Desire Luzinda: is this the end of her music career?

Singer Desire Luzinda is the girl in the news. Nothing about her voice, songs or dance moves, it is about her colourful love life.

 

The Mubiite singer had her nude pictures and sex videos splashed on social media last weekend by an incensed lover, Franklin Emuobor, who claims she cheated on him with several men. The photos have been fodder for gossip the whole week.

 

Now some music critics say Luzinda’s career will take a nosedive as a result of the scandal and she may never return.

 

“Uganda being a conservative society, people may start resenting and judging her more harshly. Slowly they may begin rejecting her music. The nature of our society is that we do not expose our intimate details, basing on that, many may rubbish her,” a critic who spoke anonymously said.

 

But considering that singer Cindy Sanyu had a similar scandal in 2008 and yet she is still popular, Luzinda’s fans may not be so vindictive after all.

 

Joseph Batte, a music critic and writer says Luzinda has to be strong but she can always bounce back.

 

“Many musicians have gone through such situations. American singer Madonna once had her nude pictures splashed all over the media; Michael Jackson was accused of child molestation; some hip-hop artistes have been accused of murder, but somehow they always bounced back,” he says.

 

Batte says in the Luzinda case, the public seems to be sympathetic to her, seeing her as a victim of her boyfriend’s mischief. Because of this, he says, Ugandans, who are known to be very forgiving, could easily take her back.

 

Is it a publicity stunt?

 

Desire sings with Mesach Semakula at the launch of his (Mesach) Taliyo album at Hotel Aficana

 

Some people are of the opinion that Luzinda might have planned the whole saga to get herself back in the news, especially since her musical career has been going through a slump lately.

 

Other observers however insist there is no way Luzinda could have done that to herself. “It is too much, nobody can do such a thing for any reason. It is too much,” argues Stephen who describes himself as a Ugandan music fan.

 

“Desire was just one unfortunate lady; people do worse things. It is unfair for anyone to judge her. We should instead encourage her to live past this traumatic incident. No one knows how much emotional turmoil she is going through,” wrote Julie Nabirye on facebbook.

 

“What befell my fellow female artiste, Desire Luzinda, is unfortunate and as a woman and female artist, I humbly request you all not to judge her but pray for her to go through this storm and come out of it in one piece. Desire wherever you are, know that you have a shoulder to lean on in me and it is not the end of the world. Remember to love yourself more than any other person. God be with you,” wrote Artiste Mariam Ndagire on Facebook timeline.

 

What if Emuobor was Ugandan?

 

 

The public has blamed Luzinda, not for taking nude pictures or sharing them with her lover, but for dating a foreigner.

 

Listeners calling in to different radio stations during live shows, have expressed anger because of her decision to date a Nigerian and not a Ugandan.

 

“Lwaki abayimbi baffe baagala abasajja abagwiira?” [Why do our artistes date foreigners?]

 

 Is the commonest question they are asking. But anyone who has been in love before knows this is a lame question, as love knows no boundaries.

 

It is, however, disappointing that Ugandans, who have been known to be welcoming and friendly, could be looking for an excuse along ethnic lines in a situation that is purely emotional.

 

That is especially absurd considering that a source close to Luzinda claims that the singer, contrary to public opinion, genuinely loved Emuobor.

 

So will the nude photos bring Luzinda down or lift her up? Time will tell.