By Music Uganda Reporter

Izaak Shiddy had love for football in which he excelled in the junior school team of Reverend John Academy Kitintale Kampala. Besides football, he was also a member of the school basketball team, later loosing interest in the two because of the bruises he got both in the field and on the court. He however did not hesitate when he was chosen to lead the class choir. In the same year, he joined the school choir as an actor, instrumentalist, participating in national drama competitions. In the year that followed, he joined Reverend John Academy Brass Band, one of the first prominent commercial Youth Brass Bands in East and Central Africa, in which he featured in a Nairobi tour. In the Brass Band, he played several instruments and later mastered the trumpet, which he played for almost eight years.  Brass Band performances did not only enable him earn income to foot his school dues at City High School but also exposed him to the entertainment world.

In 1994 he featured in Sir Alex Mukulu’s play known as Guest of Honor, then in Seven Wonders of Uganda in all as a back stage instrumentalist. In Guest of Honor he personally met Paul Mutebi of the Limit X who greatly inspired him with brilliant words of wisdom in the National Theatre Dressing Rooms corridor back stage

While in senior four at City High School, Izaak Shiddy and Straka (the then Pamela) formed one of the first drama groups in the school in which they staged a show. This marked one of his first solo performances in which he dirty danced with Straka and this almost cost him expulsion from the school.

While in senior five at Eagles Nest Secondary School, Shiddy together with Dot Patrick Ndawula (Luther Martin Kintu’s Cousin) formed a group in the names of FAITH IMAGE in which they performed to school students and members of staff every Friday of the week. The group split when Ndawula left for the US where he is now based and Shiddy then Joined Masaka Senior Secondary School where he completed his A-Level.

While in senior six vacation, Shiddy featured in a play Victoria Fish Basket then later released his first single with one Sudden Roots called “Kyanna”. This song featured on various FM Radio music shows and several clubs particularly Angenoir. He then joined Makerere University for a Bachelors Degree giving Music a break. While at the University he featured in I AM Not Here Because I Want (Siriwano Lwakwagala) and No More Crying (A play for International Aids Conference Delegates at Munyonyo) both with Change Africa International.

On accomplishing his first Degree, Shiddy says he returned to the Industry with a bang as a solo artist. Having known producer DIDI for almost four years, Shiddy decided to team up with him. DIDI on the keyboard and PC and SHIDDY behind the microphone, two songs were recorded including; OYITANGAYO and MASHARIKI AFRICA. Oyitangayo stressing the issue of “East or West home is best” and Mashariki Africa emphasizing the need for the “Re-Union” of the East African Community, this one being in Swahili and English, "it is suitable for all the audiences in East and Central Africa and the entire world at large", Shiddy says.However of recent, Oyitangayo is spreading like a wild fire on local FM radio stations and clubs. Shiddy says that in his music he intends to create a positive social impact to his fans on whichever topic the song is about; be it love relationships, domestic affairs in urban suburbs and rural homesteads, political issues, environmental issues, health issues and other social development issues among others. Musabe Abigonze is a follow up single to Oyitangayo which is about God and his power to Give and Take. Izaak Shiddy further reveals that with words of wisdom from his Mum, he has frequently relied on to God in order to succeed in life.  Listening to his music, you realize that he is gifted with a high-pitched melodious sweet voice. It is this voice that has made his contemporary Afro Beat style adored, winning him fans day by day from Uganda, East and Central Africa and the entire world at large. He is working on his first ever-solo album watch the space.

Besides music Shiddy is a researcher working with Agency for Environment & Wetlands (AEW) (www.aew-ugsnda.org)& Enabling Services Uganda Limited. ESUL(www.esulservices.com). He is currently in Norway pursuing a Master's degree.
"IZAAK SHIDDY"we wish you the best....

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