One of the brightest stars in Singapore’s music scene, Shabir Sulthan, 39, is a man of many talents. The winner of the inaugural Vasantham Star in 2005, has been working for nearly two decades, enthralling music lovers with his singing, writing, and composing abilities. This August 9, Shabir will lead millions of his compatriots with the national anthem, ‘Majulah Singapura’, during the National Day celebrations, joining an elite list of musicians who have had the honour of performing a rendition of the song.
Speaking to Connected to India’s Sudipto Maity, Shabir says, “It’s really such a big, big blessing for someone like me.” Asked about his earliest memories of the National Day celebrations, Shabir says he and his family — mother and two other brothers — always watched the event on the television. “I grew up in a single-parent household, so most events were meant to be watched on TV and meant to be watched from afar.”
He says travelling was costly and considered a luxury, as his single mother was busy raising her three sons. Now, Shabir will become the fourth person to perform a rendition of the national anthem, following in the footsteps of Jacintha Abisheganaden in 2002, Rani Singam in 2013, and Datuk Ramli Sarip in 2019.
“I never got to watch any NDP (National Day Parade) in close proximity, or even the fireworks. So, someone who grew up with very basic and minimum things and experiences, can you imagine being in the parade itself, and performing to thousands and thousands of Singaporeans and people in Singapore and all around the world, witnessing the grandeur, the fireworks, the LED displays, all the beautiful people and faces, how much I cherish that,” he says, encapsulating his journey from being in the confines of his home to being the lead in this year’s National Day celebrations.
“It just feels incredible to think that I’m leading the nation in this year’s NDP, because it’s a very rare honour that only few people have received,” he adds.
Along with the National Anthem, Shabir will also be performing his iconic national song, ‘Singai Naadu’ (“The Land of the Lion”), which has resonated deeply with Singaporeans. The August 9 version will be performed in an upbeat rendition which promises to be a highlight of the celebrations.
“I wanted to present this year’s anthem in a way where it’s gentle and compassionate,” he says about his thought behind the upcoming performance. Shabir highlights the need for gentleness and compassion, adding, “We need it in this very fast-paced life.”
Talking about his influences, the musician names legendary Indian composer AR Rahman as his hero. While he also names Bob Dylan, Metallica, Wyclef Jean, Linkin Park and Japanese musician Kitaro as some of his other heroes, he says it was Rahman who inspired him the most.
“The reason I’m in the music industry is AR Rahman, of course,” Shabir says. “He just blew my mind away. The whole transition from analog-to-digital era, he was the one who pushed it, not just in Tamil cinema, but also in Indian cinema, and the whole Indian subcontinent.”
“If it wasn’t for him, I don’t think the adaptation of digital tools in the music industry… people would have been as receptive as they were. He made it sound good when a lot of people made it sound cheesy. He was creating art.”
Rahman isn’t the only Indian who has left an indelible impression on Shabir’s mind. He also credits poets Bharathiyar and Rabindranath Tagore for shaping his lyrical and artistic abilities. “Bharathiyar, Tagore and Rumi, I call them my holy trinity,” he says.
“The way I approach making art is through poetry,” Shabir says.
August is set to be an exciting month for Shabir with the release of his new single, ‘The Name Is’ (Bro Unga Peru). This marks his first independent release of the year and will be performed live for the first time at Mediacorp’s National Day Concert.
With fame comes rivalry and when asked about his competition, Shabir says he has none, no one in Singapore and none around the globe. “I’m too preoccupied trying to be better than who I was yesterday,” he says.
“It’s always can I be better than what I was yesterday, not how can I be better than this person or that person,” he says, stating it’s a mantra that he has been using to make music for 19 years now.
Shabir says he now wants to get out of his comfort zone and try something “radically different” and use works of three individuals — Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, P Ramlee and Kitaro — to make a collaborative project. The idea hit him while he was hosting his podcast Project Zero, which was launched by his company Shabir Music Asia. It must be noted that neither Khan, nor Ramlee are alive anymore. However, with Shabir trying to fuse their work, it would be interesting to see what he comes up with.
