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Narmeen Saleem’s soulful voice enchanted her audience with songs in three languages.
The Pakistani-Chinese vocalist performed “Tum Hi Ho” in Hindi, Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” in English, and Sammi Cheng’s “Beautiful Life” (終身美麗) in Cantonese.
For her stand-out performance, Saleem won HK$10,000 and an Inclusivity Award at EM Got Talent. This event last month gathered young Hongkongers from diverse cultural backgrounds to celebrate singing and dancing.
To Saleem, who is in her twenties, the event was not just a contest. It was also an empowering space.
“EM Got Talent felt so different from other local competitions. The platform was more diverse and inclusive,” she said.
This atmosphere is important to Saleem because she has experienced discrimination.
Hong Kong art exhibition highlights perspectives from the ‘margins’ of the city
“Sometimes, I fear people may laugh at me or tease me for chasing my dreams as an ethnic minority in Hong Kong. Beyond my race, I worry about being judged for my appearance – being chubby and short,” she said.
“No matter how hard I try, acceptance feels elusive.”
Still, Saleem is passionate about music and performance.
“Many times, I’ve doubted myself, wondering if I’m good enough or if success is even possible for me,” she added.
“But I realise that singing and dancing are parts of who I am, representing my soul even when others might overlook it.”
Celebrating teamwork and diversity
EM Got Talent is in its second year. It is organised by Social S, a social enterprise that aims to foster inclusivity.
At this year’s event, about 30 singers and dancers showed off their skills.
Another of the evening’s most memorable performances came from Chic Clique, a dance group from the University of Hong Kong. They were named the event’s champion and won the Presentation Award. In total, the six-member group took home HK$20,000.
They captivated the audience by mixing elements of Bollywood, African dance and hip-hop. Their high-energy routine not only showed their skill. It also celebrated the diversity of dance around the world.
Sandra Mae Mana-ay is a member of the group. The 21-year-old talked about the challenges they overcame.
“Affordable avenues to explore diverse dance styles are scarce. And balancing university, part-time work and personal commitments is challenging,” the Filipino-Hongkonger said.
The group added that the support from the contest could help them continue dancing.
Tina Wong is a co-founder of Social S. She said the purpose of EM Got Talent was to help different groups in Hong Kong understand each other.
“Universal languages like dance and music can bring people together,” she said.
Wong hopes that by breaking stereotypes, the event will also inspire the broader public. In Hong Kong, academic success is often more important than art. So EM Got Talent encourages young people to celebrate their passions.
Wong offered advice to aspiring performers.
“Just take the first step,” she said. “You might not win or be selected, but you’ll grow, meet new friends, and discover what you’re capable of.”
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Reflect: Have you ever listened to music from different cultures?
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