Archive for the ‘Akademi Fantasia 6’ Category
WORD HAS IT: Joe Flizzow’s Dreaming Of Rihanna
Will Rihanna make Joe Flizzow’s dream come true?
RAPPER-composer-producer Joe Flizzow of Too Phat has every reason to rejoice.
Joe Flizzow is working out a deal for a dream collaboration with Grammy-winner Rihanna in his latest album.
Riz of AF6 is banking on his duet with Nor Alyah to make it big in the local music industry.
Not only has he enlisted a slew of well-known local and international acts for his latest solo album President, the enterprising man is also considering featuring Grammy winner Rihanna in it.
When contacted, Joe let out a hearty laugh, saying that he’s in the midst of working out the deal.
“It has been my dream to work with Rihanna. A duet featuring Rihanna will be the icing on the cake for the album,” said Flizzow, the founding member of the multiple award-winning rap duo, Too Phat.
If everything goes as planned, it’ll cost him a whopping RM500,000.
“It’s still too early to discuss the prospect of working with her. I want to focus on the album first,” he added.
Produced by Kartel Records, President celebrates hip-hop music in diverse forms.
For starters, the self-produced album offers easy-listening sounds that fuse rap, R&B, pop and hip-hop accompanied by witty lyrics.
Joe is also collaborating with American rapper KRS-One, who contributed an upbeat hip-hop tune, Get It Done.
“I’m pretty excited about working with KRS-One who is a prominent figure in the American hip-hop landscape. For purists, it’s a bonus to have him in the album,” said Joe, adding that plans are afoot to shoot the Get It Done music video in the United States soon.
President also sees him collaborating with local rock legend Amy Search, and Asian Idol and former Singapore Idol Hady Mirza.
“Hady is a good friend and we recorded the song Mengapa Harus Kita Bercinta (Complicated) just after he won the Singapore Idol not too long ago,” said Joe.
The song featuring Amy, who just turned 50 recently, is a “knockout” according to Flizzow. “It’s an honour to work with Amy. I can’t say much about the track yet but I’m sure it’s going to be a hit,” he said.
The album’s first single Do It, Duit will hit the shelves at end of the week.
Joe is arguably one of the most influential and enterprising rappers in the local music scene.
A self-professed perfectionist, he is currently working closely with a group of fans and close friends to ensure the success of President.
“These people are my worst critics and they will be the first to preview the album before its release. I am aiming for it to be a few notches higher than my previous effort,” said Joe, who is representing the country in the Asian Hip Hop Festival in Bangkok on Oct 11.
n RIZ, the silky-voiced Perak-born lad of reality talent series Akademi Fantasia 6, is having singing offers pouring in for him after emerging first runner-up in the competition.
The most recent project involves him singing a duet with EMI artiste and former rapper outfit Fabulous Cats’ Nor Alyah in Kupinjam Satu Bintang.
The upbeat pop tune was composed by award-winning singer Ajai and written by Slenn, the editor-in-chief of entertainment portal murai.com.my.
The song was recorded at Wake the Baby studio three weeks ago.
Apparently, Riz and Nor have just returned from Jakarta after shooting the video. It was directed by Ajai with the help of an Indonesian renowned filmmaker.
RUMOUR has it that versatile superstar Anita Sarawak and her husband Mahathir are thinking of investing in property in Italy.
New Straits Times
War Heroes Come Alive
(From left) Jalaluddin Hassan, Raja Farah and Hairina Halim.
Despite commendable performances from the actors, war-time play Patriot lacks emotional depth, writes DENNIS CHUA.
Syukor Ibrahim as Yahya.
IN conjunction with Warriors’ Day and National Day this month, Istana Budaya presents Patriot from July 29 to Aug 3.
Written by Rahman Adam and Lokman Ghani with Datuk Suhaimi Mohamad Zain (Pak Ngah) as music director and Rahman as director, Patriot has familiar traces of war films such as Bukit Kepong and Leftenan Adnan in its storyline.
Sadly, it lacks emotional depth, becomes too predictable and comes across like a rehash of all-too-familiar television dramas and films.
Coincidentally, its lead actor Syukor Ibrahim (who alternates the protagonist’s role with Lokman’s nephew Ashraf Muslim) even resembles Hairie Othman of Leftenan Adnan fame.
Patriot is set in the 1940s, shortly after the return of the British to Malaya following the Japanese surrender.
