Workers sing hearts out at talent show

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Workers sing hearts out at talent show

Dubai - At least 1,600 workers auditioned for the competition.

By Saman Haziq

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Published: Fri 5 Jul 2019, 7:26 PM

Last updated: Fri 5 Jul 2019, 9:39 PM

Tile mason Sunil Gupta has always wanted to be a singer. On Thursday night, his childhood dream came true: He sang his heart out onstage and won first runner-up at a talent show held in Jebel Ali Industrial 1 in Dubai.
Gupta was one of the six finalists of Servhub Camp ki Awaaz, a talent show designed to discover the most talented singer in the emirate's blue-collar community. At least 1,600 workers auditioned for the competition.
Winning a cash prize of Dh2,000, Gupta told Khaleej Times that it was his first step towards achieving his dream of becoming a singer. From the Indian state of Bihar, the 24-year-old came to Dubai seven months ago to earn a living and invest in his singing talent.
"I have always been fascinated with music and singing, but never had the money to develop my talent. Dubai has given me the platform not just to earn money but also to showcase my talent," Gupta said.
"I wanted to buy a harmonium but could not afford it. Now I can buy one and further invest in my YouTube channel."
Gupta has uploaded around 70 songs on his YouTube channel, which he named 'Subh Sunil Gupta'.
The Servhub contest gave out two awards, one for the first runner-up and another for the grand winner.
Pakistani national Shahid Iqbal won the Dh5,000 grand prize.
Iqbal, a 29-year-old mechanic from Lahore, said he felt like a celebrity as he performed in front of over a thousand people.
"I used to sing at functions and gatherings but performing onstage with a proper band has been an amazing experience. Not only did I get to fulfil my dream of singing onstage, but the money I have won is a big support for my family back in Pakistan," Iqbal told Khaleej Times.
Speaking about the idea behind the talent show, Saboor Ahmad, CEO of the company Servhub, said: "Programmes like Servhub Camp ki Awaz gives people a break from a stressful routine of 12-hour working shifts, far from their families and home countries."
The six finalists were mentored for the last four weeks by professionals, who helped them hone their singing skills and taught them how to perform onstage.
Workers from different countries sang their hearts out in Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi and Bangla during the two-hour grand finale last Thursday.
- saman@khaleejtimes.com


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