When Awad first heard music as a toddler, he was captivated.  Hailing from Rufaa, a town in Central Sudan, he was surrounded by the music of the Shukira tribe of nomadic camel herders, who traditionally sing and recite poetry to their animals.

He was soon singing folk songs himself and joined up with other musicians to form a band in his teenage years.  He bought his first oud – a traditional instrument played in the Middle East and North Africa, similar to a lute, and set about learning to play it.  When he arrived in the UK to study engineering, he maintained his love of music and started performing professionally, both as a solo artist and with other musicians.  He continues playing with his Sudanese folk band, Shades of Tone, along with other musicians playing percussion, keyboard, bass and ney – a Middle Eastern flute.

Awad is available to perform on his own or with other musicians.  One of his fondest memories was when he shared the stage with another Lingua Franca performer – Jewish singer, Mickey Van Gelder.  They individually played Arabic and Jewish music and then joined together for a final piece.  The performance, entitled Sons of Abraham, took place in a Catholic church in Prestwich.