This singer, composer, dancer and drummer has become a well-known music figure all over East Africa. Her status as a star is justified by her unique artistic talent, her mellow singing voice and the success of her songs over such a short period of time.

As a child Saida's culture did not permit girls to sing and play drums. She lived in the small village of Rwongwe in the town of Bukoba in the western side of Lake Victoria in northern Tanzania. Her mother who was also a musical figure in the village encouraged Saida and taught her the essentials of music. Lacking support from her drunken father, Saida went to school until grade 5 only. At the age of 20, following the death of her mother and continued criticisms Saida still continued doing what she knows do to best - make music.

When one of FM Studios' departments involved in a talent search went looking for a talented Tanzanian to promote, it came across Saida Karoli in the town of Bukoba. After only three weeks of recording in FM Studios, the young village girl that nobody knew, suddenly exploded on the 2nd of September 2001 after the launching of her first album. All those in Tanzania felt the heat. Soon her music would conquer Uganda and Kenya with her irresistible tunes. Following the launch of her first album, one of Saida's songs titled Maria Salome stormed into the Radio One (a famous local station covering the whole of Tanzania) top ten, taking the 3rd position. The following week the song jumped straight into the top position and remained there for six consecutive weeks.

Among her great hits are also Kaisiki (a song that talks about mothers who throw away or abandon their children) and Ndombolo. By December 2001 Saida Karoli was selected to entertain the Ugandan King, The Kabaka of Buganda, Ronald Muwenda, during an annual Ugandan festival. In the invitation she was decribed as "an accomplished African Musician" who is " no doubt the most popular African musician in Uganda" and was voted by the "organising committee of this festival as the musician of the year." She sings predominantly in Kihaya - the language of the Haya tribe in Tanzania and sometimes in Kiswahili. However, even those who do not understand this language have been touched by her unique voice and the quality of her music. Her sources of inspiration are social values and the rural culture of Tanzania and that of its neighboring countries, plus the condition of human society.