Rema warns artistes against fake foreign accents

What the report says

Ugandan singer Rema Namakula has drawn attention online after using a TikTok Live session to caution local artistes against adopting artificial foreign accents. As reported by Sqoop Uganda, she said Ugandans should feel comfortable speaking the English they know instead of trying to sound Western for the sake of image or international appeal.

Rema framed the issue as one of confidence and authenticity rather than a rejection of English or global ambition. She suggested that how naturally someone speaks can be shaped by factors such as education, travel and regular interaction with different kinds of English speakers. In her view, these experiences can affect pronunciation and delivery, especially for musicians performing in English.

Her remarks also touched on the challenge of making music that travels beyond Uganda. Sqoop Uganda reported that she believes singing in English can make accent and clarity more noticeable to unfamiliar listeners, but she did not argue that artists should abandon local identity. Instead, her message appeared to warn against forcing an accent that does not come naturally.

The comments add to a broader conversation in Uganda about language, class and public presentation in the entertainment industry. More generally, debates over accents often reflect wider tensions between local identity and the desire for wider recognition, though that broader context is not specific to this report.