Artiste Serena Bata has raised alarm over the persistent poverty affecting artists, arguing that the absence of an effective copyright law is at the heart of the problem.

Speaking during a televised interview, Serena expressed disappointment that despite her long career, her earnings do not reflect the effort and success she has invested in music. She added that the officials responsible for championing copyright reform have offered musicians little hope or meaningful progress.

Though she continues to receive bookings, Serena admitted she no longer considers music a reliable source of income. In many cases, she spends far more than she earns.

She attributed this imbalance to broken systems that have failed not only emerging artists but also the veteran musicians they once looked up to.

“Music is dead. I perform, but I don’t earn what I’m supposed to,” she said. “One hit song should be enough to lift a musician out of poverty. But today, you look at our artists and feel sorry. Even the legends who shaped our childhood are struggling. It’s draining and discouraging.” She contrasted this with foreign artists who are paid millions of dollars to perform in Uganda, highlighting the stark disparity.

Despite the financial strain and emotional toll, Serena insists she will not abandon her craft. Music, she said, is her calling and the one profession she fully understands and feels at peace with. She believes that if musicians were properly protected by copyright laws, their work could finally offer them a dignified livelihood.

“Music is the job God created me to do. I can’t imagine doing anything else,” she affirmed. “If we had copyright protection, my songs alone would be enough to lift me out of poverty.”

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