By Dennis Asiimwe
I didn’t think I would find myself saying this while sober, but at the very least, from a purely musical
perspective, this is actually some improvement from the duo known as Kataleya and Kandle. Or is that
Kandle and Kataleya? Till today, I cannot tell the two girls apart.
It probably has a bit to do with the fact that they turned to Nessim Productions to handle the boards on this
one, and Isma Mukkuza has done an impressive job.
His approach to the duo actually has the girls sound like they are singing – on most of their tracks they sound like they are attending a karaoke session from the ‘80s.
Theron Music picked a great option to have behind the boards on this one. Nessim’s production style goes with a light, Afro pop groove that has a hint of dancehall to it. The subtlety of the production impacts everything, including the percussion, the choice of synth instruments, heck, even the bass groove.
Against this backdrop, the girls are able to execute the song’s melody. From a lyrical perspective, Onsanze Ndaba won’t have you running to any award committee – the song sounds like it was written by an Instagram influencer.
However, the melody makes up for this significantly, and the production style ensures that for once, the girls can really axe out their vocals.
I have often thought Kandle is the better vocalist of the two girls (I can tell them apart – I took a closer look), but on Onsanze Ndaba, Kataleya takes the lead and her vocals stand out somewhat surprisingly.
So, the folks at Theron Music have found a producer that can make the girls sound like they are actually singing. Perhaps it is time they examined their considerable financial resources and diverted them to finding a decent lyricist and composer, eh?
I mean, their marketing budget has ensured we know who Kandle and Kataleya are – perhaps it is time for their music to do the talking. I have always thought somewhere in there is a pair of girls who can give singing a try. Makeup, fancy videos, and social media budgets will only take you so far.
