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Azawi

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Azawi
Born
Priscilla Zawedde

2 February 1996
Kampala, Uganda
NationalityUgandan
EducationBuganda road primary
Mother Kevin Primary school in Mukono district
St Henry’s college in Ggangu Masajja
Lubiri secondary school
London college in Nansana
St Janani Luwum secondary school
Alma materMakerere University
(Bachelor of Commerce)
Occupation(s)Ugandan singer, songwriter, brand ambassador
Years active2020
Known forBeing the first female Ugandan act to appear on the New York "Times Square" and Los Angeles billboards
StyleAfrican Music
Awards
  1. Female Artist of the Year Janzi awards 2021
  2. Outstanding Album of the Year – African Music Janzi awards 2021
  3. Outstanding Afro Beat/Pop Artist Janzi awards 2021
  4. Artist of the Year Buzz Teeniez awards 2021[1]
  5. Teenz Female Artist of the Year Buzz Teeniez awards 2021
  6. Teenz Hottest Songwriter Buzz Teeniez awards 2021
  7. Teenz Hottest Song of the year – ‘Slow Dancing’ Buzz Teeniez awards 2021[1]
  8. Teenz Flyest video – ‘Slow Dancing’  Buzz Teeniez awards 2021[1]

Priscilla Zawedde (born 2 February 1996) better known by her stage name Azawi[2] is a Ugandan singer, songwriter[3][4] and dancer signed by Swangz Avenue in 2019.[5] Her musical genre is Afrobeats[6] in both Luganda and English. She became the first female Ugandan act to appear on the New York "Times Square" and Los Angeles billboards.[7][8]

Early life and education

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Priscilla Zawedde was born 2 February 1996 in Kampala to the late Walusimbi Samuel and Nakamatte Mary. She went to Buganda road primary for her early education[4] and later went to Mother Kevin Primary school in Mukono district, where she completed her primary seven from. She went to St Henry's college in Ggangu Masajja, Lubiri secondary school, London college in Nansana, St Janani Luwum secondary school for A-level and later on proceeded to Makerere University where she earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree.[9][10]

Career

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Early career

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Azawi's career began in 2005 as a dancer in a group called Kika dance troupe.[4] As a group, they performed on many stages. Four years later, she joined another dance group known as Crane Performers and all this was done while still in school. After realizing that she was failing in school, she stopped dancing. She nevertheless traveled twice to China to perform with her troupe.

Music career

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In 2011, she started writing songs,[11] first as a hobby, before realizing she could make money from it. Her father died in 2012 and she had to help her mother to cater to her and her two siblings hence concentrating on making money from songwriting.[11]

At her young age, Azawi began writing songs and her songwriting skills got her a meeting with Eddy Kenzo who eventually connected her to other artistes. She has written for artistes like Nina Rose, Lydia Jazmine, Carol Nantongo, Vinka, and Eddy Kenzo.[12]

Azawi later on joined a band in 2015 while doubling as a waiter at a restaurant her mother had just started.[4]

After she had quit her job as a waiter that she wrote "Quinamino," with an intention of selling it[13] but when she walked into Swangz Avenue for the first time in August 2019, she got an offer to become part of the label instead.[11]

Her breakthrough came in January 2020 after releasing her first single titled Quinamino.[14][15][16]

In November the same year, Swangz Avenue management signed and unveiled her and she released her first single under the label in January 2020.[17][18] She's still under the same record label[19] and now has over 20 songs.[20]

Discography

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Music albums

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  • Lo Fit (2020)
  • African Music (2021)[2]
  • SANKOFA[21]

Singles

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  1. Fwa Fwa Fwa
  2. Party mood
  3. Gimme
  4. Craving you heavy
  5. Bamututte[22]
  6. Thankful ft Benon
  7. Majje ft Fik Fameica,
  8. Slow dancing[3][23]
  9. Face Me ft A Pass
  10. Fwa Fwa Fwa
  11. Ku Kido,
  12. My Year
  13. Tubatiisa
  14. Party Mood
  15. Nkuchekele ft Eddy Kenzo,
  16. Love you is easy,
  17. African Music
  18. Ache for you.
  19. Quinamino
  20. Repeat it
  21. Lo Fit[1]
  22. Crazy lover
  23. Toast to 75
  24. Mbinyumirwa
  25. Envision
  26. Craving You Heavy Remix ft. Chike
  27. Masavu

Source:[24]

Awards and recognition

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  • Female Artist of the Year Janzi awards 2021[25]
  • Outstanding Album of the Year – African Music Janzi awards 2021[26]
  • Outstanding Afro Beat/Pop Artist Janzi awards 2021[27]
  • Artist of the Year Buzz Teeniez awards 2021[1]
  • Teenz Female Artist of the Year Buzz Teeniez awards 2021
  • Teenz Hottest Songwriter Buzz Teeniez awards 2021[1]
  • Teenz Hottest Song of the year – ‘Slow Dancing’ Buzz Teeniez awards 2021[1]
  • Teenz Flyest video – ‘Slow Dancing’  Buzz Teeniez awards 2021[1]
  • Female Artist of the year Zzina Awards 2021/22 [28]
  • Best Song Writer of the year Zzina Awards 2021/22[28]
  • Best Inspirational Song – Majje ft Fik Fameica Zzina Awards 2021/22[28]

