Looking beyond his disability

HIS unassuming, extremely polite smile hides the fierce passion Romauld Rajnath uses as a driving force to overcome life's daily struggles.

For him, accepting that he was differently-abled, is what fuelled the need to master and excel at his career.

Rajnath, known in the music industry as ReQwestMuzic, recalled when this was not as easily done. He remembered "hiding" behind his music, almost literally.

Speaking with Newsday, Rajnath said he is now determined to let his voice be heard. This bold, young man, a father of one, intends to do so through his bibliographical documentary titled Your Physical Don't Determine Your Success.

Rajnath's journey begun from birth, but he is still living his dream of being a producer, composer and sound engineer.

The 28-year-old, Chaguanas resident, recalled being told he was administered the "wrong injection" at birth. It damaged the nerves on the left side of his body and his left hand. Music, he said, was his escape, for as long as he could remember.

"I think I fell in love with music since I was a child. I lost myself in it and for me it was often therapeutic. My big brother, Sheldon P, pushed me to really start thinking of getting into music more seriously, as I got older," he explained.

Rajnath said he started off singing, but 13 years ago he toughened up and ventured into the music industry professionally.

"My disability never get me down, though. It never stopped me from following my dream. I mean, me not having full use of my two hands, never stopped or hampered me from creating. It's probably the opposite. I am so proud of my situation, that I want to show the world that anything is possible, once you have the will, God will make the way," he said.

Having produced for artistes such as Erphaan Alves, Majestic, Preedy, Kimi, Digital, Touchy, Izac King, Talpree and Niyoka, among others, Rajnath can confidently state that he is a success, despite his own physical challenges.

Smiling proudly, he says the list of artistes he has worked with is pretty long, increasing daily, and also includes entertainers such as Orlando Octave, Marlon Asher, Boy Boy, Kg, Dawg E Slaughter, Problem Child, Farenite, Fede, Dev and others.

A former student at Chaguanas Jr and Senior Secondary, he also completed courses in music engineering at University of TT and NESC (Laventille Service Centre). He credits his drive to his mother, Radika Rajnath, and one of his brothers, Sheldon P Rajnath, who was once heavily into hip hop.

Family first

While music is his passion, family remains his muse.

Rajnath said he hopes he is as much an inspiration to his siblings, Michelle, Steven, Sheldon and Andrew Trim, as they are to him.

He remains hopeful that he in turn can be just as supportive a father to his seven-year-old son, Asa Ramoul Dimitri Rajnath.

Marriage, he said, may not be an immediate aspiration for him, but he is in a committed relationship.

He took time out to remember two of his closest motivators and musical collaborators, Dane Royal Gordon and Patrice Fletcher, who passed away in 2015 and 2016. The pair, he said, forced him to stop second-guessing himself. Now, Rajnath is just as comfortable writing music, as he is singing or producing songs for others. In fact, this is one aspect of his documentary, he hopes to share with others.

Rajnath said the idea came to him at 4 am while he was listening to the song Fade Away by Touchy. It "hit" him like a brick, he said, just how powerful of a gift he was blessed with. It took that "eureka moment" for him to decide he would hide no more.

He chose social media, he recalled, to "come out the closet" and boldly revealed that the man behind the music was a proud member of the differently-abled community.

Society and the differently-abled community

Rajnath said, he prays his documentary, which will be filmed by Nish Music House Media, will offer more hope to fellow differently-abled persons.

The film's soundtracks will be managed through BMS Records.

Rajnath said his personal peeve is that people generally judge the differently-abled community. What's worse, he added, is that often he has seen that people with disabilities are expected to do less, achieve less than "normal" people.

"Society too judgmental yes, they often think we ought to be sad, down, unhappy. But hey, I am living proof that that's not true and there are thousands out there doing more, succeeding far better than others without any form of disability.

"Like how people stare at me when I am walking with my son or see me with my girlfriend. Often persons are crippled by their thoughts, when they in fact appear normal, with no visible physical disabilities. That, to me is sad," he said shaking his shoulder-length locks.

He intends to follow up the documentary with motivational workshops at schools and communities, once they would have him, he added.

As for who has inspired him, Rajnath listed internationally-known music producers such as Mr Spine, DJ Khalid, Tory Lanz, Chris Brown, Usher and Kasey Phillips.

For now, though, he will continue to inspire his son, his significant other and the ever-increasing number of local artistes who come to him and his team, to help them realise their dreams.