Evergreen crooner Khadijah Ibrahim speaks candidly to HAFIDAH SAMAT about her life and the music scene these days.

THE walls on the restaurant are adorned with framed black-and-white photographs of celebrities she has worked with - from national icon Datuk Ahmad Nawab, rock veteran Ramli Sarip to crooner Jamal Abdillah and pop entertainer Sheila Majid.

The entrance to Khadijah’s Kitchen, which opened its doors in June, boasts the intricate Malacca-inspired staircase with plants of all manner in pots and vases. It is apparent that the interior and exterior reflect her diverse creative influence.

As you enter, the friendly and affectionate personality that its owner - veteran singer Khadijah Ibrahim - exudes create a welcoming air in the cosy 144-square-metre premises housed at a 48-year-old shophouse in Petaling Jaya.

The walls are green where her carpenter-friend specially made the large dining tables and chairs she designed. Another prominent feature is the sturdy and charming frames and wall decor that add life and colour to the restaurant’s ambience.
The restaurant is Khadijah’s second outlet. Back in the early 1990s, she operated an outlet in Christchurch, New Zealand, for 10 years with the assistance of her adopted Chinese mother, Khoo Siew Gaik.

“New Zealand was my home. I was constantly shuttling between Kuala Lumpur and Christchurch for my shows almost every weekend. I’d normally take the Sunday flight back to New Zealand and attended my classes,” said Khadijah, who pursued interior decoration and obtained a diploma from Peterborough Fashion Design College.

The veteran reminisced how she would entertain her former classmates - largely made up of multi-nationalities students - with her home-cooked Malaysian dishes.

“They were in their late teens and I was the oldest in my class. I cooked so much that I created a “mini-Bangsar late night stalls” of sorts at the restaurant.

“Some of them were too familiar with my cooking that they could tell if my masak lemak cili api was not spicy enough,” she laughed.

When met for the interview recently, Khadijah was milling around delegating work to her staff. With her thick mane bunched up, the entertainer was seen rearranging the furniture in the restaurant to cater for the Ramadan crowd.

“I’m expecting a big turnout during the fasting month. On Monday (the second day of Ramadan), I catered for a birthday party and cooked for 30 people. The restaurant is packed so I’d constantly remind my regulars to make reservations,” she said, smiling.

Looking at her, you could tell that Khadijah has led a comfortable life though her songs - considered by many as insightful and heart-tugging - dwell on hardship and loss.

The charismatic and versatile entertainer revealed that compliance is the key to survival.

She enthusiastically talked about her various projects. There is the restaurant, another to be set up sometime next year at Wall Street in New York. Then there is the two-night concert at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas in November, and the list goes on.

“Alhamdulillah, from day one of my showbiz career, I have been blessed by Allah and my fans. I couldn’t have asked for more,” she said.

For someone, whose achievements include being one of the top-selling female artistes, the voice behind the melodious theme song, Malaysia, Truly Asia for the Visit Malaysia campaign, you’d think that Khadijah would carry “diva baggage” everywhere she goes. But no she doesn’t.

Having worked since 1978, churning out 18 albums and producing a legacy of timeless tunes coupled with an enviable talent, the singer who popularised her anthem title track, Ku Pendam Sebuah Duka (taken from her 10th album released in 1987), Khadijah had certainly proven her resilience and versatility.

Arguably, Khadijah has beaten the odds and emerged as one of the most sought-after singers. Jumping from singer to proprietor with nary a problem, the 48-year-old entertainer seemed focused in each chosen path.

When showbiz suffered from the “dead formula” malady, Khadijah persevered and survived. There were one too many sacrifices and compromises but it all worked out well in the end. She even attributed her success to the “union” with her like-minded manager-cum-show promoter and organiser, the late Mike Bernie Chin (who at that time also had the late Sudirman Haji Arshad and Noor Kumalasari under his wing).

“Mike was like my big brother. He was vocal and hardworking. There were times prior to my regular TV and club stints that I travelled extensively to the kampung but he (Mike) made sure that everything went smoothly,” she said, adding that Mike laid a strong foundation for her to advance in her career.

