Pretty Banks used her Bayimba Festival stage to do more than entertain the crowd, turning part of her set into a tribute to Sheebah Karungi, an artist she has long admired.
The singer performed on the Elly Wamala Main Stage on Saturday, August 29, 2026, during Day 2 of the 18th edition of the Bayimba International Festival of the Arts.
With her own music already part of the set, Pretty’s decision to perform songs by Sheebah caught attention.
It was a deliberate choice, she later explained, rather than an attempt to fill her performance with another artist’s music.
Asked about the decision during an interview with Galaxy TV, Pretty said she wanted to celebrate Sheebah while she is still here to receive the appreciation.
It was a way of showing respect. I love that woman, and I have always said that I love Sheebah. I am in Sheebah’s generation. I came in Sheebah’s generation, and I love that woman and respect her, so that was my way of showing respect and just a little tribute to her while she is still alive, giving her her flowers while she is still here. We see her, we appreciate her, and she inspires most of us.
That admiration also shaped how Pretty approached the tribute.
Rather than presenting the performance as a definitive rendition, she saw it as her own way of expressing the respect she has for Sheebah.
I hope she does not take it the wrong way if I did not sing it in a way she would appreciate, but that was my way of showing her the respect, love, and admiration I have for her.
The tribute did not end with Sheebah.
Pretty also turned to the catalogue of Radio & Weasel, performing “Leesu” as another nod to musicians whose work she enjoys.
I performed “Leesu.” I am a big fan of Radio & Weasel, so it was also a tribute.
Bayimba, which ran from August 28 to August 30, brought together music, dance, theatre, film, fashion and visual arts for its 18th edition, giving Pretty Banks a fitting stage to celebrate some of the artists who have influenced her musical journey.