Who is Lady Mariam? “Tindatiine”

Biography and Early Life.

Lady Mariam also known as “Tindatiine” is an artiste from Western Uganda.

Born Kemigisha, though most writers call her Mariam Namukasa, Tindatiine is one of the few artistes from the Western Uganda who have sold their craft globally, due to her biggest hit song “TINDATIINE” that took air waves by storm in those days. Her heritage has a combination of Ankole and Rwandan roots. People decided to call her by the name of her song Tinda Tine and the artiste says, She is okay with it.

Her first job was hairdressing where she dressed two people and was supposed to give the boss Shs20,000 and remain with Shs10,000.

Lady Mariam recounts on how she got insults in the Central and thus switching to singing Luganda, “Going on stage and they insult me for my tribe. Remember that we singers, our work is psychological. So if someone insults you, the mood, and love for the performance at that point is spoilt,” she seems to explain why she switched to Luganda songs on reaching in Kampala after her break through.

“Tindatiine” remembers her first time on stage was in Senior Four when she was 17.

Her best memory was her first trip to perform in London. The performance was wonderful, and the audience was cheerful.

The singer revealed that she was involved in a two-year marriage that ended over differences concerning her career. Her career had not been a problem up until it became one for her husband who then asked her to choose between.

“I tried to, once, and it lasted for two years with a man who loved me but things did not work out as he had promised at first. But I was not surprised because that is how men sometimes behave. He told me to leave the music industry and sit at home, which I declined to heed because it is from music that I earn a living. So we had to part ways peacefully,” she shared in an interview.

Funny side of it, Lady Mariam says she doesn’t have plans to get married unless a Bill Clinton kind of man comes her way.

Though she had difficult days as a child, Lady Mariam overcame a troubled childhood to become one of Uganda’s music industry sweethearts with her hit song “Tindatine”.

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Written by Amos Boom