Khadijah also stressed that good artiste managers are sorely lacking in the local music scene. Every performer should engage a manager who will ensure the staying power of the artiste, she added.

“A manager is the key person who knows how to tap on your talent, skills and strength. A manager should be familiar with the goings-on in the industry and believe in your capabilities.”

A manager’s job is not always that clear cut. Most managers stay in the background, sweating over unpaid or late fees and royalty cheques, dealing with lawyers, record companies and public relations people, coordinating tour dates, pushing for better recording deals and pacifying temperamental artistes.

Khadijah added that the partnership between a performer and manager should result in providing a good future for the artiste.

“It’s a win-win situation. What’s important is the vision - whether the artiste can sell or not. Not many managers have that sight or feel but it’s really up to the artiste to chart the career. If you aren’t serious about what you do then it won’t work,” she said.

Khadijah voiced her concern about the current state of the local showbiz. She said, there’s a huge pool of newcomers who are largely clueless of their musical direction.

“It’s been a good sign for the industry. Almost everyone dreams of becoming a singer but at times I wonder about their standards as performers. Even if you don’t possess good vocals but have managed to get a good producer, an arranger and composer, half the battle is won.”

Khadijah should know. To date, she has collaborated with a slew of luminaries in the music industry. Her partnership with Ramli Sarip spelt success and their evergreen duet Doa Buat Kekasih (which was featured in her Khadijah Ibrahim ‘88 album) was a knockout.

Subsequently, the duo who was rumoured to be romantically-linked in the late ’80s, released Ihsan their debut duet album produced by Ramli Sarip in 1990. The album spawned the hit tune Ihsan Mulia.

She had also successfully collaborated with Ahmad Nawab, her mentor, composer-producer-singer-actor-director, M.Nasir (who produced her album Terbang Pulang), musician-arranger Mac Chew and award-winning composer, Adnan Abu Hassan.

The last couple of years, Khadijah has staged 60 performances locally and abroad. One of her memorable concerts was a charity concert hosted by former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf in March, 2006.

“It was awesome and Musharaff had a blast at the show. I also presented him a songket which I brought from KL,” said Khadijah.

To commemorate the 30th anniversary of her illustrious career, Khadijah is performing in a two-day concert at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas (DFP) starting Nov 17.

Backed by a 10-piece musician led by Mac Chew, the show features guest artistes Ahmad Nawab and Ramli Sarip. The musicians include keyboardist Jenny Chin, Steve Thornton (percussion), Jamie Wilson, and Aji (guitars), Andy Peterson (bass) and Thomas Theseira (saxophone).

Note: Tickets, priced at RM50, RM80, RM100 and RM120, are available at DFP box-office. Call 03-2051-7007 or go to www.malaysianphilharmonic.com

New Straits Times

Cars ‘drifting’ on stage? Expect the impossible when Impak Maksima morphs into a musical this November, writes TENGKU ELENA TENGKU MAHAMAD.

WHAT do you get when you turn a local movie featuring fast cars into a musical?

You get Impak Maksima The Musical.

Yes, the performance will feature cars “drifting” on stage from Nov 11 to 22 at Istana Budaya in Kuala Lumpur.

Since the storyline is filled with action from the motor sport, the idea may be impractical and even bizarre for some.
According to director Ahmad Idham, the “drifting” is achievable.

“A platform will be built especially for the ‘drifting’. The stage is large enough to do the figure ‘8′,” he said at a Press conference at Istana Budaya recently.

“Safety is one of the main concerns,” said Ahmad Idham.

“It may be hard to turn the idea into reality, what with the risks involved, but I do have my plans. I may use a multimedia screen to show the ‘drift’ in action.”

What else can the audience expect? The plot will be similar to the movie except that it will be filled with dance moves, fresh and catchy music. And, of course, the characters are expected to sing!

The cast include Awal Ashaari who acted both in the movie and TV series, Dynaz (role in movie) and Jue Aziz (role in TV series).

The three may have no background in singing but Idham, who is also the director of Excellent Pictures Sdn Bhd, has confidence in them.

