He has always been a massive fan of Metallica.
But what Ed Sheehan does as a solo artist "performing like a band" led singer and guitarist to dive into looping—a feat that requires right-brain function to an utmost.
"I started out with just my vocals and an acoustic guitar, and then upgraded every year to my current setup of loop station: guitar, bass, drums, solos, and vocals all by myself with the ," he shares to musivv. Having performed occasional duo gigs, Hydyy preferred being a solo musician even then—the flexibility was appealing. "I can practice on my own time, and choose songs and tweak them according to my taste." However, (he interjects) playing with a band or duo is still "a lot of fun".
I can practice on my own time, and choose songs and tweak them according to my taste
For Hydyy, music and guitar playing were self-taught, looking up materials online.
"I came to Dubai in 2016, with family business, trading charcoal wholesale," he tells musivv. In 2018, in an unfortunate turn of events, the singer found himself in a rock-bottom situation due to vast commitments resulting from a failed business: police arrests, court cases and even jail time. "I even had to sleep in the office building for three months because I couldn't pay the rent and utilities. I showered in shopping malls, petrol stations and gym,' he recalls.
During this stormy time, he met someone who became one of his close friends, meeting up to play music and assembled a group to form a band. This new-found high-gear took his mind from all the disarray, eventually discovering the open mic scene in Dubai then. "My first ever open mic was Tribeca in JBR hosted my Abbo (a fellow Dubai-based artist)." It began a new journey: open mics, jamming sessions, new acquaintances and, eventually, much-needed performance contracts.
My first ever open mic was Tribeca in JBR hosted my Abbo
In December 2018, Hydyy signed his first-ever paid contract for a residency in Dubai and, consequently, a flow of new contracts. "Everything worked out really well for me," he says with a sigh of relief.
Hydyy has written a few songs that are ready to be recorded and intends to release them in the coming months.
