In this Design Hustle, we get to talk to Julius Sese, a musician extraordinaire. If you have never heard of him, now you have the chance to get to know all about him and his inspiration for his new album as Patricia Opio talks to him.

So, Julius, do tell us about yourself

Well, I am Julius Sese and I am an artist. I just released an album called SCARS which is now available on all online outlets. I sing at different occasions, festivals and concerts and use my music to address issues that affect society through like mental health, child and maternal health, drug abuse to mention but a few.

What was your inspiration? Why use your music for social change?

You see, it is my story. I was an accident victim about four years ago. I was run over by a 10-wheel truck. It went over my pelvic area and crushed it leaving me with no use of my lower limbs. Lying in hospital half paralyzed helped me realign my priorities in life. I mean, I could not move so there was a lot of thinking that went on. On that hospital bed, I decided that if I was going to get another chance at life, I would spend it doing what I like and speak up against the issues that affect us as a society. I decided to not just walk through or simply live through life but be vocal and leave a positive mark on people and the society.

My goodness! But Julius with all that has happened in your life, I can imagine that it has not been easy so how have you managed to build your career?

Oh, it has been challenging. With every victory are thousands of obstacles and setbacks that you have to overcome. The music industry is capital intensive, it requires you to have a lot of money. Especially for me because I have high standards if it comes to recording and performing. Also, the laws in Uganda have made it quite hard for performing artists, especially with COVID-19. Most entertainment avenues like bars and concerts have been banned and yet that has been the main source of income for us, musicians and entertainers.

Oh, yes entertainment venues have been banned. Has that been the biggest obstacle that you have had to break through?

It has been one of them indeed. However, I think the biggest was bringing my recently released album SCARS to life. This album drained me financially and emotionally because I failed to get support for it. Here in Uganda, no one really likes supporting creatives who have a mind of their own. People want to support artists that entertain, rather than those who address issues that affect society. The whole process was a hustle, right from getting a producer, to putting together a team to make the videos, photos, to marketing and distribution, to getting the funds to inject in the project.

It has made me even more determined. I want to see myself as one of the most excellent brands, who uses their platform to entertain, but also address issues that affect society. My goal is to make a difference in people’s lives through my music and different projects. I want to be the voice of the people who are oppressed.

There you have it folks, that is Julius Sese, who is using his music for social change.

You can catch him on his social media below:
Instagram: @julius.sese https://bit.ly/3uMGCtS
Facebook: @sesejulius https://www.facebook.com/pg/sesejulius
Twitter: @juliussese