Unraveling modern Kazakhstan one video at a time
Interview with Saltanat Muslim-Ali, Youtube vlogger, singer, content creator as well as previously a coffee shop owner based in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Can you tell me about yourself?
I grew up in Kazakhstan, mostly in the new capital Astana. I’ve been into arts ever since I was little. One vivid memory I have from childhood is when my parents and I went to family celebrations, and I would always whisper in my father’s ear that I wanted to sing a song. I would then stand up on a chair and sing in front of everyone. My mother later took me to multiple singing contests, and I even sang with Rosa Rymbaeva, a legendary singer in Kazakhstan.
Around my teenage years, I got interested in math. So all of my energy was directed towards school and my studies. Closer to graduation, I dreamed of doing the Work & Travel program in the US during the summer and then getting into a local Kazakh university to study International Relations to follow my brother’s footsteps. However, I didn’t get accepted into that university, which in turn motivated me to apply to schools in the US. I got accepted into a community college in Las Vegas the next year. I felt I was the happiest person ever.
Then I heard about an opportunity — governmental scholarship Bolashak, which covered all the college expenses. I thought it wouldn’t hurt to try and decided to apply. To my huge surprise, I got through all the steps of the selection process. So after going through five universities, I found myself in one of the best schools in the world — the University of Chicago with a full-ride scholarship from Bolashak. I graduated with a degree in Computer Science and felt like I hit a huge milestone on my path. I was so proud of myself.
Nevertheless, a few things were missing in my life — creativity, singing, and working in media, which I started pursuing right after returning to Kazakhstan. Since then, I’ve been living here and working on my media project.
What’s your typical day like? How do you determine contents for your channel?
It’s hard to say. My days are rarely the same because of the nature of my work. One day I might be writing scripts all day in my office. Another day I might be filming all day around the city. Sometimes I can simply take off to another city or place in Kazakhstan to film there.
In terms of content, I usually get inspired by other creators around the world who are making similar content to mine. I also read comments on my videos and direct messages where people ask for certain topics on my channel. My friends and family also suggest a lot of ideas as they think of my project and me.
How did you decide to start your Youtube channel?
After the Soviet Union collapsed, there is a common belief in Kazakhstan that true patriots should speak and write in Kazakh while sharing any information publicly. I, instead, thought it would be great if more people learned the local perspective of Kazakhstan through an English video-blog, which very few people do.
To me, it is also patriotic broadcasting about my country to the entire world in English. Not that many people have any idea what life in Kazakhstan is like. Although a number of video-bloggers have been to Kazakhstan and made videos, they tend to cover the same information: first impressions, popular places among tourists, nature, and food. Yet there is so much more to share, and it is much more about deeper topics: real, local life, mentality, hidden gems, culture, traditions, values, and ways of thinking.
That’s why I got inspired to work on this project. I enjoy creating videos about Kazakhstan a lot. The first time I uploaded one video about Kazakhstan and noticed that the views started growing fast after a few months. It was a good indicator for me, and I started making more.
The main challenge at the beginning was to start and, more importantly, keep doing it, even if people are laughing or no one is watching them. I set a goal not to gain subscribers because it’s not up to me, but rather to make 100 videos and make each one better than the previous.
As a result, a few people already came to visit, a number of people have expressed interest and shared my videos. I’m learning so much every day, and I love every aspect of the process. This project is a creative outlet for me. It combines my natural inclinations towards sharing information, public speaking, filming, editing, and it has a great purpose.
As for the future, I hope to contribute to the country’s image and increase tourism and represent Kazakhstan in the global arena.
Who inspires you?
My favorite quote is, “I’m so full, I’m overflowing” by Oprah Winfrey. She is a huge inspiration to me. The main message that I took away is the importance of self-love and honesty with yourself. I first learned how to listen to myself, care for myself, and do what I really wanted. All of this gave me more energy and inspiration, and that’s how I found my passion. Even though things that I do are unconventional, I own it and am proud of myself. I’m not living someone else’s life. I’m not trying to fit the mold. I’m simply happy and am paving my own path no matter how scary it is. Oprah is also an inspiration to me from a professional standpoint. She is a journalist, has her own network, and makes very meaningful interviews.
When did you feel most accomplished?
I was most proud of myself when my music video came out on the biggest music channel in Kazakhstan. It was surreal to see myself on television. It was actually a dream come true, which was also a relief and a checkpoint in my head. My family and friends finally saw what I was hiding inside and how I saw myself. They finally believed in me and started to support me, which is the greatest gift.
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