Camp ka Champ winner still hitting the right notes

Collin Ishaq, who won the 2008 edition and was a finalist in 2012, credits the annual Camp ka Champ contest for labourers with transforming his life.

Collin Ishaq, one of the winners of Camp ka Champ in 2008, is still working and performing part-time with local bands. Jaime Puebla / The National

DUBAI // When Collin Ishaq auditioned for the Camp ka Champ contest six years ago, little did he know that he would go on to become one of the country’s most sought-after singers.

Collin, who was one of the winners of the 2008 contest and a finalist in 2012, says the annual Pop Idol-style show for labourers has transformed his life.

“After I started singing there, I got the confidence to sing in front of thousands of people,” says Collin, 25, a Pakistani expatriate who works airside at Dubai International Airport.

Collin’s singing attracted the attention of several bands and he occasionally performs private live shows.

“I saw him during one of the shows and we took him on because he had a good voice,” said Imtiaz Khan, drummer with Dubai Rocks. “He has done two shows for us in Dubai and two in Abu Dhabi.”

Anupam Nair, lead singer with the band Rooh, helped Collin to land a singing slot on an Indian radio station after hearing him at one of the Camp ka Champ auditions.

“I performed eight Bollywood songs on air last year,” Collin says. “The Camp ka Champ has been very good for people like me. From taking part in company cultural shows, I now perform live.”

Anupam says he spotted Collin’s talent straight away. “We were invited as guest artists to perform at Camp ka Champ a couple of years ago. I saw Collin and thought he was a good singer. We identified his potential and pushed his profile for radio shows.”

Although Collin hasn’t performed with Rooh, the band wouldn’t hesitate to scout for talented singers or musicians at the Camp ka Champ auditions.

“It is a great initiative and a good platform. Some singers are very good. There are other musicians besides singers who take part in the contest. While Camp ka Champ is a great starting point, there should be more opportunities. If we need people, we would definitely use the platform to look for talent,” Anupam says.

Collin rehearses and perfects his vocals at weekends and on holidays. Besides his passion for singing, the chance to earn some extra money is a bonus that can augment his salary of Dh2,000 a month.

“When I perform for local bands I get about Dh300 to Dh400, and Dh200 when I sing for my company. It is good to get some extra money but it isn’t really about cash. I am seeking a chance to grow in this field.”

Collin sang on a Camp ka Champ album last year, and hopes he can make his own record soon.

“If I can make more money, I will try to record my own album. Right now with my Dh2,000 salary I can’t do that, but hope I can earn more in the future.”

His brush with success means he will once again join thousands of other hopefuls in the contest, now in its eighth year. About 3,000 workers from nearly 100 labour camps will take part.

Auditions started last week and are held every night until August 30 at camps in Dubai, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah. The quarter-finals will take place next month and the finals in October.

For the first time, this year’s contest features an English segment to encourage Nigerian, Ethiopian and Filipino workers to take part. The cash prize has also been increased from Dh15,000 to Dh20,000.

Champ of the Camp, a documentary film about the competition, had its premiere at the Burj Park as part of the Dubai International Film Festival last year. Produced by Veritas Films and directed by Lebanon's Mahmoud Kaabour, it captured the daily lives of workers and their efforts to provide for their loved ones back home. It also showed them rehearsing enthusiastically for the contest after their hard, manual labour. The film was released in cinemas after the makers raised money through an online campaign.