It is about Leftenan Yahya, a courageous and dedicated soldier who is willing to sacrifice his life in the line of duty.
He is one of the Malay Regiment’s best recruits and has even seen action in World War Two as a private.
Beneath Yahya’s steely facade lies a sensitive man nursing a broken heart.
The love of his life, Sapura (Raja Farah of Anak Halal and Apa Kata Hati fame) is engaged to her vain, playboy cousin Zul (Sarawakian actor Mahmud Ali Basha).
While Sapura’s father (Datuk Jalaluddin Hassan) acknowledges her friendship with Yahya, he fears that the lieutenant will not bring her happiness as she might “end up widowed too soon”.
He reasons that Zul, an ex-schoolteacher and anti-colonial activist, is a far superior choice as he is articulate and “has a future” once the country becomes independent of British rule.
Sapura tells her parents that she will only find happiness with Yahya whom she has known for a long time.
Yahya, who cares deeply about Sapura and her family’s best interests, tells her to leave him.
He goes into action with the boys in green, fighting a menace much bigger than the Japanese - the Communist Party of Malaya which has a major kampung mole in none other than Zul.
There is poor chemistry between Syukor’s Yahya and Raja Farah’s Sapura, even though both do a fairly decent job as newcomers to theatre.
Newcomer Ashraf fares slightly better than Syukor in terms of chemistry with Raja Farah who proves that she can carry a tune, albeit with a “strong army” of back-up vocalists.
Mahmud is memorable as the villainous Zul, whose loud voice spells arrogance and pride throughout the play.
Jalaluddin, typecast as the VIP or headman in many a television series and film, virtually reprises his “judgemental parent” role, common in his Cerekarama appearances.
The supporting cast stood out, most notably funnymen Zaibo, Roscha and Rosli Rahman, who play village musicians and family friends of Yahya, and Akademi Fantasia 6’s Hairina (Mama Rina) Halim who plays Yahya’s doting mother.
Notable “sex-siren” of television Ziela Bakarin also gives a commendable performance as Som, Zul’s on-off girlfriend and the village femme fatale, while stage and film veteran Baharudin Omar is excellent as the village’s dignified martial arts instructor-turned-independence fighter.
Zek Taipan (Zul Isa), who often plays the enemy in combat, also does well as the Communist chief.
He steps back in familiar waters - reprising his role in the film Paloh.
However, it is unfortunate that a character representing the Malaysian Indian community, Muthu (played by P. Jeganathan), is typecast as a jovial “milkman”.
Maybe it’s time for some theatre practitioners to put such ethnic stereotypes to rest!
The costumes of the soldiers, including that of the Japanese and the Communists, look authentic enough.
Props could have been improved further to include a Bintang Tiga flag in the Communists’ jungle camp, while Zul would be better off in clunky spectacles popular with teachers of those days.
There are memorable moments in the play, which include the march of the Malay Regiment, the sound effects during battle scenes and the climatic finale where Yahya fights the Reds on a raised platform above Zul’s wedding scene.
Kudos to Istana Budaya for highlighting the country’s top-ranked war heroes in a brief film clip at the play’s end. That was far more moving than the play itself.
New Straits Times
Surprise That Rocked Rocker
The veteran rocker proved that he still has the magic to sizzle his audience.
‘Cool’ is his second name but last weekend, Amy Search was almost in tears. HAFIDAH SAMAT fills you in.
The showbiz movers and shakers who attended the event were (from left) composer Johari Teh, concert promoter Ali Bakar, singer Rahim Maarof and M. Nasir.
A heartwarming sight - Amy kisses daughter Nabila’s cheek, with Norish all smiles in the background.
Amy’s family members (from left) Kat, Nabila and Norish rendering the haunting Isabella.
IT was an unforgettable Sunday evening. Amy, the lead vocalist of rock outfit Search, turned 50 on Monday. As expected, there was much fanfare.
The award-winning singer was overwhelmed with joy when his family surprised him with a birthday bash at the Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts in Kuala Lumpur.
The elegant party was attended by some 220 of the singer’s family, relatives and close friends. The guests came from far and wide to join in the fun.
Spotted in the crowd were Amy’s daughter, the actress Nabila Huda; AirAsia Berhad chairman and former Search manager Datuk Aziz Bakar and wife Datin Norma Norell; and singer-composer-film director M.Nasir and wife Marlia Musa.
