Abdu Rozik: The little man with a big heart on his Dubai dreams

Need something to perk up your day? Check out the Instagram handle of Tajik singer and social media sensation Abdu Rozik. The musician, blogger and boxer dishes out perpetually cheerful content, whether it’s a video to make us laugh, or a smiling photograph with a celebrity.

18-year-old Abdu Rozik who currently has over 2.4 million followers on Instagram, currently resides in Dubai on a UAE Golden Visa. It was a pleasure to meet Abdu when he dropped into the Khaleej Times office on Tuesday, March 22, to discuss a project close to his heart as well as the World Boxing Council belt he received recently.

Seeing as he makes so many people around the world happy with his posts and videos, what makes Abdu happy? “My family,” he responds instantly. They reside in Tajikistan and rely on Abdu for a living. As a child Abdu suffered from rickets that stunted his growth and today he is famous on social media as reportedly the world’s tiniest professional singer. Thanks to Abdu overcoming all odds and his success, his four siblings are pursuing an education, something he was unable to do. Ultimately, he wants to buy his family a home and also spread awareness about his condition and the fact that it’s possible to live a normal life even under those circumstances.

Abdu’s latest project is the ‘UAE Flag of Hope’ which is aiming to become the world’s largest laser printed flag. The singer’s management company IFCM.ae have invested in the flag which is a symbol of hope amidst the troubled times that people went through during the Covid pandemic.

Because mental health came into the spotlight during this time, Abdu hopes the flag which has 6000 cubes that will fit an equal number of messages, inspires people to come forward with their messages of hope, the proceeds from which will go towards charitable purposes. It is currently on display at Uptown Mirdif.

A vibrant personality

Chatting with Abdu at the Khaleej Times office was an uplifting experience. It was impossible not to be affected by his sparkling personality, and leave the interview with a smile on your face. It was obvious also that Abdu has a lot of empathy as he encouraged people to be kind to those who were different, to those who looked different. He expressed how he wanted people like himself to be welcomed in the world of sport, especially boxing.

Boxing is close to Abdu’s heart. He walked into our office proudly displaying his World Boxing Council belt, which was presented to him recently by the President of the World Boxing Council, Mauricio Sulaimán.

Abdu - who admits that some people believe that due to his size he cannot participate in sport at a serious level - is grateful and proud to have received such a prestigious belt. He wants to use the honour to grow sport for people of determination, promote mental health and unity, and inspire others with his condition to get involved in boxing.

Abdu is truly a multi-talented personality, evident not only in his social media posts but also upon meeting him in person. When asked to sing, he gave us a beautiful rendition of Dil Deewana (from the 1989 Bollywood film Maine Pyar Kiya). When he met actress Nora Fatehi in Dubai, she was impressed by his delivery of the same track. Abdu is a fan of Hindi songs as well as Bollywood films and when asked which Bollywood star was his favourite, he responded instantly, “Shah Rukh Khan”.

Blessed with a melodious voice, Abdu began singing from a young age. It’s obvious he loves singing and sharing his talent with others to put a smile on their faces.

What makes him happy?

He is thankful to have the platform of social media where he can share his experiences and inspire and influence people.

Abdu has achieved much more than the average 18-year-old and yet feels he has a long way to go to fulfill his dreams. He loves meeting new people and traveling. He calls the people of the UAE kind and friendly and is inspired by great leaders like His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai whom he hopes to meet one day.

Among Abdu’s current projects is the release of his NFT through which he wants to help others who have rickets and encourage them to come forward and “stand tall” together.

Post his chat with the City Times team, Abdu was happy to pose for pictures and left us with a memorable experience of meeting “the world’s smallest singer with the biggest heart”.

Abdu on the celebs he’s met so far

A.R. Rahman

Abdu labels him as down to earth and humble; he also praised his children. Abdu had a chance to perform with Rahman at Expo 2020 Dubai, a moment he is very grateful for.

Mohamed Ramadan

Abdu met Egyptian singer and rapper Mohamad Ramadan at Expo 2020 Dubai. He calls Ramadan’s music, catchy and fun!

Cristiano Ronaldo

When Ronaldo’s name was mentioned during the interview, the excitement on Abdu’s face was evident. He says he felt honored to have met the football star recently at Old Trafford; Ronaldo apparently even admitted to being a fan of Abdu!

Nora Fatehi

He was all smiles when we brought up Nora as well. He described her as a lovely person and very friendly.

• Dubai