It all started when…
My name is Tenzin Dawa and I am 20 years old. I was born and raised in New York and I currently reside in Queens, NY. I am a junior at NYU in the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development.
I posted my first ever singing video on Facebook and had no way of anticipating the amount of attention it would get. In 2014, I eventually started posting covers on YouTube and was blessed to have a support system that encouraged me to continue to do so. I never thought too much about these videos at the time; I would do a couple takes and immediately post them out of the love for singing. Because of that, I was invited to perform for the Regional Tibetan Youth Community in NY and I have been doing so ever since!
The impact singing has had on my life
Not only has being an active singer allowed me to share my passion with others, it has helped me to evolve as a person by giving me a unique platform to develop my everyday skills. There’s nothing like the feeling of being asked to perform on a stage alone as a 14-year old and I could not be more grateful for such experiences. As a result, performing has influenced the way I interact with people in that it has made me more receptive and communicative. Not to mention, I have met so many other talented people through my journey as a singer and that is one aspect of performing I always look forward to.
Giggest obstacle / best & worst moments on stage?
Thankfully I haven’t had a notably bad experience on a stage, but there are times when I don’t feel as though I’ve performed to my full potential. There’s a difference between singing and performing in that a performance includes the audience; I always try my best to appeal to my audience so if I think I haven’t done that enough, I tend to underestimate my whole performance and become frustrated with myself. This is an obstacle I am still working through and I intend to do so by getting on more stages!
Who/what motivates you?
First and foremost, I am motivated by my family. I am so fortunate to have role models like my parents who have always taught me to work with what I have and go from there instead of comparing myself to others. Because I learned this from them at such a young age, I was able to discover my love for singing early on and develop my voice over the years. This goes without saying, but I’m also motivated by people who take the time to listen to my art. Knowing that my passion has made a positive impact on the Tibetan community is enough for me. Lastly, I am motivated by people who provide any sort of criticism to my work because it challenges me to further my potential.
Advice to aspiring singers?
Once you realize that even the most talented person has room for improvement, you’ll learn to appreciate your own capabilities and only wish to grow. If you love to sing, experiment with your voice to discover your own strengths and limits, if any. Don’t shy away from performing or sharing your work because receiving criticism (and praise!) is part of the process.
