Woja Music, a self-proclaimed photographer-turned-musician who hails from the trenches of juba, has made some bold claims. He insists that he is the new face of South Sudanese music, despite the fact that his youtube audience currently consists of a mere seven listeners. Yes, you read that right. Seven. It seems Woja’s photographic skills might have outshone his musical prowess but he didn’t listen anyway, or perhaps his camera lens is just zooming in on the wrong kind of fame.
Undeterred by his lack of a fanbase, Woja is promoting his upcoming “Haya Gali” concert with the hopes of attracting a staggering 200 people. Now, considering that his music streams could barely fill a group chat, this number sounds wildly ambitious. It’s not every day someone expects 200 people to show up when their online audience could fit in a small living room.
Perhaps Woja’s confidence is admirable, or maybe it’s just as misplaced as his attempts at a musical career. While he may be holding the title of South Sudan’s music poster boy in his head, reality suggests he’s got a long road ahead if he ever wants to hear more than just crickets at his concerts. Here’s hoping the 200 people he’s expecting aren’t just his friends and family feeling obliged to attend.
