On New Year's Day, a migrant worker and amateur singer realised his dream of holding a solo concert.

Li Luzheng, a construction worker from northern China's Hebei Province, held a 4-song show Tuesday at Renmin University in Beijing.

The concert, the first solo performance for Li Luzheng, was a New Year gift for his fellow workers and also for himself, 32-year-old Li told the Beijing News.

The audience was made up of college students and about eighty migrant workers, who brought with them hand-made poster boards bearing Li Luzheng's name.

Li Luzheng, a construction worker from northern China's Hebei Province, held a 4-song show at Renmin University in Beijing on January 1, 2008. (photo: the Beijing News)

The four songs performed by the worker-singer were all themed on a migrant workers' life and thoughts, such as "Waving Hands", which tells of a migrant worker who has to leave home for the big city during the holidays.

"Listening to Li's songs is a pleasant thing, as the lyrics are just what we want to say," a migrant worker surnamed Bao said.

"His songs tell about real feelings, they even make me homesick," a student from the school's Finance Department said while clapping along enthusiastically to the rhythm.

Li Luzheng left his home village for the capital city when he was 16 years old. Although a construction worker by trade, he is quite fond of music. "I listened to the radio and then tried to write songs by myself," he recalled.

Since 2003 he's started participating in singing shows and contests in the community, to kick start his new life as a worker-singer.

"I'm a singer rather than a star, and I'll always sing for the migrant workers," said Li.

(CRI January 3, 2008)