From Undercover Brothers to own band

Tell us about yourself

My name is Timothy Kirya alias Tim Music. I am a musician and a songwriter.

I started out from singing competitions. In 2013, while performing at the Coca Cola Rated Next Sing It, I met a friend with whom we formed a group called the Undercover Brothers and emerged to perform at the Tusker Project Fame as a duet. Before Covid-19, I moved on to start a small band called Music Gallery with Enoch Mutebi.

After which I later joined my little brother in Jinja and created the band called Storm City Band till date.

What doors did this open for you?

Tusker Project Fame was a great thing to happen to my friend and I. It made us bigger that we didn’t know what to even do with the fame. Haha!

But being part of it as two boys that had just started music was quite a great experience.

What was your start like, owning a band of your own?

I wanted my band to grow and go commercial, so during the second Covid lockdown, we started playing at dinners and other functions. We later got more contracts with bars and restaurants.

 How did you discover yourself?

While attending my Primary school at Joy Emmanuel Primary School, I joined the MDD programmes and was interested in traditional dances and singing folk songs.

Also I grew up in a musical family where my siblings loved playing guitar and singing.

I would sing while on my way to the shops and overheard some passersby wonder if it was a radio or myself singing. I told them it was the radio!

 What inspired you?

My big brother taught me my first guitar chords while I was at Secondary school. At one point, I dropped out of school due to some hard times and music was my therapy. I would play my favorites which are Boys to Men, Usher and Brian Macknight’s music and often sing alone incase power was out.

Which songs are you known for?

Well, I wrote song such as omwagala Kilalu, Nabirye, Nsikatira and wrote my verses on Ani and many more others in Undercover Brothers’ songs. Just last year I did my first solo song called “Singa” and currently working on my other music.

What are some of the achievements?

Well through the whole experience of my music journey I have got that respect of being talented.  Being hired by many people to play on different functions and music is something I will do with happiness and be paid for it.

Have been to places I never thought I would be. Basically music put me somewhere in life.

 What challenges have you encountered?

I do mostly live band music business and have come across people that do not want to pay after I have offered my services. This has made the job difficult over the years.

Do you read…which book are you currently reading?

Honestly, am not a reader haha

 What is your favourite hangout?

I am now living in Jinja and not so much of a guy that hangs out a lot but love Busowoko falls.

What is your favourite drink?

I definitely like Ug punches in soda, with lime and ice.

What is your favourite food?

I enjoy a plate of rice, goat or Pilau.

What time do you wake up and what do you do first

I wake up at 7:40AM during school times to take my daughter to school, I most times wake up rushing but I always thank God for the new day first thing.

 What are your hobbies?

Hanging out, watching movies and playing some guitar and also love wood work I do that a lot at my home workshop.

Who is your role model?

Usher and Boys 2 men.

 Is singing all you do….what else do you do and how do you create a work life balance?

I am handy but love wood work (carpentry) and target is interior designing. And I do music at night and during the day I do carpentry.

How do you keep your star on even after participating in recognised structures such as tusker project fame….many artistes only last a season during competitions

Well I kept just going and being in band has kept me going, being on stages as I work on my music too.  Music has always been part of me and I do not think I will ever let it go.