The limelight of Ugandan entertainment is like a wave, of water, or wind, whichever you prefer. It never stays in the same place too long, always follows the path of least resistance and shines on whoever it chooses, for any, or no reason at all.
There is no clear cut formula as to why some people/things go viral and others do not, but is it just me, or is there a striking similarity between the rise-to-fame patterns of entertainers Martha Kay and Lynda Ddane?
Before the face that is the Martha Kay; the sensational actress, comedian and entertainer that we know (and love) today, there lies a story of a talented but down to earth graduate of Mass Communication from the Mukono based Uganda Christian University (UCU).
She is also an accomplished professional events photographer on the side. Despite these multiple hustles, however, it is her passion for acting that captured the attention of the media, after a skit, of her being knocked by a Range Rover, literally broke the internet. It is from this that she came to be famously referred to as the ‘range rover girl’. The rest, as they say, is history.
Fast forward, 2020. Lynda Ddane became a sensation almost overnight. She took the world by storm, and I mean that almost literally. That is not to say that she has not had her struggles. There is always a story behind the story.
She kickstarted her TV career in 2013 on Urban TV (it is alleged that she was not paid). In 2015, she worked briefly for UBC alongside Jam101 host Calvin the Entertainer (it is alleged, again, that she was paid peanuts) and somewhere in between, she battled depression. So, to call her an overnight sensation is, by no means, to undermine her struggle.
This is the bottomline, however. Aesthetic is key in this business. One would be hard pressed not to acknowledge that looks have been a major contributor in the rise-to-fame of both these stars. That, and other attributes, ofcourse, such as incredible work ethic, immense talent, and the will to engage in multiple hustles at the same time.
Both entertainers are known to have had several different ventures running at the same time; photography, acting, presenting, modeling, among others. Another striking similarity is that both are known to keep their following glued by filming and posting short skits on their social media platforms.
Lightening does not strike the same place twice. The faces in the entertainment limelight keep changing, but the pattern is the same. There is always a new face replacing an old one (but in this case it does not mean, necessarily, that the old face disappears). The stories are always, in more ways than one, similar. First there was GNL, then came MunG, there was Sheebah, then came Vinka, there was Irene Ntale, then came Winnie Nwagi. Could Lynda Ddane be the new Martha Kay?
