Walt Disney World can be overwhelming at times. When you consider the crowds, advanced planning, and size, it’s a lot for even the most dedicated fans. I love the parks, but what I’ve grown to appreciate more lately are the quiet spots that give us a chance to recharge. A perfect example is Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, which retains its magic but also provides a relaxing environment. It feels different than the rest of Walt Disney World and is the one resort that becomes its own destination.
We’ve stayed at the Animal Kingdom Lodge three times, and I can’t get enough of the atmosphere. One of my favorite activities is just strolling through the lobby and enjoying the background music. These songs have also helped to keep me sane while in quarantine due to COVID-19. I’ve started looking into the artists that have created the music at my favorite resort. A perfect example is Samite, whose album Silina Musango has become a regular part of my daily listening while at home.
Born and raised in Uganda, Samite has a fascinating story beyond his music. He fled to Kenya as a political refugee in 1982 and ultimately immigrated to the United States in 1987. Samite found success playing the flute, but his music goes well beyond just that instrument. His latest album, Resilience, was released in 2018 and is his 11th. Samite also founded the Musicians for World Harmony and was the subject of the PBS documentary Song of the Refugee. I definitely want to learn more about his background.
Samite at the Animal Kingdom Lodge
I was surprised to realize that at least seven songs by Samite are part of the background music at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. This includes many selections of his album Stars to Share, including the beautiful “Sala Endongo”. In this article, I’m just focusing on the two selections from his album Silina Musango. Released in 1996, it was his fourth release and is strong from start to finish. Like I mentioned earlier, it’s become a regular part of my rotation while in quarantine. It’s the perfect album to play early in the day to help with anxiety or concerns about work or the world in general.
The two songs playing in the Jambo House lobby (and beyond) are the original “Wasuze Otya?” and Samite’s take on the traditional “Ekibobo”. Both are great choices, and you can’t really go wrong with any of them. Translated into English as “how did you say?“, the song “Wasuze Otya?” has just the right vibe for grabbing a coffee and relaxing. An even catchier track is “Ekibobo”, which closes out the album. This title means basket in Luganda and is also the name of a Ugandan game. There’s a playful sense to this tune, and the repetition makes it a fun conclusion to Silina Musango.
In future installments of this series, I’m planning to dig further into background music at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. If you want to capture that atmosphere at home, give Samite’s music a listen. You can also check out a sampling of his work along with other artists on the African Voices: Songs of Life compilation from 1996. Since many of us won’t be visiting Walt Disney World and staying at our favorite resorts this year, it’s important to find other ways to connect. If you’re a fan of the Animal Kingdom Lodge or African music in general, Samite is a perfect place to start.
If you’re a member of Amazon Prime, you can stream Silina Musango through Amazon Music plus his album Kambu Angels.
Related Articles: Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
The Details of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge (Photo Essay)
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Review (2017)
Boma Breakfast in the Animal Kingdom Lodge
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The music from AKL is some of my favorite to listen to while working. The Christmas loop in particular is THE BEST!
It’s definitely up there for me, especially lately. I haven’t heard the Christmas AKL loop, though. I’ll have to look for that one. Thanks for the tip.
Have you found the full list of artists and song titles played as background music in the Animal Kingdom Lodge?
This is the best example that I’ve found of a playlist: https://www.aklresort.com/content/animal-kingdom-lodge-music. I haven’t checked every one of these and it is from 2010, but I know the two Samite songs from Silina Musango are accurate at least based on loops that I’ve listened to from YouTube.
I’m also a fan of this and other WDW resort music. Nomad Lounge has some great tracks that also include Australian and Middle Eastern music. My daughter and I went to eat at Boma some years back and stopped in the shop there and picked up the AK CD and have been fans ever since.
Debbie, the Animal Kingdom soundtrack CD is amazing too. I play that one in the background pretty often when I’m trying to focus or just relax. They also play it on the buses going back to the Animal Kingdom Lodge, which is a nice touch after a long day in the parks. I haven’t spent much time at Nomad Lounge so far, but I’ve heard great things. Hearing about the background music just makes me want to go there even more.
Currently there is an additional track in the lobby music by Samite entitled Sala Endongo. It’s apart of the Stars To Share album as well. It’s a beautiful song.
Awesome! I also really like that album, and I’ll check out that song and update this article soon. Thanks!