TAKEAWAYS

• Cindy Sanyu says choosing dancehall meant constantly fighting criticism, forcing her to develop resilience and stay true to her vision.
• She revealed that her first two self-organized concerts did not make a profit, only helping her clear debts before her Boom Party concert became financially successful.
• The singer credits her faith, Christian upbringing, and independence as an artist for helping her overcome setbacks and continue building her career.

Veteran singer Cindy Sanyu has opened up about the difficult journey that shaped both her music career and her personality, saying years of criticism, financial setbacks, and having to fight for her place in the industry are what make her different from many other artists.

Speaking in a recent interview, Cindy reflected on the obstacles she has faced since choosing dancehall as her primary genre, describing it as a risky path that required resilience and determination.

“I’ve been through a lot. The music genre I chose was tricky and I had to do everything in my powers to fight for it,” she said.

According to her, very few artists embraced the kind of sound she envisioned when she started out. She noted that while fellow singer Queen Bella came close, their approaches to dancehall were completely different, prompting her to create a style that was uniquely her own.

“The only artist who came close to what I wanted to do was Queen Bella, but her dancehall was different, so I invented something that was purely mine,” she explained.

The award-winning artist admitted that introducing a different sound came with heavy criticism, but instead of allowing the negativity to discourage her, she used it as motivation.

“I had so many people fighting it, and it’s because of this that I grew thick skin,” she said. “Instead of the negativity weighing me down, it built a strong muscle for me to keep pushing what I believed in.”

Cindy also reflected on the financial challenges she encountered while organizing her own concerts. She revealed that her first two shows failed to generate profits, leaving her with just enough money to settle her debts.

“I didn’t make money from the first two concerts I ever organized. I just got enough to pay my debts and walk away,” she revealed.

It wasn’t until her Boom Party concert that she finally experienced financial success from organizing her own event.

Unlike many artists who have benefited from the support of established record labels throughout their careers, Cindy said she has largely built her brand independently. While she works with a team, she remains the final decision-maker in every aspect of her career.

“I make all the decisions. As much as I have a team I work with, I get to decide what passes and what doesn’t,” she said.

Beyond determination and hard work, she further credited her Christian upbringing for helping her navigate the highs and lows of the entertainment industry. Having started out as a church singer, she said her faith gave her spiritual guidance and strength during some of the most difficult moments in her career.