Why Zuena abandoned her short-lived music career – Sqoop

For a brief period, Zuena Kirema appeared to be testing the waters of Uganda’s music industry. She released a few songs, attracted attention and even earned praise for her voice, but the businesswoman eventually disappeared from the scene.

Now, she has revealed that she never intended to make music a serious career in the first place.

Speaking during a live TikTok broadcast, Zuena, who is married to singer Bebe Cool, said her decision to record music came largely from wanting to do something different.

She said seeing her husband’s career may have inspired her curiosity, but she never had plans to dedicate herself fully to the demands of being a recording and performing artist.

“Some of us did music because we were bored and wanted to try it out. We didn’t take it seriously though,” she said.

Zuena released songs including Mata, Owa Boda featuring Eighton and Rain, giving fans a glimpse of what could have become another chapter in her public life.

However, the idea of turning those releases into a full-time career did not appeal to her.

She recently pushed back against fans who have suggested that she should return to music and organise a concert, making it clear that she has no interest in taking that route.

“Someone was saying that they love my songs and I should give them a concert, please no,” she said.

Zuena Kirema

According to Zuena, the lifestyle that comes with being a musician was another reason she decided to walk away.

She said performing requires an energy and resilience that she did not possess, particularly when it comes to dealing with the constant attention, criticism and changing opinions that come with being in the public eye.

“Those saying my voice was perfect should just let me be,” she said.

Zuena explained that she did not want a career where she would have to constantly perform on stage, respond to criticism or engage in public disagreements.

“I do not have that energy of jumping around the stage and having people insult you today and praising you the next day,” she said.

While she said she is not particularly bothered by what people say about her, she admitted that she did not have the appetite for the confrontations and pressure that can accompany life as an entertainer.

“I’m not an emotional person that I mind what people say but I didn’t have that energy to quarrel with different people, do stunts here and there. I couldn’t handle that,” she said.

Her comments offer a different perspective on her short-lived music journey. Rather than leaving the industry after a failed attempt at establishing herself, Zuena says she simply realised that performing was not a life she wanted.

For now, she appears content with the paths she chose outside music, leaving her handful of songs as a brief experiment rather than the beginning of a career she intends to revive.