Teta and Junior: Siblings whose music flows in the blood

Imagine a music group composed of only members of a single family – father, mother and their three children. That is very hard to imagine, but in Jean-Baptiste Kuradusenges modest home in Nyabugogo, a city suburb, it’s just the way of life. With the exception of the last born, Oda Kessy Umwiza, who is just a few months old, all the other five members of the family are into music, singing in particular. Before Kessy arrived, Kuradusenge had made a music group out of the five-member family – and named it 5 Stars. “When the family grew to six members, we could no longer call it 5 Stars, and we did not want to leave any member of the [family] out,” he explains. Besides, as head of a young family, Kuradusenge’s responsibilities were growing, and he needed a steady source of income to support his family. In the end, he decided to shelve his own music career and instead promote that of his children. The result of this decision was the emergence of two of the country’s youngest musicians – Sandra Umuhoza Teta and Junior Gift Ishimwe, both better known to fans simply as Teta and Junior. At just 14 and 12 years of age respectively, the two have already shared the stage with musical greats like Knowless Butera, Jay Polly, King James, and Alpha Rwirangira. They go to school at Cyahafi Primary School, in Nyabugogo, and both are in primary six. Teta and Junior strike a pose. (Moses Opobo) Their latest major gig was at a children’s Christmas party organised by the First Lady, Jeannette Kagame at Village Urugwiro just before Christmas. Perhaps what sets Teta and Junior apart from other singing children is the full and overwhelming support from their parents – Jean-Baptiste Kuradusenge, and Claudine Musabyimana. They have consistently and tirelessly supported their children’s musical development from the day they first took to the microphone. For instance, they personally drop off the two in studios to record songs, and then back home. The father, drawing from his own vast music experience, occasionally pens songs for them. At all concerts where the two are performing, they will be accompanied by both parents. When I visited their home, up a stiff incline overlooking the Nyabugogo bus station, the feeling I got was that of walking into a music house, with the words, 5-Stars displayed prominently on manila paper cuttings in the living room. Teta (C) and Junior (L) perform. (Moses Opobo) There are two children-sized guitars hoisted on the wall, and countless photos of the family unit as 5 Stars, and individual photos of Teta, Junior, and the youngest singer in the family – Ziggy Prince Igitangaza. The family has a rich video archive in which all Teta and Junior’s performances, on-air TV and radio interviews and video clips are kept. Once the family hosts guests, be it children from the neighborhood or relatives, the clips are played. How it all started Teta and Junior learnt music from their father, a phone technician in Nyabugogo who started recording his music in 2008. “Since childhood, I had always liked music but I didn’t know how to access a studio,” explains Kuradusenge, who recorded under the stage name, Jean d’Or. Before he started recording, he had formed a music group, Just Close, comprised of 15 members. As Just Close, they did mostly songs of popular Ugandan musicians like Jose Chameleone, Juliana Kanyomozi, and some western songs. It is at this point that Kuradusenge started involving the rest of his family in music, with his wife singing choruses to some of the songs. She mostly liked Juliana Kanyomozi’s songs, like Nabikoowa, and Mama Mbiire. Meanwhile, his daughter Teta Sandra liked Jose Chameleone, so he started off by featuring her on Chameleone’s song, Kipepeo, in which she sings the chorus. He bemoans the fact that at the time, the local music industry was still at a very low level. “Most groups just had dancers who also did karaoke.” The siblings dressed for school. (Moses Opobo) Unfortunately, managing a group of 15 people wasn’t easy, “so one day we just separated and everyone went their own way,” Kuradusenge explains, adding that: “As a person who was leader of the group, I decided to continue with the cause. I tried to recruit new members into the group, but getting good people was not easy so one day I just decided to give up.” After a long time doing karaoke, he started developing original ideas and compositions of his own. One day he got a melody that he thought would make a good song, so he consulted his wife about it, who then advised him to look for a studio. “I recorded three songs, and made videos for all of them,” explains Kuradusenge, adding that he badly wanted to do music but was frustrated by studios and music producers. Surprisingly to most people, he decided to use members of his own family in the videos, but Kuradusenge had his own reasons for doing this: “My songs were all about family issues, and I was singing from experience – things that affected my own family.” Besides, his daughter, Teta and his wife had already sung with him back in the days of 5 Stars. Against this background, he decided to continue his music legacy through the children – beginning with Teta and Junior. One day during a party at home, Teta mimed a song, Love is Wicked, by Brick and Lace, and got everyone excited. At the time she was just five years old. From then on the dad pledged to support her and her siblings fully, and has not looked back since. However just like in his music career, it wasn’t all smooth sailing for the children in the beginning, as the father explains: “They would go to studio and spend the whole day waiting to record, but they would be tossed around and they would return home at night frustrated and tired.” Tired of the waiting himself, Kuradusenge advised his children to give up on music and instead concentrate on school. Then he heard about Celebrity Records, a music studio in Gatsata that showed immense interest in young and upcoming artistes. Family photo. (Moses Opobo) In 2011, the two recorded their first song, Ikirori, a party song with Jimmy Pro, the resident producer at Celebrity Records. The song was accompanied by a video clip, which was such a hit that it caught the eye of former Tusker Project Fame winner Alpha Rwirangira, who invited the duo to the 2012 edition of his Alpha and Families Christmas concert at Car Wash in Kimihurura. It was such a spectacular performance that brought the young singers overnight fame, and from then on, the gigs just kept coming. Indeed, the two were again invited by Alpha for his Alpha and Families Christmas party at La Palisse Hotel Nyandungu in 2013. “We sing about love, peace, unity, and encourage other children to go to school,” explains Teta, who is the main act. Currently they have four songs, three of which are accompanied by video clips. They are; Ikirori, Impanuro, Uburenganzira bwAbana, and Dukunde ishuri, all recorded at Celebrity Records in Gatsata. “We sing because it’s a God-given talent passed on from our parents who also support us always. Sometimes our father writes the songs for us, but other times we come up with a topic, and take it to the producer to develop it,” Teta further explains. The family has devised a means to separate the children’s music life from that of school. While at school, it is strictly books, save for when there are special performances over the weekends. Otherwise, they always wait till school break. “At school we are humble, normal students, but after a concert it’s different because all children want to take photos with us or to shake our hands or touch us,” says Teta. Teta’s musical idol is local rapper Percy, while Junior’s is Riderman. Teta also harbours cycling ambitions, because she loves bikes. Father’s comments: Talking of Teta, the eldest and most promising singer Kuradusenge says: “Since childhood she always loved music. Music is inside her. Even when we’re composing her songs she contributes important ideas which you can’t expect from a 14-year-old. While acknowledging that Junior Gift Ishimwe is not as musical as his sister, the father says: “Since we were starting 5 Stars, we couldn’t leave him out. He backs up and helps Teta on stage.” Prince, the youngest singer is described by his parents as “cool”. “He gives free styles on stage. Sometimes he carries banners and flags to the stage. Prince is the guy who brings the stage alive.” “When we started 5 Stars, we didn’t care what others would say. Some parents criticize, while others praise us.” His advice to parents is; “Talents are diverse – not just singing. Children should be allowed to do what they like, what is in them, and parents should offer all the necessary support. However they should also make sure children go to school.”

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Teta and Junior: Siblings whose music flows in the blood