Joshua Baraka Biography: Songs, Age, Net Worth, Girlfriend, Tribe, Albums, Parents, Kids, Real Name, Family

Biography

Joshua Baraka is a renowned Ugandan singer-songwriter, music producer, and multi-instrumentalist born on December 13, 2000, in Kawempe, Kampala, to a Kenyan father and Ugandan mother.

Raised in the gritty Bwaise slum, where poverty shaped his early years, Baraka discovered his passion for music at age six, joining a friend’s group and later playing keyboard in church.

Initially aspiring to become a doctor, he dropped out of A-levels at 19 to pursue music full-time after dabbling in production and gigging as a pianist in local bars. His breakthrough came with the 2021 EP Baby Steps, followed by the viral 2023 hit “Nana,” which dominated TikTok and charts across East Africa.

Baraka blends soulful Afropop with introspective lyrics drawn from personal and communal stories, earning him over 20 million global streams, a spot as a Spotify RADAR Africa artist, and collaborations with producers like Grammy-winner JAE5.

In 2024, he released the deluxe edition of his EP Growing Pains and toured Europe; his debut mixtape Recess arrived in 2025, with a full studio album slated for later that year.

Ugandan musician and music producer
Joshua Baraka
Wiki Facts & About Data
Real Name:	Joshua Baraka
Born:	13 December 2000 (age 24 years old)
Place of Birth:	Kawempe, Kampala, Uganda
Nationality:	Ugandan
Education:	Kitante Primary School, Makerere College School, Mengo Senior School
Height:	175 cm
Parents:	Elias Baraka, Amina Nansubuga
Siblings:	2
Spouse:	Not Married
Girlfriend • Partner:	Etania Mutoni (2022)
Children:	N/A
Occupation:	Musician • Record Producer
Net Worth:	$281,700 (USD)

Early Life & Education

Joshua Baraka was born on December 13, 2000, in Kawempe, a suburb of Kampala, Uganda. His early life unfolded in the challenging environment of the Bwaise slum, where economic hardships forged his determination and grounded perspective.

Of mixed ethnicity, Baraka inherited Kenyan roots from his father, Elias Baraka, a dedicated pastor, and Ugandan heritage from his mother, Amina Nansubuga, a passionate church choir leader whose melodic influence permeated their home.

The family adhered to Christianity, with faith serving as a cornerstone that not only shaped their spiritual life but also introduced young Joshua to music through hymns and worship sessions. He shares a close bond with his two younger siblings—a brother and a sister—who he often credits with adding joy to their modest household despite the struggles.

For education, Baraka attended several local primary schools amid frequent moves driven by financial constraints, ultimately completing his primary studies at the esteemed Kitante Primary School in Kampala.

This foundation fueled his early curiosity, though he later pursued secondary education at Makerere College School for O-levels and Mengo Senior School for A-levels, initially aiming for a medical career before pivoting to music at age 19 with his parents’ unwavering support.

Career

Joshua Baraka‘s music career ignited in his late teens, evolving from humble local gigs to international acclaim as a trailblazing Ugandan artist blending Afrobeat, R&B, dancehall, and Amapiano.

After dropping out of A-levels at 19 to pursue music full-time, he sharpened his skills playing piano in Kampala’s bars and restaurants, covering everything from afrobeats to jazz ballads to make ends meet.

This period honed his multi-instrumental prowess on keys and guitar, while self-taught production skills laid the groundwork for his independent ethos.

His professional breakthrough arrived in August 2021 with the release of his debut EP Baby Steps, a raw four-track project entirely written and produced in a makeshift home studio. Featuring introspective cuts like “Be Me,” it introduced his soulful vocals and storytelling rooted in love, self-discovery, and resilience, earning early buzz in Uganda’s underground scene.

Building momentum, Baraka dropped singles “Belinda” and “Sana” in 2022—both featuring Merry Lynn—the former a satirical nod to social media fame that served as a “warm-up” for greater hits. The pivotal 2023 single “Nana” catapulted him to stardom, its infectious hook and vulnerable lyrics about relational codependency exploding on TikTok and dominating charts across East Africa, including topping Uganda and Kenya’s Apple Music lists.

Produced by Grammy-winner JAE5, the track amassed millions of streams, positioning Baraka as a voice for a new generation. That same year, he released the EP Growing Pains, a deeper exploration of emotional maturation, which expanded his sonic palette and drew continental attention.

By 2024, Baraka‘s profile soared globally: he was named a Spotify RADAR Africa artist, collaborated with heavyweights like South Africa’s Nkosazana Daughter on the amapiano-infused “Alone,” Nigeria’s Qing Madi and Simi on a “Dalilah” reprise, and featured on DJ Neptune‘s “Tonight.”

Standouts like “Dive In” and “Wrong Places” showcased his versatility, while a remix of “Nana” with Joeboy, King Promise, and Bien further bridged East and West African sounds. He capped the year with a European tour, performing to rapturous crowds and solidifying his role as an ambassador for Ugandan music.

