When Giovanni Kiyingi steps on stage, something ancient stirs. The air thickens with rhythm, as though ancestral spirits have taken seats in the crowd.
His fingers, agile and reverent, move across the endingidi, a single-string fiddle whose voice can cry, whisper, or rejoice. Before long, he reaches for the adungu, or the akogo, or the endere flute, layering melodies that sound like Uganda itself: earthy, spiritual, timeless.
For audiences from Kampala to any city in the world, Kiyingi is not just a performer; he is a vessel through which heritage breathes anew.
His story begins not in grandeur but in solitude. ‘I was born a very weak child, which prevented me from playing with other children. So, I listened a lot. Music became my companion,’ he recalls. That quiet listening became his first form of learning. Church, with its hymns and hand drums, became his classroom.
‘Many of the instruments I play, I first experienced them in church. I would watch, listen, and try one instrument at a time. ‘
Two teachers at St Joseph’s Secondary School Naggalama; Josephine Nabuyungo and Agnes Nsubuga, noticed the young boy’s ear for rhythm and heart for melody. ‘They wanted me to not only study but also practice my talent. Education was fundamental; it shaped both my creativity and my life,’ he remembers.
Faith and focus
Today, Kiyingi still begins his mornings with prayer and gratitude. ‘My entire life is a testimony. Placing my day in God’s hands helps me centre everything; my music, mood and purpose,’ he says. Although he never completed his degree in Performing Arts at Makerere University, he views that decision as a turning point. ‘It made me a better listener,’ he says.
‘I learnt by collaborating; by observing people I met on my journey. That shaped how I write and perform.’ A living museum of sound At any performance, Kiyingi’s stage looks like a living museum of Ugandan sound: endingidi, adungu, akogo, endere, embuutu, and djembe arranged like companions in conversation. ‘I do not choose the instruments for a song.
Often, the instrument itself determines the song’s direction. When it feels smooth or compelling, I know it is the right one,’ he narrates with a smile. His learning process has always been intuitive. Having mastered most instruments by ear, he reimagines traditional sounds through improvisation.
‘Listening and watching others play drives me,’ he adds. Among his favourites is the Janzi, a modern Ugandan string instrument invented by Ssewa Ssewa. ‘The Janzi is special. It carries two scales: pentatonic and diatonic, and it travels easily. Unlike the adungu, which some mistook for a weapon abroad, the Janzi was made to fly. It makes you proud to play your culture anywhere.’
Dancing away negativity
In 2021, Kiyingi entered NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest with Bukunja, a song that turned folklore into celebration. ‘Whenever I told people abroad about Uganda, the first thing they found online was atrocities,’ he says.
‘Yet Uganda bears so much beauty. Bukunja was my way of dancing away that negativity, turning fear into curiosity.’ The song, rooted in village myths from Kalagi in Mukono District, pulses with joy rather than sorrow.
‘It is an up-tempo song that brings people to dance. Through dancing, we shed the bad and embrace curiosity,’ he explains. His performances often carry that same healing energy.
‘After shows, people tell me my songs take them back to their youth. Others cry because the music reminds them of who they were before life hardened them,’ he says.
For Kiyingi, that emotional exchange is the essence of his calling.
The global stage
Over the years, Kiyingi’s music has carried him across continents and cultures. From performing for Pope Francis during his 2015 visit to Uganda, to massive yoga gatherings in India, each performance becomes an act of communion.
‘I research before every show. I want to know who has performed there before and what the audience values. That helps me honour the space and connect better. My energy comes from the audience; we feed off each other.’
He has shared the stage with some of East Africa’s brightest talents, including Mulatu Astatke, Suzan Kerunen, Herbert Kinobe, Ssewa Ssewa, and Joel Sebunjo. At the 2016 Blankets and Wine, he shared the spotlight with Tanzania’s Alikiba and at Pearl Rhythm Festival 2012, he brought Ugandan folk to life. ‘Every collaboration leaves an imprint,’ he says. ‘By the time I say yes, I know there is a story we can tell together.’
A new rhythm in the desert
Now based in Phoenix, Arizona, in the United States, Kiyingi has found a new rhythm in the desert. ‘Phoenix is still a virgin place creatively. It allows room to experiment and collaborate. Los Angeles and New York are saturated, but here, creativity still breathes fresh.’ He has immersed himself in studying American genres such as rock, blues, and hip-hop, weaving them into his African foundations. ‘This exchange has enhanced my song-writing and performance,’ he says. ‘It has expanded my creative horizon.’
His upcoming reggae album, Times, is the result of that exploration. ‘It took one year and six months, working between Uganda and the US. It is 100 percent live, full of real instruments and emotions. It has been a mix of highs and lows, but it is pure growth.’ Fourteen years into his professional journey, the Ugandan-born musician speaks with humility about growth and resilience. ‘I have seen ups and downs. Do I still fall and stand up? Yes. Because that is human,’ he admits.
Still, his spirit remains unwavering. ‘Music has given me a voice,’ he says quietly. ‘And through it, I try to give others a reason to dance, to dream, to heal.’