Museke: Can you tell us about your background and family?
Omega: I was born and bred in Uganda.

Museke: How did you get into music and what was your first break?
Omega: I started singing from home, church was the major influence and I was shaped by Sunday school. Truth of why I sing is because my mother attended an event and saw a gentleman with his kids singing and she was so touched so she wished her children would sing too. My brother and I sing. I sang in the African children’s choir.

Museke: How was it being part of the African children’s choir (ACC)?
Omega: For the very first African children’s choir, you didn’t have to be orphaned. The founder sent someone to audition children who were part of my church (Makerere Full Gospel Church). I was chosen when I was 4 and I was the youngest one in the group. I toured with the choir all over the US, Canada, Europe, etc. We sang in churches, at government functions; the goal was to raise awareness of things back home and show that Africa was a happy place. The choir helped pay for my schooling. People had to pay for their education till secondary school. Right now, the education is free and looks good on paper but the student-to-teacher ratio is high. I worked with the choir till about 18. Once you become a teenager, you become part of the ‘young Africans’. I used to sing in Uganda.

Museke: What schools did you attend?
Omega: I went to Kitante primary school, sang there, and even at Makerere college school which is well known for music and dance and drama. That is where I got the traditional music/folk training and I had to lead the traditional stuff. I once had a gig in New York and she did the traditional cultural dancing. The American people know very little of African culture.
I also sang in university here in the United States. I went to Grace Academy in Merrysville, Washington State. I continued to Seattle Pacific University where I majored in biology. I wanted to go to medical school. I sang in a Western choral music group, and had gotten a voice scholarship to go to this college which a friend helped me get. I never was trained classically but could do the sounds. I had to be in the choral group for 4 years to be eligible for my scholarship. I got greater diversity in my musical capabilities. All these experiences have affected my writing skills and how I sing.
During college, I toured with the ACC as a chaperon. I would normally perform a special number as part of the tour. I would just sing Sandy Patty songs and Christian contemporary songs. Mostly I’d sing what people said to sing. I didn’t know I could write. When you take the time to uncover the gift, you can discover a lot of things.

Museke: What musical instruments do you play?
Omega: I play the guitar to help me write music, just a little. I also play the Kananga - thumb piano. I learnt songs in college school rather than playing instruments. We used to learn songs for competitions. I also play the tube fiddle – akadingidi and the adungu – African acoustic guitar.

Museke: Are you related to Wilson Bugembe?
Omega: No, I’m not. Never knew him until I went home recently. Bugembe is my surname and Okello is my married name. Okello is from the North, the Langi tribe which is in the Luo family.

Museke: Are you on a record label and how is that going?
Omega: I am on my own independent label and I am enjoying it so much, I don’t have a business background, but I love the challenge. The label is called AlexOm from Alexandria (my other name) and Omega. I am the only artist on the label now. I wanted a neutral name so that other artistes would not feel they are on Omega’s label. It would be 2 years in October.

Museke: Which African musicians did you listen to growing up?
Omega: Miriam Makeba, Philly Bongoley Lutaaya (lived in Sweden), Yvonne Chaka Chaka.

Museke: What about foreign musicians?
Omega: A lot of gospel and jazz (gospel was from my mum’s influence). I also listened to Andre Crouch , Sandi Patty, Twila Paris, Ella Fitzgerald, Charmaine Hawkins, Fred Hammond, Take 6, Bebe and Cece Winans, Tony Bennet, etc.
I used to have an unhealthy respect for other artistes, I idolized them. I realized it was not healthy. Now, I appreciate good musicianship. do they have good quality music, is the content clean and wholesome?

Museke: Which African musicians do you idolize or admire (presently)?
Omega: Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela.

Museke: How long did it take you to do your first album?
Omega: I did an album by myself with the ACC; it was Omega and the ACC. The music was not what I chose. This was in 1997 when I was 16 years old. It was done in a weekend. 16 years old. I had recorded already. The parent organization of the ACC is now called Music for life, headquarters are in Canada. They have an organization in Uganda called Ambassadors for Hope, her mother was involved. They were doing orphanages before but now they are doing schools. They moved on to Kenya, Rwanda, Nigeria, South Africa.

