(Juba) – South Sudanese musician Silver X, born Okuta Ceaser Malish Jeremiah, has shared a personal reflection on life and its challenges, using a metaphor to describe it as a journey similar to driving on a highway — where there is always someone ahead and someone behind.
In a message posted online, he urged followers to avoid competition and comparisons, encouraging them instead to focus on self improvement and inner peace.
“Life is not about who gets there first,” Silver X wrote. “We all have our own pace. I just want to be better than the older version of myself.”
Silver X, who goes by the Lotuko name “Okuta”, began his music career in Torit before moving to Juba in 2007. Since then, he has grown into a household name across the country.
His early music career took off with the release of Binia Lotuko, his debut album, followed by Wasaaka Bataal in 2008 — a project backed by a non governmental organisation to promote hygiene and sanitation in Eastern Equatoria.
That same year, he released Sudan Belade Saeem, supported by the state’s Ministry of Health. His use of music for public awareness campaigns became one of his defining traits.
Silver X’s breakthrough came in 2010 with the release of Fattisu Shockoal (translated “Searching for a Job”), a hit that resonated widely with unemployed graduates. It became one of the most played songs of the year across various South Sudanese and regional radio stations, bringing attention to youth unemployment. Later that year, he launched Wele, which won the Voice of the People (VP) award and was also named Song of the Year at the SSOSA Music Awards.
His musical journey continued with Masura in 2012, Carolina in 2013, Ana Bi Wori in 2014, and Dunia Karabu in 2015. In 2016, he crossed borders with East African Lover, a music video shot in Nairobi featuring Kenyan artist Rennee.
Silver X has received numerous awards, including Best Male Artist at the Eye Radio Awards in both 2014 and 2019, and the South Sudan Music Awards’ Male Artist of the Year in 2022. In 2014, the U.S.-based Foreign Policy magazine named him one of its “Top 100 Global Thinkers” for using music as a tool to address public and social issues.
Despite occasional controversies — such as a public accusation in 2021 by a fellow South Sudanese artist — Silver X continues to maintain his standing in the country’s music industry.
He is also the founder and CEO of Holyland Music, a label that supports South Sudanese talent. In his personal life, he married Susan Diiku in a ceremony held in Kampala, Uganda.
He has a career spanning over 15 years and his music continues to inspire many.
