
Apple Music Reveals Mauimøon As The First Up Next Artist In East Africa
Apple Music announced Alté-R&B singer-songwriter Mauimøon (Donald Otim) as the first artist to be featured in its new Up Next artist development program in East Africa.
“I am honoured to be selected for Apple Music Up Next. This means a lot to me as a Ugandan artist from a country that has a lot to offer in the music industry. It makes me feel good that my music is being recognized, especially as an Alte/R&B African artist in an Afrobeats-dominated industry, and it motivates me to keep doing my best. Through my latest EP, From Uganda With Love, I want to evolve my sound and reconnect with my country and religion after spending some time away while also showcasing the R&B influence my fans have come to enjoy from my work. Being selected as Apple Music’s Up Next artist for East Africa is a priceless opportunity to see my vision become a reality,” he says.
Having spent years in Uganda refining his talents as a producer under the name SoulChyld, Mauimøon has now shifted his focus to being fully in the spotlight as a singer and songwriter. His debut album, From Uganda With Love (2023), available to stream on Apple Music and released through Palagroove, is the catalyst for this move and showcases the evolution of his sound.
As a fresh-faced pioneer of Africa’s underground Alté scene, Mauimøon fuses R&B, Afro-pop and hip-hop, all underpinned by his smooth, unorthodox vocals that were influenced by the R&B timbres of Joe Thomas and Craig David.