Tempo sits down to chat with the talented Zainab Hafiz of The Dream Players.
Introduce yourself…
My name is Zainab Hafiz. I am 31 years old. I am Pakistani, born in Saudi Arabia and raised in California. I spent most of my life in the States. My family is still in California. I studied Cognitive Science at UC Berkeley and that has led me to be an Instructional Designer creating training programs to teach people how to use software in a hospital. Singing is my favourite hobby but I also really enjoy dancing, writing, reading, cooking, and creating art whether it’s a song or a painting or some other craft project!
How did you start singing?
I grew up around music. My dad was always singing or playing an instrument. I remember the jam sessions my dad would have with his friends, playing sitar and tabla. My mom always sang too so I just thought it was very normal. I sang constantly in private but I didn’t realize that other people also enjoyed my singing until a friend heard me on accident and said she liked it. I used to do a lot of karaoke with my friends and the more I sang in front of people, the more they liked it, and it really built my confidence to sing. I decided to start a band so I could sing more of what I liked, and to also create my own music.
Your inspiration…?
My parents were the first to instill the love of music in me. The first singers I remember listening to when I was very young were Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston. Stevie Wonder is my favourite singer/musician. I really learned to use my own voice by listening and singing to Etta James.
Your achievements…?
I don’t have any official awards or anything. I won a karaoke contest in San Francisco a few years ago and that led me to start a band because I wanted to sing and perform more than just karaoke. The band was called The Feral Cats. We split up when everyone moved apart but it’s still the thing I loved most.
The obstacles you’ve faced?
The biggest challenge has always been trying to reconcile my passion with my responsibilities. I grew up in a family where we all took care of each other because my father was really ill most of my life. If I could, I would pursue music full time but I have responsibilities beyond just myself and I can’t do that right now. I am really blessed to still be able to sing and write songs in my free time. The only other challenge is trying to find avenues to perform and find other musicians to perform with. I was really blessed in San Francisco to be surrounded by incredibly talented musicians, and lots of places to perform and showcase our work. Abu Dhabi has a really burgeoning art scene and I’m glad to be part of it but the opportunities are fewer and networking is harder. That’s why I’m so grateful for Tempo and The Dream Players who support and bring together artists and help promote them.
You were a Dream Players ‘Judge’s Choice’?
Yes. I think the Dream Players and other talent shows are fantastic opportunities for aspiring artists to perform and receive feedback about their art! Even though I didn’t win, I was just so grateful for the opportunity to perform and I had lots of people tell me how they felt about my songs. It continues to motivate me to continue singing and improving my talent. There were so many kids that were also inspired by The Dream Players. It’s fantastic to see that!
Your future plans?
I don’t ever plan too far ahead. Right now I’m making the most of my time in the UAE and trying to continue singing and writing as much as possible. I want to focus on recording my own original work and to perform as much as possible.
Advice for aspiring singers?
Keep singing! Get out and let people hear you, and listen to what they say. It’s humbling and inspiring and motivating and it will definitely help you grow. But no matter what anyone says, never stop singing.
