Enrico ``Rico`` Cardoniga is a voice artist and emcee in Dubai.
PHOTO BY SUPPLIED
“Ladies and gentlemen!” The boom of his voice is unmistakable when Enrico “Rico” Cardoniga, more popularly known as The Mic Master, takes the microphone in his trademark ring announcer style.
If his voice sounds familiar that is because the long-time Dubai resident has voiced over a wide range of live events in the emirate. “You can say that my career has allowed me to find my voice,” Rico told Expatmedia.net in an exclusive interview.
It all started when he took a job as a radio jockey when he was still in college. He loved it so much that he ended up working in the radio industry for 10 years.
As one of the familiar voices in the UAE, Rico certainly brings his own personal style to the role.
“When I started my career in radio, my voice was so weak,” he said. His station manager advised him to wake up early and read the newspaper aloud. His routine began at 3am. “I did that for almost a year and developed my style,” Rico said.
He pursued his passion in Saipan where he worked as a DJ before moving to Dubai in 2008. But then recession hit and Rico found himself jobless for months.
To earn money, Rico organized events at clubs. His entrepreneurial spirit kicked in and he loved combining his skills in entertainment with event management. He was practical, too. On the side, he studied safety engineering after learning that it was one of the high-paying jobs in the emirate. After finishing a quick course through a free learning program for overseas Filipinos, Rico landed a job as safety consultant.
“I continued to organize events as a side job. I enjoyed it,” he said. Today, he works as promotions officer for a chain of discount stores in the UAE, becoming its face in TV commercials. That’s why people also call him as “Mr. Day to Day”.
Rico says he doesn’t mind being a jack of all trades. Hosting, acting, radio jockeying, endorsing brands: he has tried them all. He hosts his own Facebook show called Tatak Pinoy and has published a book called “The 12 Habits of Highly Successful OFWs”. He has also starred in a couple of indie films released on social media.
“I always believe that for you to create a better version of yourself you need to have self mastery or introspection,” he said, “Begin with the end in mind. You need to make sure the things you do on a daily basis will lead you to where you want to be.” DAM/Expat Media
This story also appears in the Expat Media Special Edition magazine
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