Maurice Kirya
Maurice Kirya | |
|---|---|
| Background information | |
| Born | 4 November 1984 |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 2002–present |
| Label | Indie |
| Website | http://www.mauricekirya.com |
Maurice Kirya (born 4 November 1984) is a Ugandan singer, songwriter, actor, and humanitarian.[1][2][3] He is the founder and director of the Sound Cup Coffee, a coffee brand that started as a restaurant in 2013. He is also CEO and founder of Piz & Pots, a Ugandan-based branding agency which runs the annual music festival Kiryalive in Kampala.[4][5]
Early life and education
Kirya was born on 4 November 1984 to Tonny Munobbi and Sophie Baguma in Jinja.[6] He was raised in Najjanakumbi, a Kampala suburb, but the family kept shifting to the different suburbs of the city. He ended up attending nine primary schools but finally completed his primary at Nakivubo Blue Primary School.[4]
Kirya attended St Joseph's Secondary School Ndeeba for his O Level education before switching to Kampala Citizens College, where he completed his A level.[4][7] He later attended Maisha Film School.[8]
Career
Kirya performed in the street, and he and his older brother performed as a duo in clubs.[7]
In 2005 he was nominated for a KISIMA Award in Kenya.[9]
He studied acting at the Maisha Film School in Uganda.[8]
Kirya was named as a Wild Aid ambassador for wildlife conservation.[10][11]
As a musician and actor,[12] he won Radio France International's 2010 Discoveries Music Award.[13][14]
He staged performances in Paris and did a year-long tour of Africa during which he toured over 35 countries.[15]
He was nominated for the most gifted afro pop video of the year in the 2012 channel O video music awards.[16]
He was one of the three Ugandan artists to perform at the inaugural annual Tribe One Festival in South Africa.[17]
Discography
Albums
- Misubbaawa, 2009
- The Book of Kirya, 2012
- Mwooyo, 2015
- Free Dreams, 2017
- Beyond Myself, 2019
- The Road to Kirya, 2022
Singles
- To Love You
- Munonde
- Gimme Light
- So Cold
- Busaabala
- Never Been Loved
- Njagala gwe
- Njagala gwe Rmx
- Beera Naabo
- Beera Naabo Rmx
- Binadamu featuring AY
- Let’s go!
- Stop
- Stop RMX
- Boda Boda
- Tell Me
- Village girl featuring Valerie Kimani
- Locals and native feat Indigenous
- Revolution
- Revolution Rmx feat Navio & Da myth
- Silent Night
- Work it out
- Bemoola
- Money
- Hold on[18][19] and holy ghost ft Ruyonga
Filmography
- The Last King of Scotland (2006)
- The Queen of Katwe (2016) as Theo
- The Girl in the Yellow Jumper (2020) as Patrick Asimwe
- Live Joseph
- Sins of the Parents (2008) as Peter
- The Hostel TV series as Luke Okwalinga
References
- ^ "PressReader.com - Digital Newspaper & Magazine Subscriptions". www.pressreader.com. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
- ^ Kaggwa, Andrew (23 August 2016). "Shades of dull grey in entertainment awards". The Observer - Uganda. Archived from the original on 28 August 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
- ^ Kirezi, Precious (28 October 2023). "Singer Maurice Kirya talks Rwanda trip, conservation, new album, mental health". The New Times. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
- ^ a b c Nantaba, Agnes (17 June 2016). "Maurice Kirya: I share traits with Bob Marley". The Independent Uganda. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
- ^ "Maurice Kirya: A star returns to stage". Monitor. 8 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
- ^ "Singer Maurice Kirya mourns mother". New Vision. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
- ^ a b SEMWEZI, SAMWIRI (1 August 2013). "Maurice Kirya: The Mwoyo visionary". The Observer - Uganda. Archived from the original on 28 August 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
- ^ a b Katusiime, Ian (10 October 2016). "Queen of Katwe' shows power of dreams". The Independent Uganda. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
- ^ "Ugandan artistes for Kenya music awards". New Vision. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
- ^ "Maurice Kirya". Retrieved 21 December 2014.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ "I would never cheat on my wife - Maurice Kirya". Retrieved 21 December 2014.
- ^ "Maurice Kirya, bridging cultures". Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
- ^ "Maurice Kirya winner of the 2010 RFI Discovery Music Award". Retrieved 21 December 2014.
- ^ "Uganda's Maurice Kirya scoops RFI Music prize". Retrieved 21 December 2014.
- ^ "Maurice Kirya under Malabo's charm". Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
- ^ "Spotlight on Maurice Kirya". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
- ^ "Maurice Kirya Unveiled As the Third Ugandan Artiste For Tribe One Festival – Joins Keko & Naava Grey". Archived from the original on 9 December 2022. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
- ^ JIM RESLEY (6 August 2015), Hold On - Maurice Kirya 'Dir: Jim Resley', retrieved 16 October 2016
- ^ Akan, Joey. "Maurice Kirya: Singer battles poverty and lack in 'Hold on' video - Music Videos - Pulse". Retrieved 16 October 2016.