Watch: Lady Gaga's songwriter teams up with Dubai's 3-ft tall Tajik singer

Dubai - Multiple Grammy-winning producer RedOne set to give Rozik his first big break.

By Mazhar Farooqui

Published: Tue 12 Oct 2021, 6:17 PM

Last updated: Tue 12 Oct 2021, 6:18 PM

The man behind Lady Gaga’s debut album is all set to give a Dubai influencer, who stands just over three feet, his first big break.

Top songwriter-producer RedOne — known for his hits with international pop icons such as Jennifer Lopez, Nicki Minaj and Enrique Iglesias — is teaming up with diminutive Tajik internet sensation, Abdu Rozik.

The two were even seen strumming a song in Dubai on Monday.

“Abdu, it was a privilege and an honour to sing one of my songs C'est la vie (This is Life) with you,” RedOne, whose real name is Nadir Khayat, said in a statement.

“I was very touched and warmed by you wearing the Moroccan flag on your jacket that I also wore during the song I did for Dubai, Ya Salam Ya Dubai, the Moroccan-Swedish hitmaker added.

The multiple Grammy-winning producer along with Boyzone founder Mark Walton and blockchain entrepreneur recently launched a joint venture called SpotStar.

Built on a blockchain, the digital global talent show connects musical artists directly to their fans.

It’s still not clear whether Rozik will be part of the platform.

Yasmine Safia, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the UAE-based International Fighting Championship Management (IFCM), which is managing Rozik, said she's excited.

"We thank RedOne and Mark Walton for their support and encouragement. At 94 centimetres, Rozik, 18, is the world's smallest professional singer but what he lacks in height, the powerhouse of talent more than makes up for with a big heart. He has shown that you can achieve anything if you set your mind to it no matter what the odds are,” said Safia.

Rozik, who got his UAE’s coveted Golden Visa recently, said he’s in love with Dubai and feels welcomed wherever he goes.

Born into a poor family of gardeners in the Bangkent region of Tajikistan, Rozik suffered from rickets – a skeletal disorder that stunts growth among children.

As a child, Rozik would make ends meet by singing songs at a local bazaar, often earning less than Dh2 a day.

His fortunes changed in late 2019, when Tajik rapper Baron (Behrouz) spotted him and made a music video with him.

The song, Vatan, became an instant hit. Rozik never looked back since then.

Today, Rozik is a household name in Tajikistan with over 1.4 million followers on Instagram.

His popularity soared when news emerged about his mixed martial arts (MMA) fight with rival Hasbulla Magomedov, and a video of their pre-fight press conference went viral.

Rozik will perform live in the UAE for the first time during two-time world boxing champion Amir Khan’s crypto fight night at La Perle in Dubai on Saturday (October 16).

mazhar@khaleejtimes.com