Jon Muq Shares His Story on Latest Single 'Flying Away From Home' Ahead of Debut Album
Flying Away, the powerful debut from Jon Muq, tells the story of Muq’s life thus far.
By: Josh Sharpe May. 21, 2024
Uganda-born, Austin-based, singer-songwriter Jon Muq shares the penultimate single “Flying Away From Home” from his forthcoming debut album, Flying Away, produced by Dan Auerbach and set for release May 31 via Easy Eye Sound.
The new single, which blends upbeat classic pop, with fuzzed out guitars, and Muq’s singular sunny vocal, shares his message to follow your dreams across the diaspora, and that by running away, you can find your true home and place in the world. As Jon sings, “Always dreamed I'd go away / Somewhere maybe I could fly / So I left my home when I was 23 years old / And sailed away into the night.”
Or as he simply put it to SPIN in an extensive feature, “It takes courage to run,” Jon says, “From either good or bad, it just takes courage.”
The song is accompanied by a striking music video, an animated kaleidoscopic visual which beautifully depicts his incredible journey from Uganda to Austin.
Atwood Magazine premiered the single this morning, stating, "His latest single is an autobiographical story and an inspiration for everyone who's ever wondered if there might be something more for them in this life: Muq's inner light shines on the sunny and soulful "Flying Away From Home," a heartfelt song of passion and hope and an anthem for dreamers everywhere."
Muq will be joining Mavis Staples on a run of European dates this summer and opening for The Black Keys on their International Players tour this fall. Full dates below.
Flying Away, the powerful Dan Auerbach-produced debut from Jon Muq, tells the story of Muq’s life thus far, chasing sound from a young age and his Odyssean journey from Kampala, Uganda to Austin, TX. Ahead of the release of his debut, he has already opened for legendary performers Billy Joel, Mavis Staples, Norah Jones, Corinne Bailey Rae as well as signing to The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach’s prominent label Easy Eye Sound.
When Muq was a kid in Uganda, dealing with issues like food scarcity, he found his cousin's CD of “We Are The World.” He listened to the track every day, learned every note, imitating all of the different singers on the track like Stevie, Michael and Lionel, and learning to sing in English, and even learning to write in English (one of his songs is inspired by a Cyrano De Bergerac moment in which Muq’s English letter helped win his friend’s lover’s heart back).
He would sing in the streets of Mutungo – a village near Kampala – singing Western songs and hiding in the shadows at night, too shy to reveal himself as the mysterious singer, but all the while practicing. One day he happened upon two musicians with a guitar rehearsing for church. That guitar changed his life, leading him to a local hotel gig, as well as performing for homeless children in the streets of Mutungo, all rehearsals for his future.
A video of him performing in the streets made its way to Norwegian Cruise Lines, who were seeking job applicants in his hometown. “They saw the video and asked me if I wanted to sing on a boat.” Said Muq, “This was like a city on the water. I couldn’t believe it would float. My friends thought the pictures I showed them had been Photoshopped.”
This led him on the beginning of many more adventures, eventually leading him to Austin, TX where he has become ingrained in the local music scene.
Soon, Muq caught the attention of Dan Auerbach, who signed and started developing with Muq his debut project.
They’ve been in the studio, and the debut record is sure to be a major statement from a young artist who is sharing his diasporic influences, raw talent, and optimistic outlook with audiences.
“I never expected it to work this way. I never said, I’m going to get a job at a hotel. I’m going to get a job on a cruise line. I’m going to work with Dan Auerbach. Everything happened because I was following sound. I was chasing it. I was just singing.”
US TOUR DATES
May 24 - Oklahoma City, OK - Scissortail Park
May 31 - Austin, TX - Waterloo Records in-store
June 2 - Pittsburgh, PA - Three Rivers Festival
June 6 - Houston, TX - McGonigel’s Mucky Duck
June 7 - Austin, TX - 04 Center
June 13 - Bergen, Norway - Bergenfest
June 15 - Utrecht, NL - Tivoli/Vredenburg ^
June 16 - Antwerpen, BE - Queen Elisabeth Hall ^
June 18 - Paris, FR - Casino de Paris ^
June 20 - Barcelona, ES - Forum Karlin ^
June 24-25 - London, UK - Union Chapel ^
July 5 - Marshfield, MA - Levitate Festival
July 6-7 - Orillia, ON Canada - Mariposa Fest
July 10 - Ottawa, ON - Ottawa Blues Fest
July 13-14 - Winnipeg, MB - Folk Fest
July 25 - Glasgow, UK - Glad Cafe
July 26 - London, UK - Omeara
July 28 - Cambridge, UK - Cambridge Folk Festival
Aug 24 - Tonder, DK - Tonder Festival
Aug 26 - Stockholm, SE - Pustervik (Upstairs)
Aug 27 - Gothenburg, SE - Debaser/Bar Brooklyn
Aug 29 - Oslo, NO - Salt Pyramidian stage
Aug 31 - Birmingham, UK - Moseley Folk Fest
Sept 6 - Washington, D.C. - Kennedy Center
Sept 7 - Greensboro NC - North Carolina Folk Fest
Sept 8 - Evanston, IL - Folk Fest
Sept 17 - Tulsa, OK - BOK Center *
Sept 18 - Austin, TX - Moody Center *
Sept 20 - Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center *
Sept 21 - Houston, TX - Toyota Center *
Sept 24 - Denver, CO - Ball Arena *
Sept 26 - Phoenix, AZ - Footprint Center *
Sept 27 - Los Angeles, CA - Kia Forum *
Sept 28 - Palm Springs, CA - Acrisure Arena *
Sept 29 - Mountain View, CA - Shoreline Amphitheatre *
Oct 2 - Portland, OR - Moda Center *
Oct 3 - Seattle, WA - Climate Pledge Arena *
Oct 6 - San Francisco, CA - Hardly Strictly Fest
Oct 12 - Austin, TX - ACL Music Fest
* w/The Black Keys
^ w/Mavis Staples
Flying Away Track Listing
- Runaway
- One You Love
- Shake Shake
- Lucky Love
- Bend
- Love, Love, Love
- Crying, Laughing, Loving, Lying
- Butterflies
- Hello Sunshine
- Dark Door
- Flying Away From Home
- Riding
Photo Credit: Jim Herrington
Comments
Videos