Eric Opoka alias Eezzy is a second year Kyambogo University student currently pursuing a Bachelors in Industrial Art and Design. Eezzy, who is best known for his top charting banger “Tumbiza Sound” sat down for an interview with Campus Bee to dissect a number of issues including books, music, relationship, business, among others.
Born and raised in Kampala, Eezzy is an Acholi by tribe who has so far released about 13 songs, 70% sang in Acholi and the remaining 30% is a cocktail of Luganda and a few English lines.
The trending singer, who is soon dropping a collabo with Songbird Lydia Jazmine narrates that his musical journey started way back but he didn’t assume that he would one day record a song of his own. According to Eezzy, he used to mimic Gravity Omutujju’s ‘Walumbe Zaaya’ song, little did he know that it would earn him recognition.
“Around 2012, I think I was in my form one , that’s when I was performing like miming some song of Gravity I think it was Walumbe Zaaya and people were shouting and so happy and you know praising me and all.” Eezzy narrated.
“In my mind, I started thinking like what if that song I was performing was my own song and my own lyrics and people were chanting my own name,” Eezzy recalls.
Fresh off entertaining his fellow students, Eezzy then sat his parents down and explained to them how he had developed love for music. Apparently, his parents were at first rebellious but they later came on board to supported his passion.
Around 2015, Eezzy decided to go back to his home town, Gulu to rediscover his roots. Eezzy joined the industry with Luganda songs but when he traveled back home, he learnt how to blend Acholi in his songs and he later mastered to pen down good music in his mother tongue.
“I decided to go back to my home town and rediscover myself. I used to sing in Luganda but then I changed and started to sing in my language, build a career from there and bring it up where I am right now.” Eezzy said.
On why he sounds a bit like Fik Fameica, Eezzy described himself as a multi-talented artist who can both sing and rap. Eezzy admitted that his style is a collection of different styles by several Ugandan artists who have inspired him.
Making of Tumbiza Sound
The second year Kyambogo University student further narrated to Campus Bee that one day, he woke up sad following the continued closure of bars in a bid to slow the spread of COVID-19. As an artist, he felt grieved and decided to speak out through music and boom, Tumbiza sound emerged.
“Tumbiza Sound is a song that I woke up one day with a certain grieve in my heart and felt like a needed to say something. Inside me I felt like there was something, the same thing that other artists were feeling.” Eezzy said.
“That’s why I decided to sit back, think and write something about these people and at least remind the government that if they are thinking of other people they should also think about us. Its not about us going to bars, think of where the positive message in the song is.” Eezzy explained.
Education
According to Eezzy, he has mastered how to balance books and music by knowing when to do what as well as knowing what is the priority.
Despite being a celebrity, some Kyambogo lectures apparently still look at Eezzy as a normal student while his fellow students realized he’s a singer when Tumbiza Sound blew up.
“Lecturers don’t follow the kind of music I do, so they look at me as a normal person. My fellow students… before this song, most of them didn’t realize I was a singer until now.” Eezzy confessed.
Unlike most students who don’t pursue what they studied as careers, Eezzy plans to pursue art because he feels more comfortable at it.
“I love imaging things and putting them down either in an image form or in a written form, so I would love to pursue it as a career.” Eezzy said.
Speaking of retakes, Eezzy swore that he has never failed to reach an extent of getting a retake ever since he joined Kyambogo University and he does not plan to get any.
“I haven’t gotten any luckily, also due to hard work and I don’t hope to get any (Eezzy laughs)”
According to Eezzy, Kyambogo is the best university in the land and its students are calm and focused.
“Kyambogo is a very calm university, you see in Kyambogo is where you get kids that are not taken by life, they are very down to earth, they are focused and they know what they want. They are so down to earth that all they think of is success and how to complete successfully what they are doing.” Eezzy confessed.
Wanna know who Eezzy is dating? What else he’s doing besides music? his advice to young people? Well check out the video below for a more detailed narration.