SWEET | The Talent with a Dream - And a Guitar
The rise of the Internet has sparked numerous opportunities for people all around the world. CATCH got in touch with Khairul Ridzwan, an aspiring artiste hungry to make it big with the medium of his choice - The Internet.
Story & Photo by Rohit Khattar
Many big dreams are born only to die with a whimper. Then there are a few that survive, linger and even enlarge with time.
Khairul Ridzwan, 22, hopes his will be the latter, anticipating the day he graces centrestage in front of a sold-out crowd, singing with all his heart while strumming melodiously on his guitar.
Over the next 10 years, he aims to have written at least five global chart-toppers, put out four to five albums that he’s very proud of and “end up on James Corden’s talk show.” Khairul certainly is on the rise to fame, and though a promising end product is the aim, the journey to get there is sure to be a long and treacherous one.
“My musical journey began when I picked up the guitar at the age of 15. I didn’t have the money or support from my parents to get lessons so I looked up YouTube guitar tutorials and learned whatever I could from my peers,” he said wistfully.
It was not long after when he began to realize his passion for music, and the admiration for beautifully constructed songs.
“I started a Facebook page and launched the idea that I wanted to do this for a living,” he said.
With social media holding the key to marketing, be it for multinational companies or for one-man startups, Khairul is thankful for the rise of the Internet, as it has gifted him invaluable opportunities to pursue his dreams. He admits that the Internet has propelled him to seek heights he never thought were attainable in such a short span of time.
“I owe it all to the Internet: my musical knowledge, most of my performance invites come from my email inbox, linked to my social media. Whoever intends to hire me after checking out my content can do so. Even event organisers would rather go online to scout for talent rather than an open mic night.”
And right he is.
Khairul feels strongly that the most likely source of scouting by record labels would be the Internet. He believes it is much more efficient to search for talents online at this age, and record labels “usually look out for up-and-coming artistes that are drawing an audience on their social media.”
Only time will tell if Khairul's quest for stardom will turn out to be a success. But he remains optimistic and hungry to turn his dreams to reality. He picks himself and his guitar up, exhales deeply and walks straight into the hazy future.
Perhaps, he’s singing Don't Stop Believin'.
