There was a time when Shola Ama’s Still Believe was more than just a song on Kampala radio stations. Released in 1999, off her In Return album, the track became one of those records that quietly attached itself to a generation. It is said that the song played through school dormitories, parties, taxis and dance floors, while simultaneously confusing teenagers who probably did not yet understand what heartbreak actually meant.
But on Sunday evening, at Mezo Noir, none of that mattered. The crowd knew every lyric anyway.
As the chorus floated through, during The Old School RnB Brunch, hundreds of voices rose with it, some passionately, others dramatically, all fully committed to reliving an era where RnB ruled both romance and emotional damage.
Curated by The Singleton, the globally celebrated Old School RnB Brunch transformed Mezo Noir into a giant sing-along playground where the audience was just as important as the DJs.
According to Simon Lapyem, Brand Manager for The Singleton East Africa, that emotional connection is exactly what made the partnership with the brunch feel natural.
“Old School RnB Brunch is more than a party, it is an experience built around connection, nostalgia and shared moments,” he said. “The Singleton believes in creating spaces where people can slow down, savour the moment and genuinely connect, and music has always been one of the most powerful ways to do that.”
Unlike conventional nightlife events where revellers simply dance and drink, this experience demanded participation. Microphones moved freely through the crowd as patrons took turns singing like headlining stars, sometimes confidently, sometimes terribly, but always enthusiastically.
The brunch brought together many of the city’s familiar faces: socialites, influencers, creatives, media personalities, and DJs, most of whom simply came looking for a good time and a heavy dose of nostalgia. But there was another layer to the crowd that evening.
Arsenal Football Club had just secured a major Premier League victory, after a twenty-two-year hiatus, and the celebration had clearly spilt into the party. Red jerseys appeared across tables and dance circles, turning sections of the venue into what occasionally looked like a North London supporters’ convention, with cocktails.
From one record to the next, the DJs carefully controlled the emotional temperature of the room. They knew exactly when to raise the energy with hits from Ashanti, TLC and Michael Jackson, and when to slow things down enough for the crowd to fully surrender to nostalgia.