Jose Chameleon's radio dream resurrects in Burundi

• Dec 22, 2025

For years, it was the celebrity promise that became a running joke. The Leon Island Music CEO Jose Chameleone’s plan to launch a radio station. It was one of those grand ambitions that excited fans, dominated headlines... and then quietly vanished.

Back after the Covid-19 lockdowns, the self-styled Leone Island boss signaled a major brand restructure. He held a press conference in Kololo, flanked by his new management team, boldly announcing plans for both a radio and a television station. The message was clear: Chameleone wasn't just an artist; he was about to become a media mogul.

Three years later, the stations remained non-existent. The vision seemed destined for the shelf of unfulfilled celebrity dreams.

But that narrative is collapsing.

The Unlikely Launchpad: Burundi

Fresh intel from the music star’s inner circle suggests the long-stalled media project is finally kicking into high gear—but not in Uganda. The radio dream is crossing the border, with Burundi emerging as the shock launchpad!

This renewed momentum follows Chameleone’s recent high-profile visit to the country, where he attended an event at the invitation of President Évariste Ndayishimiye. Sources close to the musician are now linking the star-studded visit to deeper, behind-the-scenes business negotiations.

Insiders reveal the singer is exploring concrete plans to establish the station in Bujumbura, Burundi’s capital. The choice of location is purely strategic.

“It’s much easier to set up a station in Burundi,” one source disclosed. They point to a licensing environment that is reportedly friendlier and less restrictive compared to other nations in the region. That regulatory flexibility, sources confirm, was the decisive factor in reviving the project.

Beyond the Hits: A New Era of Influence

While details like the station's name, frequency, and programming direction are still under wraps, this move is widely seen as a calculated expansion of the mighty Chameleone brand.

After decades of shaping East Africa’s music landscape with hit songs and sold-out concerts, stepping into media ownership grants the artist a new kind of power—one rooted in culture, content, and regional reach. It's a natural evolution for a star seeking long-term investments that will ultimately outlive his performing career.

Whether this Burundi-based station finally fulfills a promise made years ago remains the million-dollar question. But for the first time in a long while, Jose Chameleone’s radio dream doesn't sound like a distant echo. It sounds like a signal slowly coming into range.