Fahad in 2013 HUST New Year Party

      Fahad Mohammad Aziz, an engineering student at Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), lives a uniquely musical life here in Wuhan. He enjoys making music and performing on stage; these are his passions. He puts a great deal of time and energy into preparations for each performance. He strives for perfection and works hard to leave his audience with positive memories of his performance. Fahad keeps things simple and never lets anything stand in the way of his goals. Here in Wuhan, he has been more successful than he could have ever expected.

HUST 's top 10 singer

      Fahad came to Wuhan in February of 2010 to pursue his bachelor's degree at HUST. After arriving, he decided to push beyond the boundaries of his comfort zone and say goodbye to the shy boy he once was, the young high school boy who never dared to sing in front of others, the boy who was afraid to show his talents and who he truly is. Fahad joined the Students' International Communication Association (SICA), an organization that encourages cross-cultural communication between Chinese and international students. It was at SICA that Fahad met his best Chinese friend, Su Ruitao. Fahad and Su Ruitao once went to see a show at their college; Fahad told his friend, "I want to, at some point in the future, perform in a show like this." After hearing these words, Su Ruitao, unaware of his friend's abilities, became rather curious about Fahad's hidden talents.

      Not too long after this conversation took place, SICA decided to hold a free singing night for Chinese and foreigners, one that would feature several different singers and types of music. After a lot of encouragement from his friend, Su Ruitao, Fahad decided to take part in the show. There he met the organizer for the singing competition, HUST Top 10. He entered into the competition and was sent directly to the semi-finals. "I never expected to have this kind of opportunity. I never thought that I would be able to take part in the finals. It was both overwhelming and exciting."

      For this foreign student, a number of amazing opportunities seemed to burst into his life in a short three-month period. He made it through the finals of the 10th HUST Top 10 competition; he won the 9th place prize. "That was my first time on a stage that size; I was so excited when I was chosen as one of HUST's top 10 singers," Fahad said. He went on to explain that it was at that moment that he began to see his dream of being a singer as less of a dream and more of a reality. Of HUST's top 10 singers, Fahad was the only foreigner. He became something of a minor celebrity at HUST, and many new opportunities came about. Fahad took part in many competitions, and the more competitions he attended, the more famous he became. 

The loudest applause

      In the latter part of 2010, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine held the first Chinese Song Competition for Overseas Students in Hubei Province; Fahad won the 1st place prize. He was told about the competition only two months in advance. "The basic requirement for the competition was that the song performed must be a Chinese song. That was a challenge." He accepted the challenge and began to prepare for this competition.

      Selecting a song to perform was no easy task. Fahad's instructors pushed him to select a more traditional song, but he was set on preserving his pop style. After a lot of consideration, Fahad finally chose a classical song, Pengyou, by Zhou Huajian.

      "I studied and practiced that song for nearly 2 months, both on my own and with my instructors," recalled Fahad, "But, singing only accounted for 40% of the show; there was still much to prepare." Fahad worked to prepare a complete performance for the audience, one that would be unforgettable. He said, "I was focused on singing, but I was also focused on dance choreography, lighting, and props. I was working on a lot of these on my own. There was a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it in." He decided to make the song, the one with the title that means "friendship," about the friendship between China and Pakistan. He used this as the foundation and worked from there to come up with ideas for the show, like waving Pakistani and Chinese national flags during the performance.

       Preparations turned out to be even more complicated than expected. Fahad had to find dancers on his own, and he had to design and create the props and costumes himself. Fortunately, he had the help of some of his Chinese friends. He told them, "I won the competition, but half the credit goes to you all. None of this would have been possible without your help. I am extremely grateful for all that you have done to help me through this."

       When he finally performed, the sound of the audience clapping and cheering drowned out the sound of his voice. It was a magical experience for Fahad. One Pakistani audience member even came up to the stage and saluted the flags. "That was the loudest applause I have ever heard at one of my shows," he said, "I worked hard to make my performance more than just a song; I achieved that. The feeling I had after that show is one that I hope to replicate in the future."

 Striving to be a star

       "I want to hear people cheering; As long as I can hear their cheers, I know that I have done my part." Fahad has a simple goal, one that drives him forward. He wants to be a star. He has already put a significant amount of effort into that dream. The achievements described previously are only a fraction of all that he has accomplished in China.

        He has participated in competitions at many different universities and in many different cities and provinces. He even took part in the try-out sessions for Happy Boy and the Voice of China. "It is impossible to count the number of performances that I have been in here in China," Fahad said, "My favorite Chinese stars are Zhang Jie and Pan Weibo. I want to be a music star like them."

        Fahad is a realist. He knows that the road ahead is one that will not be easy to travel. Making music and participating in competitions are only the first steps. The next steps include holding a concert and releasing an album. If he continues as he has been, he is sure to travel far. But, he will always remember that it was in Wuhan that he first began to realize his dreams.