Shady Ahmed is a singer, guitarist and songwriter from Egypt. His music is a fusion of folk, pop and rock. He started off with an Egyptian underground band called Karvin in 2006, after which they split up and he went on to work on his solo project and feature many bands and musicians in various successful shows.
He also had on album released under the title “Life Is Hard for Those Who Dream”.You think that’s a lot for a twenty-something young Egyptian guy? Not for Shady, who also works as a creative director at Disalata, an interactive online video magazine, where young Egyptians can find entertainment, discover new experiences and connect with others based on similar interests. When Disalata decided to make the Egyptian version of “Happy”, he was on the team. They customized the lyrics to fit the Egyptian culture and agreed on a famous singer to record it, but two days before the recording session, the singer withdrew and Shady came to the rescue and decided to sing it himself. Little did he know that this little project will become a huge hit. The song’s main message is that people shouldn’t succumb to the circumstances and other people’s negativity, and try to be as happy as they can be. When asked about his happiest moment throughout this project, Shady gives an unusual answer: “The happiest moment about this track was when it started to go viral and, though many people loved it, it also received some negative comments from pessimistic people who thought there was nothing to be happy about in Egypt. The more they were the more determined I was to make a difference, and even though I do feel like traveling and exploring my options outside, I’ll always enjoy the many flavors unique to Egypt and do my best to give back. I owe it this much and more.”
For more information: Disalata, Shady Ahmed Facebook Page, @ShadyAhmed on Twitter