By Jessica Towriss, Spoke News
A 27-year-old computer programmer/analyst student at Conestoga College says he has always felt a passion for creating music.
Bradley Tariq Bahab was born and raised in Kitchener, Ont., and has been creating music professionally since he was 20 years old. Before attending Conestoga College, Bahab was the first artist at Ripe Records, a startup label in Toronto. Bahab worked closely with the producer there and created music at the label for a year.
“I had to leave the record label because I got busy with school,” said Bahab. “I worked with the producer on the side and we stuck together for a couple years and even worked with Danny Fernandez on a song of my own.”
After he finishes his three-year advanced diploma program at Conestoga College, Bahab has a few plans with regards to software and music.
“I have a few connections that I have reached out to get a job in my field, so my initial path is to get a job in software,” said Bahab. “Aside from that, if I am able to land a gig with music, then I will be more than happy to go down that path as well.”
Bahab’s newest song, Felt So Good, was released on Aug. 14, using his stage name, Tariq Musica, and has almost 500 views on YouTube. With performing at a few local nightclubs in Kitchener-Waterloo and at Conestoga College, Bahab is hoping to gain more traction in his music career.
“My family is very musically oriented. My dad and both of my grandfathers loved to sing,” said Bahab. “I found a huge passion for singing and entertaining people. I just love making people smile.”
With his intense joy for creating music and entertaining people, Bahab brings that dedication and passion to the stage during his live performances. Many people have noted of his exceptional stage presence and his ability to show his talent for music.
“I saw Tariq perform at the Starlight Social Club in Waterloo,” said Manuela Estrada, a recent graduate from Conestoga College. “He actually sounds amazing live! Tariq is full of talent and leaves the audience wanting to hear more of him. His voice is one of a kind.”
“When I attended the Conestoga’s women’s basketball game, Tariq performed the national anthem,” said Alexis Stoyakovich, a community and criminal justice student at Conestoga. “He took everyone by surprise through his powerful showcase and he continues to amaze people through his music.”
Bahab said that, when he creates his music, it is like being placed in a completely different world.
“You get into a zone, it’s like any other passion. To me the feeling is unexplainable,” he said.
With a family that loves music, Bahab has acquired a taste for many genres of music, his favorites being rhythm and blues, reggae, and dancehall. Some musicians that inspired Bahab at a young age were Micheal Jackson, Sean Paul, and Chris Brown.
“When I was probably 13 years old, I heard a Chris Brown song for the first time and that was where I saw myself as a singer,” said Bahab. “I kept following him and a lot of his personality, aside from all the bad stuff he has done, is similar to who I am as an artist.”
With attending post-secondary, many students experience a mass amount of stress in their day-to-day life and find it hard to manage their time. Bahab said that it is all about managing your time and focusing on what is important to you.
“It’s difficult balancing the two things, but as long as you have that passion and drive, you can always find a way to make it work. It is 100-per-cent manageable, as long as you do a few things at a time and not just blow into it.”
You can find all of Bahab’s music on Spotify, YouTube, and iTunes.
Bahab can also be found on his Facebook and Instagram.
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