Suna Emmanuel alias OS Suna is an artiste, music producer, video director, songwriter and an instrumentalist.
Five years ago, OS converted to Islam and changed his name to Abdul Shakur but later converted back to Christianity.
Monday Times caught up with him as we bring in this full interview below:
Monday Times Uganda: Who is OS?
OS: My real name is Suna Emmanuel; I will become 36 years old this Christmas. I was born in Mityana from Busujju Sub County in Misijji Village but we migrated to Mbirizi in Masaka. I am the 4th born of 5 children and we are only two boys. I am a real Prince Omulangira from a royal lineage of King Winyi (ancient king); his palace is in Kiboga district on a village called Kibulala. Im a father of 4 kids and am a Ssalongo (father of twins).
Am a producer, both audio and video and also a song writer both for business and myself.
Monday Times Uganda: You have a very hot song with Spice Diana. How did you come to do that collabo with her?
OS: It was my idea because I wrote the song but never had the idea of collaborating with anyone but when I wrote another song (Be with you), I wanted to collaborate with a female artiste but when Rema Namakula heard the song, she liked it and I sold it to her but remember, I still had the idea of singing with a female artiste thats why I had to think of Diana because she is my longtime friend.
Monday Times Uganda: Tell us a bit about how you started your music journey
OS: I had music in my blood because way back in school, I used to sing in some clubs, am a professional instrumentalist. After school, I decided to learn these other instruments like the base guitar, piano, and the drums and thats when I developed the idea of production. I taught myself how to produce and most of my old songs are produced by me.
In 2004, I officially joined the music industry with my major breakthrough song, Joana and a couple of songs came along.
In 2006, I broke out with my biggest collaboration of the year Nakudata with the GoodLyf boys. That song gave me mileage in production because people contacted me to produce songs for them and that is when I produced songs like Muko Muko by King Michael, I produced some songs for the GoodLyf boys including Lwaki Onumya, Nyamba. I also did Zuena visuals for GoodLyf, Akanamba Ko by Eddy Kenzo and many more songs.
In 2007, ‘Nakudata’ won as the 2007 PAM awards. I did several collaborations later and in 2010, I did my biggest concert for my song called Love yo! Immediately after that concert, I converted to Islam and that is when I fell down musically because I started concentrating on religion and my music collapsed for five years but am back again into music.Religion needs a lot of time and it is difficult to do it seriously with other things.
Monday Times Uganda: Who inspired you into music?
OS: It was me, myself and I because I had the talent. I inspired myself!
Monday Times Uganda: What have been your three biggest hits according to you?
OS:
Joana
Nakudata
Love YO
But I have many more songs like Akateteyi, Tewali mbeera etc.
Monday Times Uganda: You started music a while ago, how can you say the music industry has changed from the time you started to today?
OS: It has changed totally because its growing rapidly but the only problem is that a lot of untalented artistes are coming into the music to spoil everything. Everyone just comes in to sing whatever they want.
But its also costly to be a musician now days because everything about music needs money. If someone is financially down, you cant handle that.
Monday Times Uganda: What challenges can a musician who is starting music today be ready to deal with?
OS: If you dont have money then its hard to get the attention.
Monday Times Uganda: Your lyrics are very powerful. Where do you get the inspiration for them? Are they personal experiences or?
OS: I dont have personal experiences even; I just write what comes to my head. I dont derive stories from other things. I just give a story from nowhere then someone makes a story out of that.
Monday Times Uganda: Which musician would you like to collaborate with?
OS: As long as you are talented; but in particular, Jose Chameleone, Juliana, Rema and Cindy
Monday Times Uganda: What should a musician today do to remain successful as a musician?
OS: Just give good music and behave well, respect your fans,
Monday Times Uganda: If you were not a musician, which career would you have wanted to be?
OS: I love farming its one of my part time things that I do
Monday Times Uganda: What have been your most recent projects in the last year?
OS: I dont release music rapidly, I give my music time because I dont want to suffocate my fans. Last year I did Tewali mbeera remix with Gravity, Ngonyumye, Woowe with David Lutalo then this year I have Byekola byokka and Emmala with Spice.
Monday Times Uganda: What do we expect from OS in the next five years?
OS: I want to expand my horizon internationally.
Monday Times Uganda: Any last words for your fans?
OS: I love my fans, a lot is cooking in the White House
Monday Times Uganda: How can people interesting in reaching you for business contact you?
OS: Facebook – OS Suna
Twitter – Os Suna
YouTube – Os Suna
Instagram – Iam Os Suna
Phone Number – 0703610452
