Dancer-turned-musician Ritah Dancehall has opened up about her decision to leave Sheebah Karungi’s dance crew as she focuses on building her own career as a recording artist.
Ritah revealed that the decision followed an honest conversation with Sheebah, who advised her to fully embrace her new identity as a musician instead of trying to balance her music career with dancing for other artists.
According to Ritah, Sheebah told her that establishing herself as a serious solo artist was important if she wanted audiences to understand and take her musical journey seriously.
“She told me that people had to see me as a solo artist who’s serious because if I didn’t establish myself fully, people would keep wondering where exactly I fall,” Ritah explained.
Sheebah reportedly felt that continuing to dance for other musicians while promoting her own music could leave audiences confused about the direction she wanted to take.
Ritah could perform her own songs at one event and later appear as a dancer for another artist, making it difficult for fans to clearly identify her as a musician.
While Ritah understood the advice, she admitted that the conversation was emotional and left her in tears. At one point, she even considered abandoning music altogether, questioning whether singing was truly her calling.
“I even suggested leaving the singing bit of it because it might not even be my calling,” she said.
However, Sheebah encouraged her to stay the course and give music a genuine chance. She also assured Ritah that she would continue supporting her as she worked to establish herself in the competitive music industry.
Despite Ritah’s struggle to attract major bookings and command significant attention as a musician, Sheebah has reportedly remained one of her biggest supporters.
Ritah revealed that whenever Sheebah secures a performance, she often speaks to event organisers and asks them to give Ritah an opportunity to perform before her.
This, she said, has allowed her to gradually introduce her music to new audiences while gaining valuable stage experience.
“Sheebah asks the organisers to first let me perform while she says that people will understand me slowly, and on top of that she gives me some money,” Ritah said.
Ritah’s story reflects the difficult transition many dancers face when attempting to establish themselves as independent musicians.
For her, however, Sheebah’s mentorship and continued support have given her the confidence to pursue music and build an identity beyond the dance floor.
