[Tanzania] Saida explains ‘ Diamond’s Salome

AFTER being declared dead by rumours that spread like bush fire late last year, Saida Karoli, the real name behind hit single ‘Salome,’ has just returned and currently basking in the glory of the song’s cover version.

Old diva, Saida Karoli who is actually the ‘owner,’ of the hit song, ‘Salome,’ currently blazing charts under artist ‘Diamond Platinumz,’ bill, has emerged to explain how her 15 years old composition ended up in the young singer’s portfolio.

“Diamond phoned me while I was performing during a traditional dance feat in Mbeya Region and asked to do a cover version of my 2001 hit, ‘Maria- Salome,’ and even requested me to sing along in the studio as well as appearing in the related video,” revealed Saida Karoli who was almost fading away from showbiz.

But thanks to the success of the rendition of her song by young crooner, Diamond, she now has the lease of life in the entertainment scene renewed. To prove that, Saida Karoli with an entourage of 10 dancers has been invited to collaborate with Kenyan artists in Nairobi.

It was actually in the Kenyan Capital that the pop-star with traditional appeal managed to make a live interview with the ‘Citizen Television,’ of Nairobi over the weekend and spoke about the ‘Salome,’ affair with Diamond Platinumz. The new rendition of ‘Salome,’ done by Diamond, contains samples from the old Saida Karoli recordings of 2001 including her voice.

The old crooner also took time to help choreograph the moves by dancers in the 2016 version of the song. But how much was she paid by Diamond for the latter to cover the song?

“He asked the price but I did not want to be paid, having such a popular artist to redo my song was honour enough for me,” said Saida.

And it wasn’t just honor, but new lease of life for Saida Karoli who had almost faded away from the music scene.

“I was actually forgotten, and to make things worse, last year speculations ran rife claiming Saida Karoli was dead,” she admitted, adding that with Diamond in her log book, the lake zone crooner was back.

Diamond promised her 25 percent royalty from the sales of ‘Salome,’ and judging by the song’s popularity Saida Karoli will soon be smiling her way to the bank or wherever that the mother of five, keeps her money.

Promised royalties aside, the hit ‘Salome’ has made people to reconsider Karoli as an artist again and this week she is in Kenya with her ten dancers to be fully involved in some of Nairobi recording artists’ projects.

While at it, Saida Karoli will take time to promote her new single in over eight years, ‘Foro,’ a disco thumper with traditional appeal may just blaze charts as ‘Salome,’ does, it already receiving airplay in Kenya.