Other activities and achievements

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Azawi is now a Guinness brand ambassador,[29][30][31] a role that is also played by Nigerian Afropop Singer Fireboy DML.[32] This was also evidenced in her new video of MAJJE where she featured Ugandan Artiste Fik Fameica[33][34][31] and at her recent maiden sold-out concert at Lugogo, Kampala that happened in July, 2022.[35]

Azawi in 2021 featured at both New York and Los Angeles "Times Square",[36][37][38] making her the first female and third Ugandan act to appear on the billboard after Eddy Kenzo and Bobi Wine.[8]

Read also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Full List of Buzz Teenz Award Winners 2021". ChimpReports. 2021-12-21. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  2. ^ a b "Azawi on MTV Base list of artistes to look out for this year". New Vision. Retrieved 2022-03-26.
  3. ^ a b "Music Review: Slow Dancing – Azawi & Myko Ouma (acoustic version)". New Vision. Retrieved 2022-03-26.
  4. ^ a b c d Okereke, Caleb. "Meet Priscilla Zawedde aka Azawi, Uganda's rising star". The Observer - Uganda. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  5. ^ Ray, Lee (2019-12-31). "BRAND NEW: Swangz Avenue Set Date To Release New Signing, Azawi's Song". Routine Blast : Gossip, Showbiz, Breaking News in Uganda. Retrieved 2023-02-19.
  6. ^ Bm, B. (2021-10-11). "African Music by Azawi is the Album of the year!". Galaxy FM 100.2. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  7. ^ "Azawi shines brightest on billboards in New York and London". Nile Post. 2021-10-23. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  8. ^ a b Witness, Eye (2021-10-23). "Azawi becomes the first UG female artist to appear on Times Square". Galaxy FM 100.2. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  9. ^ 10529544_769261689792222_224470721_n (2020-06-24). "I almost quit my course at campus just after year one - Azawi reveals". MBU. Retrieved 2022-03-25.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ "Swangz Avenue's New Singer Azawi Graduates with a Bachelor's Degree". blizz.co.ug. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  11. ^ a b c "Interview: Meet Azawi, Uganda's Rising Star". OkayAfrica. 2020-11-19. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  12. ^ "Azawi". Music In Africa. 2020-08-14. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  13. ^ "10 Things you didn´t know about Azawi". Hard Rock Media. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  14. ^ Dash, Phame (2021-08-09). "Songs That Made These New Ugandan Artists Famous, Number 3 will Surprise You". PHAME DASH. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  15. ^ "Uganda's Azawi: 40 minutes that changed my life — East African Herald". EastAfricanHerald. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  16. ^ "Milestone: Azawi's 'Quinamino' features on Major Lazer's mix". PML Daily. 2020-10-03. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  17. ^ Ray, Lee (2019-12-31). "BRAND NEW: Swangz Avenue Set Date To Release New Signing, Azawi's Song". Routine Blast. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  18. ^ "Fresh Talent: Swangz Avenue to release Azawi in January 2020". MBU. 2019-12-31. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  19. ^ "Swangz Avenue", Wikipedia, 2022-03-18, retrieved 2022-03-25
  20. ^ "Swangz Avenue signs new artiste Zafarani". New Vision. Retrieved 2022-03-26.
  21. ^ Troy, Kevin. "Azawi's Sankofa Album - a Melodic Tapestry of Memories and Dreams". Capital Radio. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
  22. ^ BAMUTUTTE, 2021-10-09, retrieved 2023-02-19
  23. ^ "Jinja Hippos invite Impis with Azawi vibes to dance". Monitor. 2022-03-03. Retrieved 2022-03-26.
  24. ^ "Azawi". Deezer. Retrieved 2023-02-19.
  25. ^ "Who won what at the Janzi Awards 2021?". MBU. 2021-12-13. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  26. ^ "The good, the bad and the ugly of the maiden Janzi Awards". New Vision. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  27. ^ "Who won what at the Janzi Awards 2021?". MBU. 2021-12-13. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  28. ^ a b c Bm, B. (2022-03-26). "Zzina Awards 2021/22 Full List Of Winners". Galaxy FM 100.2. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  29. ^ Ruva, Roy. "Swangz Avenue Singer Azawi Signs Mega Guinness Deal – Chano8". Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  30. ^ Mugisha, Mugibson (2021-08-16). "Azawi Lands Very First Brand Endorsement of Her Career. Joins Fireboy DML, Beverly Naya As Guinness Brand Ambassador - MUGIBSON". Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  31. ^ a b "Azawi Joins Celebrities Fireboy, Meji Alabi as New Guinness Ambassador". ChimpReports. 2021-08-14. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  32. ^ "Guinness Nigeria Unveils Fireboy DML & 3 Others As Brand Ambassadors". everyevery.ng. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  33. ^ "Guinness teams up with Azawi for new, jaw-dropping "Majje" video". Nile Post. 2022-03-04. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  34. ^ "Guinness and Azawi collaborate on a new, jaw-dropping "Majje" video". Bazzup.com | Get Connected. 2022-03-04. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  35. ^ Katungulu, Amon (2022-07-23). "Azawi throws unforgettable performance at maiden concert". Nile Post. Retrieved 2023-02-19.
  36. ^ "Azawi 'Shines Brightest' on Billboards in London, New York". ChimpReports. 2021-10-23. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  37. ^ "Ugandan singer Azawi conquers New York, Los Angeles". Watchdog Uganda. 2021-10-23. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  38. ^ "Azawi on NY billboards". The East African. 2022-02-26. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
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