DOADOA LIVE Pushes Womens Music Careers Forward in Uganda

In July 2026, the Bayimba Foundation’s DOADOA LIVE series opened a new chapter for women in Uganda’s music scene. The initiative, staged at Onomo Hotel Kampala and run by Live Traces Producing in partnership with Africalia, aims to give female‑led artists a platform to survive, grow, tour and thrive.

Women make up more than 55.8 % of Uganda’s creative workforce, yet their careers are often short and under‑funded. DOADOA LIVE was created to address that imbalance. The project aligns with the International Centre for Research on Women’s (ICRW) “Behind the Scenes” study, which issued recommendations for seven African countries to promote gender equity in creative industries.

Vini Mercy, a new filmmaker and musician, explains how the series helps her and others. "My visual style captures different landscapes and ways of life between places, leading people to see a bit of Moyo, Adjumani, and Entebbe," she says. "I’m inspired by creating an artistic way to share where I come from and provide inclusion of a culture they said was forgotten." She adds, "I’m constantly looking out for what those before me have done, and most or all of them are male. I have about one example of a young female filmmaker I know and learned from. We have to create our own stages and opportunities so that other people can jump on board. We will need the help of men to get on most platforms—which isn’t a bad thing. I will take any opportunity to be a woman in a space."

From the management side, Uncle Runo, head of Runo Concepts, points out a systemic blind spot. "Yes, there are some opportunities emerging in Uganda, but the bigger problem is that music managers still have to figure out the financial side largely on their own. The gap is very clear: most programs are aimed at artists or creative businesses generally, rather than the music manager as a business professional," he says. He stresses that Uganda must treat management as a distinct enterprise, teaching skills such as contract drafting, cash‑flow management, sponsorship negotiation, and royalty accounting.

The CMH Live team, which runs the DOADOA LIVE concert series, highlights the event’s role in building a 360‑degree artist‑development ecosystem. "These events have been an opportunity to showcase artists we have trained through the CMH Academy program, giving them a chance to share the stage with established names," the team says. "It is also a chance for us to strengthen our event production and curation services, offering other creatives the opportunity to gain much‑needed experience."

Between July and September 2026, five showcases were delivered in Uganda. Each event combined fashion runways, DJs, and an evening lineup of women artists performing original material. The series also engaged 100 students at the University of Kisubi Inter‑University Challenge, where masterclasses on professional development were offered to student designers and models.

Challenges remain. The team admits a shortage of women instrumentalists limits the ability to form full bands around headline acts. "Challenges to working with a wider range of women instrumentalists reflect a wider ecosystem dominated by jobbing male musicians, resulting in a limited pool of women artists to form full bands around headline acts—even on a women‑focused project such as DOADOA Live," the team notes.

Despite these hurdles, momentum is growing. The showcases are already outgrowing their current venue, prompting exploration of new partnerships, including a recent collaboration with the Kampala Literature Festival. The initiative’s impact is evident in testimonials from performers. Akisa, who performed at the event, said, "I wanna start by saying thank you so much for giving me this opportunity to perform at DOADOA Live. Where I come from, artists rarely get this opportunity to perform outside Gulu. I loved the opportunity you gave me to get my own band and create my own team. Giving me a rehearsal room and some refreshments was so heartwarming—we rarely get such kindness from event organizers. I definitely connected with the crowd that day and I believe I got a pretty good Kampala fan base that day. And yes, the Miss Uganda performance was such a big experience for me. It was quite a big stage, and I loved it."

DOADOA LIVE remains a Bayimba Foundation initiative in partnership with Africalia and Live Traces Producing. Its focus on building long‑term relationships, networking, and mentorship seeks to shift the narrative from talent alone to sustainable business practices. As the series continues, it aims to create a more inclusive and economically vibrant Ugandan music industry.

The current situation is that DOADOA LIVE has successfully staged five showcases, engaged hundreds of young creatives, and begun to expand its reach beyond Kampala. Future steps include securing additional venues, increasing the number of women instrumentalists, and deepening collaborations with literary and cultural festivals to broaden audience exposure.