TAKEAWAYS

• Iryn Namubiru says the music industry has greatly evolved with better branding and earnings.
• She believes talent was the main factor for success in her generation.
• The singer joked that with AI and technology, musicians may not even need to sing in future.

Legendary Ugandan singer Iryn Namubiru has opened up on how dramatically the music industry has changed, saying today’s artists are operating in a completely different era from the one she came up in.

Speaking during an exclusive interview with Spark TV, Namubiru said the transformation has largely been positive, especially in the way musicians now present themselves and earn from their craft.

According to the celebrated vocalist, modern artists are now better branded, dress more stylishly, and enjoy stronger financial returns that allow them to maintain a celebrity lifestyle.

“The music industry has evolved for the better. Musicians today look good, dress well, and earn enough to live the celebrity life.”

She also pointed to the rapid rise of technology, saying the industry is moving so fast that in the coming years, artificial intelligence could further reshape how music is created and performed.

“With the way technology and AI are moving, in a few years musicians may not even need to sing anymore.”

Reflecting on her own era, Namubiru said talent was the biggest separator between successful artists and the rest.

She explained that while beauty, body shape, and image also mattered, those elements mainly served as support systems around raw vocal ability.

In her view, anyone with undeniable talent in those days already had a strong path to success.

Today, however, she feels artists combine talent with several additional advantages such as image management, social media presence, digital promotion, and advanced production tools.

Still, Namubiru was quick to acknowledge that today’s musicians are talented in their own right, only that they are navigating a much more layered and technology-driven industry.

As one of Uganda’s most respected female vocalists, Iryn Namubiru’s reflections offer a powerful reminder of how far the industry has come—from pure vocal battles to an era shaped by branding, visuals, and digital innovation.