Museke: What is the meaning of your album name and tell us about it.
Omega: I did three albums in the past year, but am releasing Kiwomera Emmeeme – it is sweet to the soul – at this time. The other two are a gospel and a jazz album. I am utilizing the gift/talent. I had barely scratched the surface before. Before recording, I was only singing when it was convenient and I wasn’t feeling very fulfilled. When you have a calling on your life to do something special and you don’t, you don’t feel fulfilled. These songs are about hope, life, love and God. I wanted to do it for so long, but never quite had the time or impetus, so it’s definitely sweet to the soul. I am sharing with the world that there’s more to Africa, than sadness, poverty and there’s quality music. It is excellent and gives the album a lasting impression. The album is timeless. I am very proud of it. I wrote 9 out of 11 songs.

Museke: Do you sing in Swahili as well? What is your take on many Ugandan musicians singing in Swahili?
Omega: I think it’s great strategy to have for an East African community. It gives the opportunity to reach out to them, not just as Omega the Ugandan, but Omega the African. I lived in Kenya when I was young. Some people do it because it’s trendy but I have roots. I commissioned a songwriter Sylver Kyagulanyi to write the Luganda song, and then I translated it to Swahili. The song is about my husband. Gunyuma in Luganda and Utama wa mapenzi in Swahili means the sweetness of love and how I’ve been blessed to have a partner who’s patient and kind and a true friend. The song gives hope to other people, they can find true love. Sylver doesn’t write for people he doesn’t know, but we had conversations about my philosophy on life and he wrote the song. Then I also worked with musicians in Uganda (Fred ‘Wallace’ Walusimbi from the group First love). If it’s a Ugandan project, then I wanted to work with some people from home. I have a Madagascan and a South African on the project. I wanted it to be truly a world album, but not just ethno or African beat.

Museke: Have your travels and education affected your music and what you sing about?
Omega: Definitely, the album is a fusion of Africa meets the West and different styles. My music is for advocacy - my masters is in Health advocacy (Sarah Lawrence University). The policy route takes forever but the music route touches people. I will be doing a benefit concert in Uganda (August 29) and will be taking the band down. Health issues have been at the forefront of my life; my mother was a nurse. I want to help increase access to healthcare, you are helping more than your patients through setting up an infrastructure. I’ve learnt a few things that would be useful in Uganda when I go back. I’m conducting a needs assessment and taking steps to address them. Surgical beds are a serious need. The concert would be raising funds for surgical beds, and is being backed by MTN.

Museke: What kind of music or genre do you do?
Omega: World music, gospel and jazz.

Museke: What is your take on Ugandan gospel music?
Omega: I know it’s growing fast but I don’t know how progressive it is. The music has depth.

Museke: Have you performed in Uganda or an African country? How has it been performing in the US compared to back home?
Omega: Yes, I was there last year. Here, people may not react the same way to the music, though they appreciate the music in a different way. You connect with those back home a little easier and people are very encouraging. They get up and dance.

Museke: You’ve been on tour lately in Europe. What kinds of audiences have you drawn and how have they accepted your music?
Omega: They were smaller gigs, they were very very open. They loved it, very very accepting, received me well and they were touched by the music. They ate it up.

Museke: What is the inspiration for the songs you write?
Omega: Life experiences, God.

Museke: What challenges do you face in the American music industry?
Omega: The big challenge is penetrating the general market as an Indie. At least these days, there is Youtube, and Godtube. It is a pretty male dominated industry. Truly, it is God that is opening doors for me. I was on BBC last week for the second time. It’s tough, if but you do your thing well and you have good quality music, people will find you. The digital age makes it easier.

Museke: What is in the future of your music?
Omega: I am targetting the US market, but would like the rest of the world to hear it. I want to go to Asia, and sing not just in Uganda. I want to do more albums, and work with people who show good musicianship.

Museke: How can Ugandan music expand and sell outside?
Omega: By doing things like I’m doing. Focus on the quality of the music that is produced. It would get other people to pay attention.

Museke: Do you have any present engagements and works other than music?
Omega: Health advocacy. Education is important, and I am on the board of a university – Quest University in British Columbia. We are trying to improve how higher education is delivered, how we can teach students in a more well-rounded way. People who founded it knew about my husband and the United World College (UWC) that he went to. They asked me to join the board.

Museke: What are your hobbies and pastimes?
Omega: I like to read a lot, when I do novels, I can’t do anything else. I love to play the guitar. I am interested in golf and love to shop but there are limits.

Museke: Do you have a website?
Omega: www.omegaworldmusic.com and www.myspace.com/omegaworldmusic

Museke: Give us your Parthian shot – last words
Omega: Live like you are leaving.