Jaqueline Nakiri
Encyclopedia
Jaqueline Nakiri Nalubale (1977 – ), also known as Jaqee, is a musician born in Kampala
, Uganda
. In 1990, she immigrated to Sweden
, where she began her musical career. She describes herself as a "musical chameleon", having no single musical style.
Jaqee speaks Luganda, Nkore, English
, and Swedish
, as well as "a little bit" of Spanish
; she is learning German
.
Award. The nomination surprised her, since the album was self-released; she had approached several record companies before recording the album, but none signed her. She says the album was inspired by "life, love, war, injustice and prejudice." "[It] was my direct contact to the music that a rural community in the diaspora plays", she said of the album. She has a tattoo of the album's name, which she says was a knockoff of Beyonce's expression "bootilicious".
Jaqee's follow up album, Nouvelle d'amour, was released in October 2007. The album showed blues
and rock
influences. It included the songs "Sugar" and "Castara Blues". It was also nominated for a Grammis Award.
Her next release, in 2008, was not a solo project but a jazz
tribute album
to Billie Holiday
entitled A Letter to Billie. It was presented together with one of Sweden's most active big band
s, Bohuslän Big Band
. She went on tour with the band to Japan
and Egypt
.
Jaqee's most recent album is Kokoo Girl, a return to roots reggae
and ska
. Released in June 2009, Kokoo Girl saw her joining forces with German
-based Rootdown Records, who released "Kokoo Girl", "Take It Or Leave It", and "Land Of The Free". As word spread, French
record label
Makasound added her to their artist roster, re-releasing her record in France as Land Of The Free on International Women's Day
, 8 March 2010. The French release was voted 2010 Reggae Album of the Year by iTunes France. "I grew up with African Gospel, in a sad and turbulent environment, so for me, this means I grasp and totally understand reggae and its never-ending struggle for the common man," Jaquee said.
Kampala
Kampala is the largest city and capital of Uganda. The city is divided into five boroughs that oversee local planning: Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division and Lubaga Division. The city is coterminous with Kampala District.-History: of Buganda, had chosen...
, Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
. In 1990, she immigrated to Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, where she began her musical career. She describes herself as a "musical chameleon", having no single musical style.
Jaqee speaks Luganda, Nkore, English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, and Swedish
Swedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
, as well as "a little bit" of Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
; she is learning German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
.
Albums
In May 2005, she released her self-financed debut album Blaqalixious, which won the best Soul/Hip-Hop prize at ManifestGalan 2006 and included songs like "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Karma", and "Headfall". The album was nominated for a GrammisGrammis
The Grammis Awards are the Swedish equivalent of the Grammy Awards. The awards ceremony is generally held each year in February in Stockholm.The awards were established in 1969 and awarded until 1972 when they were cancelled....
Award. The nomination surprised her, since the album was self-released; she had approached several record companies before recording the album, but none signed her. She says the album was inspired by "life, love, war, injustice and prejudice." "[It] was my direct contact to the music that a rural community in the diaspora plays", she said of the album. She has a tattoo of the album's name, which she says was a knockoff of Beyonce's expression "bootilicious".
Jaqee's follow up album, Nouvelle d'amour, was released in October 2007. The album showed blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
and rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
influences. It included the songs "Sugar" and "Castara Blues". It was also nominated for a Grammis Award.
Her next release, in 2008, was not a solo project but a jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
tribute album
Tribute album
A tribute album is a recorded collection of cover versions of songs or instrumental compositions. Its concept may be either various artists making a tribute to a single artist, a single artist making a tribute to various artists, or a single artist making a tribute to another single artist.There...
to Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday was an American jazz singer and songwriter. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and musical partner Lester Young, Holiday had a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing...
entitled A Letter to Billie. It was presented together with one of Sweden's most active big band
Big band
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...
s, Bohuslän Big Band
Bohuslän Big Band
The Bohuslän Big Band is a modern jazz ensemble from Sweden which started as a military orchestra in the 19th century. They play original music as well as compositions by Lars Jansson, Maria Schneider, Frank Zappa and others....
. She went on tour with the band to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
.
Jaqee's most recent album is Kokoo Girl, a return to roots reggae
Roots reggae
Roots reggae is a subgenre of reggae that deals with the everyday lives and aspirations of the artists concerned, including the spiritual side of Rastafari and with the honoring of God, called Jah by rastafarians. It also is identified with the life of the ghetto sufferer, and the rural poor...
and ska
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
. Released in June 2009, Kokoo Girl saw her joining forces with German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
-based Rootdown Records, who released "Kokoo Girl", "Take It Or Leave It", and "Land Of The Free". As word spread, French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
Makasound added her to their artist roster, re-releasing her record in France as Land Of The Free on International Women's Day
International Women's Day
International Women's Day , originally called International Working Women’s Day, is marked on March 8 every year. In different regions the focus of the celebrations ranges from general celebration of respect, appreciation and love towards women to a celebration for women's economic, political and...
, 8 March 2010. The French release was voted 2010 Reggae Album of the Year by iTunes France. "I grew up with African Gospel, in a sad and turbulent environment, so for me, this means I grasp and totally understand reggae and its never-ending struggle for the common man," Jaquee said.