The stage production is supported by Zulhuzaimi Marzuki as assistant director, Cat Farish (composer), Belalang (choreographer) and Den Wahab (coordinator) with the support also of Istana Budaya and Global Network Entertainment Sdn Bhd.

Tickets are priced at RM20, RM30, RM50, RM80 and RM150 and can be purchased at the Istana Budaya ticket counter.

New Straits Times

The best of Malaysian films were served up to an Aussie crowd recently.

JESSICA LIM was there.

THE two subjects are so different but this year’s Australian Malaysian Film Festival and human bullet Usain Bolt had a thing or two in common.

Both Bolt and the festival were previously relatively unknown. Audiences for both didn’t expect such a good performance, and both weren’t affected by the weather.

The sweltering sun in Beijing did not stop the Jamaican sprinter from burning up the track, and neither did the blistering cold in Melbourne discourage a bunch of ladies from donning semi-transparent, billowy batik dresses.

It was the festival’s second foray into Melbourne’s cityscape, and the batik ensemble was just one of many new Malaysian flavours that were introduced this time around.
The festival was held at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image cinemas, located in Melbourne’s prestigious Federation Square on Aug 15-18. It grew from three films to five, two days to four, and broadened to include a filmmakers forum.

The VIP list grew more impressive and viewership expanded to involve three school groups.

Heading the Malaysian delegation was National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas) director-general Mohd Mahyidin Mustakim. He had in tow nine of Malaysia’s film luminaries, including Hans Isaac, Norman from KRU, Nanu Baharuddin and Pierre Andre.

Last year’s festival saw only two representatives from Malaysia’s film industry - Ramli Hassan and Dale Majid.

“It is early days yet, but we can see that there is great support for Malaysian films in Melbourne,” said Mahyidin at the launch. It was a predominantly Malaysian crowd at the launch with a liberal sprinkling of mat salleh.

“What you will see tonight is the best we have. I am sure you’ll be surprised by how much you enjoy it.”

Mahyidin was referring to Sepi, which won Best Film at the 2007 Malaysia Film Festival.

Organisers concocted an interesting mix of films this year. Besides Sepi, they also dished out horror films Congkak and Waris Jari Hantu, patriotic comedy Cuci and romantic fantasy Duyung.

The launch itself was pretty unique, with Peranakan singing and traditional dances appearing alongside an acoustic performance by Melbourne-based Malaysian band Patterns for Paper and a phenomenal beatbox presentation by a 17-year-old Malaysian boy called Shazet.

Shazet, replete with skate shoes and pants five sizes too big, won the Melbourne Beatbox 2008 championships recently.

“Winning the Melbourne championship was great. Now Melbourne knows that Malaysians can beatbox,” he said.

A highlight of the launch was the signing of a memorandum between Australia’s A2K Media and Malaysia’s Lineclear Motion Pictures to co-produce a full-length feature film.

The muscle behind the film are A2K’s Ade Djajamihardja, who also organised the festival, and Lineclear’s Abdul Latiff Mohaideen. The script is being developed, and the duo is looking at shooting by mid next year.

Ade revealed a snippet of the plot. The story revolves around a bunch of Aussie soldiers camped out in a Kuantan airbase in the mid-1940s.

“The film will be about bravery and heroism. It’s about ‘mateship’.”

He added that they already had a working title - Between Two Skies.

University of Melbourne head of film and television Professor Ian Lang said, “You may be wondering why we haven’t yet seen a Malaysian-Australian co-production. The answer is simple. We need a platform like this to start from.

“This Malaysian-Australian exchange is a classic example of embryonic co-operation which starts from the grassroots upwards.”

The excitement of this year’s festival has yet to die down, but Ade and co-organiser Kate Stephens are already making plans for next year.

This year, they had contemporary batik label iNNai and batik artist Emilia Tan put up a simple exhibition. Next year, they’re envisioning a Milan-style batik catwalk.

Their inspiration is the oodles of positive feedback they get from people who come for the festivals, love it, and look forward to next year’s instalment.

“We are very, very happy with the response after the festivals each year. That’s what drives us,” said Stephens.

“There are few things in life more rewarding than creating something from nothing and making it significant.”

New Straits Times