Jon Muq

Jon Muq, the acclaimed Ugandan-born singer-songwriter now based in Austin, Texas, believes that even our mistakes can lead us where we are meant to go. Long before he understood that singing could become his profession, he learned to trust sound as a compass. A school brass band led him to his first instrument. A guitar heard behind a fence gave him a way to accompany his voice. Years later, songs shared online would carry him from Uganda to stages around the world. After mistakenly assuming that a friend had written the Beatles’ “Blackbird,” Muq learned the song and posted his interpretation to Instagram. The performance caught the attention of producer Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys. Auerbach brought Muq to Nashville and produced his debut album, Flying Away. The record introduced Muq’s hopeful, emotionally direct songwriting to audiences around the world and led to performances across the United States, Europe, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. He has since shared stages with Billy Joel, Van Morrison, Norah Jones, Mavis Staples, Corinne Bailey Rae, and Valerie June. Working alongside his manager, music executive Kevin Wommack, Jon Muq expanded an initial event concept into a global platform: Shake It Africa. Operating across Africa, Europe, and North America, the record label and live entertainment company provides African artists with the sustained creative and professional support Muq lacked early in his career. Shake Shake Dance for Me is out now.