In 2025, Baraka released his debut mixtape Recess in January—a sonically cohesive “snack” of raw, road-inspired tracks without a rigid theme, teasing his forthcoming full-length studio album later that year.

Additional singles like “Digii IV” with Mr. Tee and Tenorboy, “Omukwano (Love),” and features on Krizbeatz‘s “Touch Me” and “No Bad Vibes” with KILIMANJARO stressed his relentless output, pushing his global streams past 20 million.

His maiden concert, “Into The Braka Land,” which took place on November 29, 2025, at Kampala’s Ndere Cultural Center, presented by Talent Africa Group—was a homecoming milestone blending his hits with live energy.

Baraka remains a humble innovator, drawing on influences such as Bob Marley and Cory Henry to craft intentional, genre-defying music that amplifies East African narratives worldwide.

Social Media

• Wikipedia: Joshua Baraka
• Facebook: Joshua Baraka
• Instagram: Joshua Baraka (@itsjoshuabaraka)
• Twitter: B’RAKA (@itsJoshuaBaraka) / X
• YouTube: Joshua Baraka

Personal Life

Joshua Baraka, born on December 13, 2000, in Kawempe, Kampala, Uganda, is 24 years old—still a young force in the music world.

He is not married and has no children, having publicly stated in interviews that marriage and starting a family aren’t priorities right now, as he and his partner focus on building their careers.

Baraka is in a committed relationship with Etania Mutoni, a 25-year-old Ugandan DJ and radio personality, whom he began dating privately around 2022 before going public in 2023; the couple celebrated three years together in 2025, often sharing glimpses of their travels, including a European tour.

They met through mutual connections in Kampala’s entertainment scene, with Baraka first spotting her on TV, and have faced minor public scrutiny over their two-year age gap, which he dismisses as irrelevant to their deep bond.

He has alluded to one notable past relationship during his late teens or early 20s, which ended painfully amid personal stress and his pivot to music full-time—he described it as a time when he wasn’t ready for romance, leading to an abrupt breakup that left him reflective.

This experience subtly informs his songwriting on themes of love’s vulnerabilities, as heard in tracks like “Nana.” No other public relationships are documented, and Baraka keeps his romantic life out of the spotlight to avoid drama, once noting that Etania isn’t his “manager” despite fans’ assumptions.

Physically, Baraka stands at an estimated 5 feet 9 inches (175 cm) tall, with a lean, athletic build honed from his teenage years boxing in Kampala gyms. This discipline instilled resilience amid Bwaise’s challenges.

Net Worth

Joshua Baraka, the Ugandan singer-songwriter, has an estimated net worth of approximately $281,700 USD, primarily driven by streaming royalties, live performances, and collaborations.

This figure reflects his rapid ascent since the 2023 viral hit “Nana,” which propelled over 20 million global streams, alongside earnings from EPs like Growing Pains and his 2025 mixtape Recess.

Earlier estimates pegged his wealth lower, at around 18 million Ugandan shillings (roughly $4,800 USD) in 2022, emphasising his exponential growth through Spotify deals, European tours, and features with artists like Joeboy and Simi.

Baraka‘s independent hustle, including self-production and gigging, keeps his finances lean yet promising, with ambitions for a major album fueling further revenue potential.

Discography

Extended Plays (EPs)  

• Baby Steps (2021) – debut 4-track project  
• Growing Pains (2023)  
• Growing Pains (Deluxe) (2024)  
• Growing Pains (Live) (2024)

Mixtapes  

• Recess (January 2025) – his first official mixtape

Studio Albums  

• None released yet. Debut full-length album JUVIE is confirmed for late 2025/early 2026.

Key Singles (as lead artist)  

• Tomorrow (pre-2021)  
• Belinda ft. Merry Lynn (2022)  
• Sana ft. Merry Lynn (2022)  
• Nana (2023) – breakout viral hit  
• Dive In (2024)  
• Lonely (2024)  
• Alone with Nkosazana Daughter (2024)  
• Wrong Places (2025)  
• Omukwano (Love) (2025)  
• Falling in Love (2025)

Major Remixes & Expanded Versions  

• Nana Remix ft. Joeboy, King Promise & Bien (2024)  
• Dalilah ft. Axon (2023)  
• Dalilah II ft. Axon, Simi & Qing Madi (2024)

Notable Features & Collaborations  

• Tonight – DJ Neptune ft. Joshua Baraka (2024)  
• Body on Me – Skales ft. Joshua Baraka (2024)  
• Touch Me – Krizbeatz ft. FAVE & Joshua Baraka (2024)  
• No Bad Vibes – Krizbeatz ft. KILIMANJARO, Jazzy & Gyakie (2025)  
• Digii IV – Mr Tee & Tenorboy ft. Joshua Baraka (2025)  
• Nayomi – Mun*G ft. Joshua Baraka (2024)  
• Wano – various artists ft. Joshua Baraka (2024)  
• Box – various artists ft. Joshua Baraka (2024)

With over 40 released songs and more than 20 million global streams, Joshua Baraka’s catalog continues to expand rapidly as he prepares to drop his highly anticipated debut album JUVIE.