Jon Muq ignited a spark in himself after he laid his eyes on a guitar for the first time at 18 years old. Thirteen years later, after releasing his first album Flying Away, he prepares to set the stage at Austin City Limits Music Festival. Ahead of his weekend two Saturday debut, The Daily Texan spoke with Muq about his musical journey and first home festival performance.
The Daily Texan: Why did you leave your home in Uganda and move to Austin to work on music in a language still new to you, and what were the reactions from your loved ones?
Jon Muq: I was always a curious person growing up. I always found myself listening to different (kinds) of music-like sounds. I always appreciated sound. One day I woke up and told my friends in Uganda, ‘I think I have this passion to sing English music.’ They didn’t take me seriously because I never spoke proper English. One day I was a nanny for my cousin, I was cleaning his house and landed on a CD, “We Are the World.” I told him to help me play the CD, and I was mind-blown. That triggered my passion even more.
DT: You tend to start your shows with your first song, “Always as One.” What inspired you to turn what was originally written as a letter into a song?
JM: I call (that song) special to me because it took me a while to feel confident to write (in) a language I didn’t speak. … My friend understood English but didn’t know how to write English. I knew how to write English, and I also understood English. So, this girl is breaking up with him and he talks to me … and I told him ‘I can write the letter.’ So, I write the letter and give it to him, and he takes it to the girl. The next day he tells me ‘Hey, it worked.’ I was like, ‘Oh, dude, can you bring my letter back’ because at that point I was just struggling to write music in English. I told myself, this is gonna be my first song to write.
DT: Your newest single “Flying Away From Home” recalls personal experiences from your musical journey. How does this differ from music you’ve worked on in the past?
JM: I think the difference is the story behind it. It’s about that time when people don’t believe in you. When you tell people ‘I want to sing English,’ and they just make (a) joke (out) of you, or they just … see you as a crazy person. This song describes that feeling and reminds people that … you just have to keep going.
DT: This is your first performance at ACL. What are you most looking forward to and what does this milestone mean to you?
JM: I’m looking forward to (sharing) the songs with people and (having) fun. It really means a lot — playing in the city I live in. It gives me the courage to keep working hard and keep being positive.
