For years, it sounded like one of those ambitious celebrity promises that excite fans, dominate headlines for a moment, then quietly fade into the background. Jose Chameleone’s long talked about plan to launch a radio station seemed destined for that list. Until now.
In the aftermath of the Covid 19 lockdowns, the self-styled Leone Island boss summoned the media to Kololo for a press conference that signaled a new chapter in his career. Flanked by a freshly unveiled management team led by Bijoux, Chameleone spoke with confidence about restructuring his brand and expanding beyond music. Among the bold announcements made that day was a plan to launch both a radio and a television station, positioning himself not just as an artist but as a media owner.
Three years passed, then more. The promised stations never materialised, and the idea slowly slipped into the category of unfulfilled ambition. For many observers, it became another example of a star dreaming big but struggling to translate vision into reality.
That narrative, however, may be changing.
Fresh information emerging from sources close to the veteran musician suggests that the long-delayed project is finally taking shape, albeit not on Ugandan soil. Instead, the radio dream appears to be relocating across the border, with Burundi emerging as the unlikely launchpad.
The renewed momentum follows Chameleone’s recent appearance at a high-profile event in Burundi, where he attended at the invitation of President Évariste Ndayishimiye. The visit, which attracted attention across regional entertainment circles, is now being linked to deeper business discussions beyond music and performance.
Insiders say the singer is exploring concrete plans to establish a radio station in Bujumbura, Burundi’s capital. The choice of location, according to those familiar with the process, is largely strategic.
“It’s much easier to set up a station in Burundi,” one source revealed, pointing to a licensing environment that is perceived as friendlier and less restrictive compared to other countries in the region. That flexibility, sources say, has played a significant role in Chameleone’s decision to revive the project there.
While details remain tightly guarded, including the station’s name, frequency and programming direction, industry watchers believe the move could signal a calculated expansion of the Chameleone brand. Beyond hit songs and sold out concerts, media ownership would give the artist a new kind of influence, one rooted in content, culture and regional reach.
For an artist who has spent decades shaping East Africa’s music landscape, stepping into broadcasting would mark a natural evolution. It would also align with a growing trend of musicians across the continent seeking long term investments that outlive performance careers.
Whether the Burundi based station finally delivers on a promise made years ago remains to be seen. But for the first time in a long while, Jose Chameleone’s radio dream no longer sounds like a distant echo. It sounds like a signal slowly coming into range.
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