This month’s professional spotlight features Henok Huruy. Henok is a professional singer with his music reaching fans all around the world. Read this month’s spotlight to learn more about Henok and his path to becoming a professional singer. Also, be sure to check out his latest single “Dgul Fkri.”

How did you come to decide that singing was the right career for you?

Ever since I can remember, I have always had a special kind of love for music. As I grew older, I started to realize one of the many ways I connected with people was through music. Whether through lyrics or tunes, I connected with people on a level only music can power. In a world where simple humility is rare, there are few mechanisms that could break the distance between people–one is music. So I knew my talent was beyond the love and connections it allowed me to experience in my personal life, it was something that could heal and unite people. The more I learned about myself the easier it became to make the decision to be a part of the healing phenomenon, thus I decided to pursue singing as a career.

What was your path to becoming a professional singer?

I started singing and playing instruments at home with my older brothers and neighbors. We loved getting together and creating an atmosphere my family could not resist. In the mid 2000’s my brothers and I started to perform at our local Eritrean community center in Rochester, NY for cultural events. Soon after, we were invited to perform at various Eritrean cultural events around the nation and Canada. Even after all the recognition, I had not considered singing professionally. I had other professional dreams for myself and only wanted to sing for fun. However, my close friends and family often reminded me that my personality, my ability to bring the best out of people through my talent, was something others needed to witness. Consequently, when I was approached by the talented singer/song writer Ftsusm Beraki to collaborate on my single “Snit,” I knew it was my chance to reach a larger audience as well as ignite a professional path. To my surprise, my single was welcomed by people around the world. The love, encouragement and inspiring stories I received from people allowed me to visualize the significance of my choice to pursue a professional singing career. So I decided to take the responsibility and continue the path.

Did you feel any pressure at home to follow a different career path? If so, how did you navigate that?

Of course! Although my parents and siblings always supported me, I was often reminded that this was just “a hobby.” I come from a family where education is valued and heavily perused so when I graduated high school I was guided towards pursuing higher education. So in order to navigate that, I disciplined myself to do both at the same time. Although the pressure still existed, because my family feared music would distract me from academics, I managed to let my dedication and discipline speak. I stayed grounded and patient until my family eventually was convinced I am capable of handling both paths. Ultimately, I had to make a decision that was suitable for everyone who had the best intention for me, including my audience. I’m currently in the process of obtaining my Kinesiology degree. Nonetheless, I still make time for music and using my talent to connect with others.

 Is there a philosophy that drives your career?

Unity, “Snit,” is the ultimate liberator of harms facing humanity. I do truly believe that when humans are given the opportunity to bring their uniqueness together and operate cohesively, they achieve something greater than themselves. When we act according to acceptance and harmony, we allow meaningful personal, professional and emotional development. So I built the foundation of my career on that philosophy—unity is the redeemer of all things destructive.

What do you consider to be your greatest professional accomplishment?

I consider releasing my first single “Snit” (listen here) to be my greatest professional accomplishment thus far in my career. That song has several significance to the development of my career. It was the first time I was able to share my passion for unity to the world as well as expose myself on a bigger platform. Once I was able to release the song, I realized the crave people had for music that delivered fresh ideas–which profoundly influenced the kind of music I wanted to continue to make for my audience. I do believe “Snit” is the focusing point that will always reflect where I came from and where I intend to go.

What’s one piece of advice you would give someone looking to transition into your line of work?

The one advice I would give someone pursuing music is to always stay true to yourself and your passion. Before you think about what you will gain from music, you should ask yourself what you are willing to give to music. If you know yourself and the message you want to send via your music, your music will always mirror you. So it is crucial to make sure that you have the passion to positively affect your audience.

Outside of all of your hard work and efforts toward building your brand, what do you do for fun? Hobbies?

I absolutely love spending every chance I get with my family and close friends. I often like to rely on them to remind me of my humble beginnings so being around them brings me absolute joy. In addition to that, I enjoy learning about other cultures, exploring world of food and languages, traveling, quiet walks in nature, writing and playing my guitar.