Today we’d like to introduce you to Khaled Dajani
Hi Khaled, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My story is a wild ride, full of twists and turns I never expected. Born in Saudi Arabia in 1983 to Palestinian parents, my early life was a mix of culture and challenges. I was exposed to a lot of Western culture growing up. I fell in love with everything from the language, to the music and even sports teams like the Chicago Bulls. It was the Grunge and Michael Jordan era. That made me stand out from the Saudi kids. I was ridiculed and bullied by kids from all grades and Arab nationalities because of how I talked, how I dressed, and my interests. For example, I wanted to play Basketball, but football (soccer) is the national sport in Saudi. So no one wanted to shoot hoops. I spoke English with no accent and most of the kids and teachers spoke with one. So I was teased about being an “American Wannabe.” There is more to it than that, but suffice to say, I did not enjoy my childhood. As long as I can remember, I wanted to be out of school and become an adult as quickly as possible.
Music was my escape. It was a constant source of inspiration, starting with piano lessons for a short while. Then, my best friend got a guitar one Christmas, and when I heard him play Nirvana’s “Come as you are”, I was blown away. I begged my parents to get me a guitar, and after months of good grades and good behavior, they finally agreed. It was the happiest day of my life.
I was the first of my immediate family to immigrate to the U.S. That was a huge step, and becoming a citizen marked a new chapter. But my path hasn’t been without its bumps. I didn’t know it at the time, but looking back I realized that I faced a lot of adversity. Family issues, financial struggles, and even battled cancer – that really tested my limits. I remember sitting in the doctor’s office in shock reading the Google results for “Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.” I had never heard that name before. It was a difficult time. Hitting rock bottom and facing your mortality makes you reevaluate your priorities. It was the wake up call I needed. Now I am happy to say that it was the best thing to ever happen to me. I am the healthiest and happiest I’ve ever been.
I always knew I wanted to be a musician and an artist. I also knew it was expensive. That’s why I worked many jobs so I can invest in myself. I was sixteen when I got my first job as a busboy. That paid for my first electric guitar. As the years went on, I was a server, a camp counselor, radio shack sales associate, math and computer science tutor, and eventually I came to my professional career as a Software Engineer. I later quit that job and moved to New York City to pursue music. I played solo and with many bands, all with some form of success (success is how you define it), I wrote jingles, did session work, played for hire at bars and restaurants, I even busked in the subway and on the street. After a few years of not breaking in and going broke, I went back to tech as a Project Manager. Now I lead large scale programs at Google. Each job taught me something different whether it be the value of hard work, customer service, sales, marketing, how to build a website or most importantly how to connect with people. I’m grateful for the lessons I learned along the way because I was able to apply many of those skills to my music career. Through it all, music has remained my anchor. I do it because it brings me joy. It doesn’t have to be my career. The important thing for me is to be creative every day of my life. I am able to be creative in both my personal and professional life.
It’s been a long journey. No matter the obstacle, I made the choice to follow my vision. I learned later that it’s not about the results, it’s about committing to and enjoying the journey. It’s important to find joy in the little moments and be thankful for what you have. Ultimately, that mindset has led me to be happy. That is one definition of success. Today, I have two big announcements to share:
#1 – Last year I started a monthly meetup called FYGY (“Fuck yeah! Go you!”) where people get together to showcase anything they are working on and get support: a home renovation project, a business venture, a healthy lifestyle regiment, painting, writing or a stand-up comedy routine. You name it. Everyone gets a chance to show their work, practice, share lessons learned, and also engage in collaborative feedback. This structure provides them with insights about their work, shows them a new perspective and maybe even gets them unstuck. Most importantly, we cheer each other on no matter the outcome by saying, “Fuck yeah! Go you!” The response has been fantastic. So this year, I am upping it up a notch. Along with the in-person meetups, FYGY now offers: virtual meetups, virtual 1:1 coaching sessions and in-person group retreats. Picture this: a getaway to beautiful surroundings with a community of like minded people, just like you. Doing nothing but working on you and your vision. If you want to be a part of this growth mindset community of awesome and inspiring humans, join a meetup, sign up for coaching, or get an existing member to vouch for you. I’ll start posting the events on my instagram @fuckyeahgoyou. You can message me there to schedule with me as well.
#2 – You already know I am passionate about music. And I promised you new music in 2025. I’m keeping that promise. I am happy to announce I will be dropping the first single this Spring under my new artist name, “Sun On Fire.” You can be the first to hear it by following me @sunonfire.music.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Definitely not a smooth road. More like a Mario Kart race and battle! Life has thrown me curveballs, banana peels and turtle shells. Family issues were a big one. My parents were refugees. That comes with a lot of trauma that was passed down to my siblings and I in the form of physical and verbal abuse. Their relationship was tumultuous, and their divorce was a messy battle for our hearts and minds. It was tough to navigate that as a kid. My parents’ generation didn’t have the tools we have today. It doesn’t make it OK, but I understand and forgive them for it.
Financial struggles were another hurdle. My dad lost his job, and my parents’ business ventures failed, putting a strain on our family. We had to rely on loans from my uncles and my mom’s inheritance to get by. That’s actually how I ended up in the U.S. Everyone leaves for vacation during Summertime in Saudi. We didn’t because we didn’t have the money. There was nothing to do because my friends weren’t around. I could only play basketball with myself for so many hours. So my uncle paid for me to go to Summer camp and Summer school in the U.S. a couple of years in a row. The school liked me and gave me a scholarship to stay. This changed the trajectory of my life.
