DREAM BIG, WORK HARD

When I was 15, I moved from Portugal to the Netherlands. I left my safe environment, my friends and my family. In the Netherlands I would make my dreams come true, I believed. I dreamed of making a career of my passion sport and my secret passion music. But I found out that dreams only come true if you work very hard. So that’s what I did: learning the Dutch language, performing at school and, above all, continuing to dream.

I bought a book in which I wrote song lyrics and a microphone to make recordings. People around me were not very confident about it. Tiago a career in music, they did not believe in that. But I persisted. In the meantime I had turned my other passion into a career. After a sports education I now was a successful personal trainer. But music continued to attract me. Secretly I dreamed of singing for a huge audience. And although nobody thought that I would ever succeed, I kept on writing, practicing, and above all believing that I would succeed.

Five years later I got a phone call from a TV channel; if I wanted to participate in a new talent show ‘The Next Boy-Girl Band’. I participated. Worked hard to master the dance routines in addition to singing. And believe me, I’m not Michael Jackson. So I gave it my all. Did not allow doubts to enter my mind. Stayed focused. And won the TV show. My dream to perform for a large group of people came true: I performed four times in a packed Ahoy Rotterdam!

At the same time I graduated for my bachelor in health sciences. Now my life revolves around my two great passions: sport and music. And believe me, I’m going to make something beautiful out of it.

Obstacles and setbacks make you stronger, as long as you stick to your dreams.

I am Tiago and IAMTORO.