Joshua Baraka

Born in Kawempe and active from Kampala, Joshua Baraka established himself in the early 2020s in an East African scene where Afrobeats, R&B, dancehall and amapiano intersect. Ugandan singer, songwriter and producer, he develops a melodic writing centered on flexible vocals, mid-tempo rhythms and choruses that draw as much from contemporary African popular music as from a softer urban pop. Joshua Baraka released his first EP, Baby Steps, in 2021, before widening his audience with the track 'Nana' in 2023. That same year the EP Growing Pains appeared, followed by an expanded edition in 2024, a period when his work gained visibility beyond Uganda. His repertoire moves between sentimental songs, dance textures and streamlined productions, with regular attention paid to regional crossovers, as in 'Alone' with Nkosazana Daughter. Joshua Baraka has also collaborated with artists such as Magixx, Yaw Tog, Krizbeatz or Fave, in a logic of opening toward Nigerian, Ghanaian and South African scenes. In 2024, he also releases Recess, confirming a rapid trajectory and an aesthetic anchored in the current forms of African pop.