Then there was cancer. It was a shock to the system, and the treatments were grueling. I lost my hair, my energy, and even my sense of self for a while. But I am stubborn. So I fought. I wasn’t going out like that. I did everything I could to keep my strength and keep a positive mindset. I revisited every aspect of my life, my values, my definitions of failure and success, my daily habits and routines. All of it led me to where I am today.
And of course, there are the many struggles you face as an artist. My music was different. I was still searching for my sound. I sent so many demos and emails that seem to have gone into a void. Most of the time, I never got a response. Other times, it was either a quick, “this is not what we’re looking for”, or people laughing at me and telling me to get a real job. It can be demoralizing. I would not have made it this far if it weren’t for those who believed in me and supported me. And to them I say, thank you and I love you!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a storyteller and community builder. I’ve always been drawn to creative expression, whether through music, writing, or visual arts. It was the outlet I needed to cope with my family violence history, bullying, and my immigrant experience. Though it was my experience with cancer that deepened my connection with myself, my understanding of the human spirit and ignited a passion for helping others. So I want to share my story with the world to inspire others.
Music is my ultimate passion and form of expression. This is where I combine the sum of all my experiences and the universe of emotions inside of me into song and music. It’s the best way I know to express a feeling in an almost tangible way. You implant a feeling from you into the listener. When you get it right, it’s magic. It’s also a process and a journey to create, and the reward is worth it. I’ve been writing and performing music most of my life. It’s been with me the longest. I am happy to announce that I am releasing my next set of songs under my brand new artist name, Sun on Fire, in 2025. Follow me for the latest at @sunonfire.music.
Another medium I tell stories through is photography. It’s another way of capturing a moment and a feeling with a click of a button. Catching the light when it’s just right, framing the image, drawing the viewer’s eye to what you want them to see. It’s fascinating. I love photography because it’s seeing the world through someone else’s eyes. It’s a new perspective. It can be something as simple as the way the light hits the table at the cafe, a burning sunset, or panoramic landscape from high above. I want to show you that we live in a reality with many magical moments to find wonder, awe and joy in. Moments big and small. I recently picked up this craft. So I have plenty to learn and improve upon. I just returned from a thirty day trip to Thailand and Vietnam and will be sharing photos and stories from that trip on my instagram @fuckyeahgoyou.
That brings us to FYGY (Fuck yea! Go you!). In 2024, I hosted seven monthly meetups where I provided a structured environment for people to share their goals, receive support, and celebrate each other’s journeys. This year, in addition to the in-person monthly meetup, I will begin offering virtual meetups, 1:1 coaching sessions and retreats where we spend an entire weekend focused on what you want to improve upon. As a high performance coach, I guide individuals to achieve their goals by helping them develop action plans, overcome obstacles, and cultivate empowering habits. My style combines the high-performance model with a focus on celebrating wins, creating a positive and growth-oriented environment for individuals to excel. My unique background as an immigrant, artist, and senior technical program manager at Google (leading global programs) fuels my coaching approach. I bring a blend of creativity, resilience, and empathy, fostering holistic growth for the body, mind, heart, and spirit. My calendar is fluid, so the best way to schedule with me is to contact me directly through instagram @fuckyeahgoyou.
I’m proud of the art I have created, the communities I’ve built and the individuals I’ve helped along the way. And I am still going. If there’s one thing I want my audience and followers to know, it’s this: You are not alone. Nothing is impossible. If I can do it, you can do it too.
What were you like growing up?
Growing up, I was a bit of a paradox – hyperactive yet shy. I was always curious and loved exploring new things, but I also struggled to fit in, especially in school. There was a lot of angst. I got in a lot of trouble and fights. I withdrew into music. I would sit in a corner of the house on my dad’s small 1960 something red cassette player listening to Metallica over and over again. The tape eventually stretched, and the player eventually gave in. I always sang along.
Life, it seems, will fade away
Drifting further, every day
Getting lost within myself
Nothing matters, no one else…
That’s dark for a pre-teen, but I found comfort in it. I spent hours in my room practicing so I can play and sing the songs at the same time. When I wasn’t doing that, or my homework, I hung out with my friends. I took every chance I could to get out of the house to escape my parents who were also overbearingly strict. Like every kid, we went through our phases. We played a variety of sports: football (soccer) mostly, basketball, volleyball and tennis. Video games was another one. Every new gaming console came with a period of time where we devoted countless hours to beating the big bosses. Then there were the skater years. We jumped off every set of steps we could find and waxed every curb and rail we could to grind them. And if there was a chance for us to mix with the girls, we did.
I was also drawn to technology and loved figuring out how things worked. When my dad lost his job, I helped him by typing up his contracts and troubleshooting his computer and printer. That sparked an interest in tech that has stayed with me. Then we got the internet. That was a revolution. It was slow, but our minds were still blown every time we heard the modem connect and chatted with someone on mIRC. I even learned how to write simple BASIC programs in MS-DOS.
In a few adjectives, I was angsty, shy, introspective, curious, and passionate. I wonder if my friends would agree.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://wwww.instagram.com/sunonfire.music
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fuckyeahgoyou
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khaled-dajani/
Image Credits
Taken myself
