Tanzanian producer S2kizzy reveals he misses international gigs due to fear of flying
By Steve Ireri, May 3, 2026Salmin Kasimu Maengo, popularly known by his producer-artiste name S2kizzy, has opened up about how a deep fear of flying has affected his international music engagements and appearances.
Speaking about his personal struggles in an interview shared by a local Bongo radio station on Sunday, May 3, 2026, S2kizzy revealed that he was unable to attend Juma Jux’s wedding in Nigeria due to what he described as flight phobia, noting that he prefers travelling by boat whenever possible.
“Yes, it is true that phobia is why I never attended Juma Jux’s wedding in Nigeria. I usually prefer boats, and I miss international gigs and events just because I have a fear of travelling by air on planes,” he shared.
He admitted that the fear has led him to miss several international gigs and major industry events, despite having previously travelled extensively for work.
According to him, there was a period when he frequently flew across countries alongside Tanzanian superstar Diamond Platnumz while working on music projects and performances.
However, he said everything changed after a particularly traumatic flight experience that left a lasting impact on him.
“By the way, there was a time I used to travel a lot. I used to travel with Diamond Platnumz frequently by plane, but there was a certain incident that happened that left me with a serious flight phobia and trauma. Since that day, I developed fear and even fever-like reactions when it comes to flying. I start shaking whenever I have to board a plane,” he revealed.
He recalled being on a flight from Senegal en route to Guinea-Bissau when the aircraft experienced severe turbulence, forcing the pilot to attempt emergency landings.
S2kizzy noted that the situation was extremely frightening, especially as the aircraft was diverted and forced to land in a different country from its intended destination.
He said the incident triggered what he described as fever-like trauma, which later developed into a long-term fear of flying.
He added that since that experience, he begins to shake whenever he is required to board a plane, making air travel extremely difficult for him.
“That incident happened after we experienced very strong turbulence while flying from Senegal en route to Guinea-Bissau. It was so serious that the pilot had to attempt emergency landings. We were eventually forced to land in another country instead of our intended destination. I was with Diamond Platnumz at the time,” he stated.
Despite the challenge, S2kizzy said he is actively working on overcoming the fear, noting that it has limited his ability to attend important international events and expand his professional network within the music industry.
“I am still working on overcoming this fear,” he added.