Ever since being a young boy, Katokye dedicated his life to traditional songs from the Bahima (Western Uganda). He roamed his homeland to refine his art and now, in his mid-50s, he is one of the most talented traditional singers in the region.
In anticipation to his show at Le Guess Who? 2025, the singer shares a preview of his first studio album Obuhangwa bwa Banyankore na Bahororo, out on the 5 September via Nyege Nyege Tapes.
Specialising in ekyeshongoro (which literally means song) Katokye improvises disarticulated short poetic sentences conveying morsels of impressions, reflecting on family, the history of the region, or its landscapes where the iconic longhorn cows graze. Backed up by a second singer who improvises on his verses, Katokye overlaps his voice with theirs to provide a continuous vocal flow that could well stretch beyond 20 minutes, transforming the moment into a long meditative experience.
On this album, the legendary singer shines an unprecedented light on the rich vocal music of the Banyankore and Bahororo people of Western Uganda, bringing to the fore two singing styles intimately anchored in their century-long practice of cattle herding. As a young boy, Katokye ran away from home to immerse himself in the traditional songs of his region. Herding cattle in different farms to earn a living, he roamed his homeland singing for several decades, refining his art form one performance at a time.
Rendered for the first time in an intimate studio recording session, listeners can now feel the warmth of these amazing vocal styles that for so many years accompanied the lives and dreams of the Banyankore and Bahororo people.
Katokye performs at Le Guess Who? 2025 on Saturday 8 November. Also performing at the festival are a.o. Assiko Golden Band de Grand Yoff, Carme López, Mohammad Mostafa Heydarian, and many more.
