CHINOBAY

Born and raised in Kampala, Uganda, multi-instrumentalist Chinobay (née Herbert Kinobe) grew up playing the instruments of local Buganda musicians who provided the soundtrack for the Kanyange palace just up the hill from his house. Deeply influenced by these musicians and their history of resistance, much of Chinobay’s earlier work featured updated versions of folk classics, played on one of the eighteen instruments he masters. Now as a songwriter and musician, Chinobay’s original work brings people’s stories to life to show the richness of Africa in all of its facets––not only as a backdrop for suffering. Using traditional instruments, he weaves African roots music into rich tapestries of lilting melodies, singing in Luganda, Swahili, and English. Chinobay’s new album, due to drop in August 2022, is a meeting point for global cultures, incorporating contributions from numerous musicians from the Global South.

The son of two school teachers, Chinobay’s passion for arts pedagogy as a channel for social change has led him to follow in his parents’ footsteps as an educator. Traveling through different communities as a musical ambassador for UNICEF’s women’s education program, he realized the potential that music had for positive societal impact. This realization would eventually translate into Dance of Hope, Chinobay’s arts education project. In Dance of Hope, young performers hailing from every corner of the African continent come together to hone their craft of dance and percussion, and offer workshops globally to children in underserved areas. Chinobay also founded and serves as Interim Executive Director of the 501(c)3 organization World Bridge Foundation, a philanthropic endeavor dedicated to improving the livelihoods of vulnerable communities with transparency, respect, empathy, and accountability.