There were also the much celebrated songwriter-actor Bob Lokman (who was responsible for the band’s legendary tune Isabella), Search members, rock outfit Lefthanded’s vocalist Nash,Joe and Eddie of Black of Wings and former reality talent show Akademi Fantasia 6 principal, Ramli MS.
It was heartening to see some of Amy’s orang kampung too, from his hometown Bakar Batu in Johor Baru.
Fashion designer Albert King, who was accompanied by stylist Izatt Shariff, was seen chatting and joking with some of the members of the Press.
Despite her super-tight schedule, Amy’s wife-cum-personal assistant Norish Hassan, who had masterminded the party for three weeks, had discreetly called up his relatives and friends.
Details had been worked out carefully: from the attendees and the food, to decor and the evening’s programme.
The ballroom received the touch of wedding organiser Pak Abu.
The entrance was transformed into a little fairy tale garden and the setting done in earthy tones. Sheer chiffon curtains added a touch of romance.
The interior of the ballroom was an exquisite ivory hue with a gorgeously decorated head table. Tall arrangements of fresh red roses and small lanterns formed the centrepieces of each table.
The dining tables were labelled after some of Search’s greatest hits including Isabella, Seroja, Rozana, Meniti Titian Usang, Mentari Di Ufuk Timur and Isi Dan Kulit. How nostalgic!
Two gigantic screens were mounted at both sides of the room for guests to enjoy a video presentation of Amy’s illustrious career in the music industry.
“It was no walk in the park to organise the party. The days leading up to the evening were nerve-wracking, as Amy got suspicious about my late night outings,” said the tudung-clad Norish, laughing.
“Nabila even joked that I’d be grounded by Amy if I stayed out more. Oh, how I prayed that everything would turn out memorable,” she added.
Well, Norish, it was certainly worth the effort! It was touching to witness the well-wishers who came clad in their party best congregating to celebrate the legendary rocker’s landmark birthday in style!
Norish recalled a funny little “drama” which unfolded at their home a few hours before the party.
Amy was reported to have become upset at his family when he noticed that they were getting restless… Amy had only been told that he was to attend a corporate event later.
“Nabila, myself and the kids were ready to leave to make the final preparations and there he was nagging at us. So we stayed back and pretended nothing was happening,” said Norish, smiling.
The guests were warned beforehand that Amy had no inkling of the party for him. Everyone was to surprise him with the birthday song.
The evening’s entertainment kicked off at 9pm. Amy performed the melancholic Saat Ku Idamkan, from his solo album Magik which was released in 1994.
Just as he was about to break into the second song, the house lights came on and confetti dropped from the air. This was followed by the joyous birthday song and applause.
Amy was clearly shocked. He took a few seconds to compose himself.
“I’ve never celebrated my birthday before. This is so touching. I’m grateful to Allah for my long music career.
“I’ve a supportive family and friends who have supported Search through the years,” he added.
Amy said that his life has come full circle.
After 27 years in showbiz, he only hoped for good health and another child!
“I’ve achieved some of my dreams and my greatest moment was Search’s tour in Indonesia back in the 1980s. I still get goosebumps thinking about the historic moments.
“Of course, if Allah permits, I don’t mind having another child,” he said, laughing.
(Amy has three children - Nabila, 24, Alexander Zulkarnain, 4 and Sania Samara, two).
The evening also included a series of performances by his friends.
Hattan came on stage and rocked the house with his rendition of Dia, Man Bai rendered his signature Kau Ilhamku, and former Malaysian Idol contestant Fazli Zainal performed Suatu Masa.
The highlight came when Nabila, Norish and his sister-in-law, singer Kat, came on stage and performed Isabella.
Amy was all smiles, enjoying the small family performance on stage.
“He’s my hero. He knows best and I’ve learnt a lot from him”, said Nabila, as she playfully kissed her father on the cheeks. Amy looked dashing and spunky in a linen gold suit.
Asked about his plans, Amy stressed that he wasn’t planning to retire.
“I want to continue performing. It’s heartening when you still sizzle for your fans, especially the younger generation,” he said.
Oh yes, did we mention that amongst the more expensive gifts Amy received was a bungalow worth RM2.5 million in Shah Alam, courtesy of an undisclosed close friend?
Here’s wishing you, Amy, a Happy 50th Birthday!
New Straits Times