Promoter Ashley talks about her career, love life and her work with celebrities

Dubai based Hadija Mohammed popularly known as Ashley, is a music and events promoter working closely with Rham Events in Dubai. Ashley is a daughter to Mr Babu Ssemakula (Ugandan) and Feiza Khalid of Kenyan origin. She attended Kidimu and Mvita primary schools in Mombasa before joining Sumayya Girls High School in Kampala for six years and later studied journalism at Makerere University.

Showbiz Uganda (SB) talked to her about her events and music promotion job and how she handles working away from home.

SB: So tell us who is Ashley?

Ashley: Ashley is an ordinary person, hardworking social dependable independent. A United Arab Emirates (UAE)’s finest promoter and a proud mother of one.

SB: Tell us about you work?

Ashley: I promote Rham Events, the fastest and best events team at the moment in UAE. Rham Events is attached to Deejay Rham, the former DJ at Club Silk in Kampala who is currently plying his trade at Vegas Dubai. I am currently managing musicians working with Medi Vybes. I am a writer who during my free time has written a few books and soon publishing my first book titled ‘Bitter Honey’.

SB: How does it feel to be a promoter?

Ashley: It’s kind of very funny having to deal with people in Diaspora. It’s kind of challenging as we all know how people here work so much and putting the fact that we only have to use media to promote the events. It’s at the same time, so much fun and very promising. When we started in 2016 we had very few followers and fans but now we are the best events team in UAE.

SB: How does someone get to work with you?

Ashley: Through my manager Bashir Cetra who also works closely with Rham Events and has really contributed a lot to what I am now.

SB: What challenges have u faced in your work?

Ashley: I haven’t faced a lot of challenges for now apart from the fact that competition is a little stiff in the industry which requires me to put an extra effort, invention and hard work.

SB: How do you find entertainment industry in Dubai?

Ashley: So far so good when i joined the industry 2016 which Cetra introduced me to, i was working under Cetra Promotion and the industry was so low with only one club in Dubai. We didn’t give up, but worked hard and slowly it became very active and interesting. Its right now so encouraging knowing that we are the best in UAE.

SB: How do you find working with musicians and entertainers?

Ashley: Its fun…i actually enjoy working with musicians especially when you handle them well.

SB: Do you take musicians from Uganda to perform in Dubai?

Ashley: Yes we do..

SB: How often and what does it take for a musician to qualify. What do you consider?

Ashley: We often look at one who is doing quite well at  home …as in one who has a hit at the moment but mostly we look at Dubai market and we also try to inquire from our fans here to know which musician they  miss and would love  to see.

SB: Tell us about your love life?

Ashley: This is quite personal, we keep it for another day but i am a mother of one for now.

SB: Anything else you want to tell your fans and followers?

Ashley: Currently we have an upcoming show that is scheduled for 8th July 2017 featuring Sheebah Karungi at Club Vegas Dubai with DJ Rham. We promise Dubai people a VVIP treat and red carpet experience as well as massive performance.

SB: What is your final message?

Ashley: I want to take this opportunity to first thank my team..That’s my best UAE DJ Rham, his manager Barbie Alokiss and my manager Bashir Cetra for the strong team we have always been and for fans like we call them Dubai Kings and Queens.

I want to say thank you for always turning up in big numbers for our concerts and we promise not to give up soon but continue to entertain you at our  best as you deserve. Thank you Showbiz Uganda for always looking out for us even when we are away from home. I love you all my followers and fans….Big up www.showbizuganda.com