absent.
For me it is the melody of the chorus that makes this song so catchy.It is a perfect fusion of both Kitaka’s almost futuristic uptown style and Daddy Andre’s classic kidandali.That combination is why Dawa has replaced Masavu as the biggest song in the city right now.
