Lydia Jazmine has finally confirmed receiving 1.4m in royalties from UPRS but instead of celebrating, she’s questioning whether the payout truly reflects hard work
Songstress Lydia Jazmine has finally confirmed receiving Shs 1.4 million in royalties from the Uganda Performing Rights Society (UPRS), but instead of celebrating, she’s questioning whether the payout truly reflects years of hard work in the music industry.
Jazmine revealed that she deliberately kept quiet about the payment, unlike fellow stars Spice Diana, who publicly disclosed receiving the same amount, and Weasel Manizo, who revealed his royalty payment was approximately Shs 250,000.
Speaking candidly, the singer didn’t hide her disappointment.
“But that’s small money. You can’t tell me all those years I have worked for Shs 1.4m. I saw what others got, but I don’t know what’s wrong,” she said.
The revelation adds fuel to the ongoing debate over music royalties in Uganda, with several artists questioning whether they are being fairly compensated for their work.
Jazmine also disclosed that she had little say in the matter because the money had already been sent to her mobile money account before she was contacted.
“I just said okay and accepted it. He called me when he had already deposited on mobile money,” she explained.
Her comments are likely to intensify scrutiny of UPRS and reignite calls for greater transparency in the collection and distribution of royalties, as more artists continue to speak out about what they describe as surprisingly low payouts.
Enock Mugabi aka iWitness is a Journalist, Seasoned Writer and Music Analyst with a passion for sports.
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