Pia Pounds speaks out on pressure of staying relevant in Uganda’s music industry

• Pia Pounds says Ugandan artists are often judged solely on having a hit song.
• She reveals how quickly public attention fades when an artist is perceived as “quiet.”
• The singer calls for a mindset shift to value consistency, growth, and full body of work over viral success.

Ugandan singer Pia Pounds has opened up about the emotional rollercoaster that comes with being an artist, especially in Uganda’s fast-moving music scene.

While speaking in a one-on-one interview with Galaxy FM’s DJ Nimrod, the songstress got candid about the pressure artists face and how quickly public perception can change.

According to Pia Pounds, an artist’s life often swings between two extremes. When you have a hit song, everything seems to fall into place. The phone doesn’t stop ringing. Bookings come in. Interviews are lined up. Everyone suddenly wants a piece of you.

But the energy shifts just as quickly when the hits slow down.

“When an artist has no hit song, they forget about them and often say, ‘You are lost… where have you been?’” she said, clearly frustrated by the way relevance is measured. In her view, an artist’s value shouldn’t rise and fall based on a single chart-topping track. It should be about the body of work and the effort consistently put into the craft.

She pointed out that in many international markets, artists are judged differently. Success isn’t pinned on one viral song. Instead, it’s about the entire catalogue, growth, consistency, and overall artistry.

“Your work defines you as an artist elsewhere, but that’s not the case with Uganda, and I feel like it should change,” she added.

Pia Pounds also addressed assumptions that she has been quiet lately. She made it clear that she is still in the studio, recording and releasing music. The real challenge, she explained, isn’t creating songs — it’s making sure they get the attention they deserve and reach a wider audience.