A dream needs determination and sweat to become a reality. This is why success is not magic, and it never was. Success is the fruit of hard work and sacrifices. The inspiring story of 25-year-old music artist Yazan Alsharif exemplifies this.
Currently a rising star in the music industry, Yazan had to overcome several challenges in life to be able to live his dreams. And now he wants to motivate others through his music to help them realize their dreams while they still have time to fulfill them.
Yazan hails from a humble family from the countryside of Virginia, U.S.A. From a very young age, Yazan was passionate about music, so much so that he could never focus on his studies. He used to spend hours listening to traditional music and even played them in a loop to note every beat and rhythm of a track.
His academic career came to an abrupt end when he dropped out of college to pursue a career in music. He spent months making content for his YouTube channel “Yaz Sounds”.
At 13, Yazan composed his first music track and that’s when he knew what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. For his YouTube channel, Yazan would recreate some old classics in his own style to recreate the magic of yesteryear hits. With no steady source of income, he did several odd jobs to support his content on “Yaz Sounds”.
Yazan worked as a bagger at a grocery store for a mere $5 per hour and also worked as a pizza delivery guy. However, he continued to be laser-focused on pursuing his dream in the music industry.
Life took a positive turn for Yazan when one of his recreations of the famous track “When Doves Cry” became a viral social media hit. Within a few weeks of its release, Yazan’s subscriber base reached over a million.
Yazan was also spotted by music enthusiasts on other social media platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram. His newfound success was a huge motivation for him to scale up his career, but it had its downsides too.
While Yazan’s talent of mixing different genres to create a unique composition was well received by a section of the audience, he was also criticized for recreating old classics. He had to face several allegations of copying and some even called his way as a shortcut to success. Because he recreated yesteryear hits, people refused to recognize his real talent.
Yazan was determined to overcome this challenging situation. He wanted to create something fresh and unique to prove his critics wrong.
In early 2020, Yazan was successful in removing all the criticisms that were going around by releasing his first original single “Let Me Live Once More”. The song brought a fresh wave of energy and positive vibes that was lacking in contemporary music.
It blends the high notes of rap with the undertones of hip-hop. The blazing lyrics highlighted Yazan’s persistence to overcome all obstacles in his life and his ultimate realization that success comes with a price – and that is hard work.
To date, Yazan has released 4 singles and each of them has surpassed the popularity of the earlier ones. He wants to connect with his audiences through music, inspiring them to never give up. He believes that his success as an artist lies in his ability to transform the lives of his audiences in a positive way.
