Singapore rock veteran Hanafie Warren returns from long hiatus with new single

by Nurul Azliah Aripin

Singapore rocker Hanafie Warren, a household name in the local Malay music industry, is back after a 10-year hiatus with a new single and an upcoming album entitled “Riwayatku” (My Legacy in Malay) and the support from a younger generation of musicians.

The 64-year-old veteran entered the music scene in the 1980s when he became the vocalist of popular five-piece rock band The Unwanted. After going solo, his fame soared in the 1990s with the ballad track “Terperangkap Dalam Sinaran” (Caught in the Spotlight in Malay). To date, he has sold more than 65,000 copies of albums and achieved over 50 live performances.

At the launch of the single on Monday (Oct 12), members of the media were treated to a screening of the music video for “Riwayatku” and a preview of his nine-track album.

In a move by Hanafie to reinvent himself to appeal to a broader fan base, he has roped in musicians who are more than half of his age.

His 24-year-old keyboardist son, Fifi Leong, is a producer of his new album, while the other musicians – all of whom are Leong’s friends – are aged between 22 and 24 years old: Melvin Cyril on guitars, Caspar Francis on bass, Joon Lei on drums and Illiya Zaki, who wrote the lyrics of most of the album tracks.

“I’m happy to work with them, they are young and I feel like I’m young too. If you listen (to the album), it’s totally different from what I did before,” said Hanafie, who looked the quintessential rocker with his black apparel and shades.

Leong said Hanafie approached him because the rocker wanted to combine the nostalgic sounds of previous decades with contemporary music.

“I called the team and said let’s do something. Let’s work (to grow) the Malay music industry with something different,” said Leong.

The band sees “Riwayatku” as a departure from Hanafie’s signature ballads and a progression towards a “heavier sound”, infusing “infectious guitar riffs” and “quick double bass drumming”.

Hanafie’s new single has garnered praises from musicians and fans alike.

Famous Malaysian rocker Nash said, “I love the melody. It has more variety. The touch and tempo (of the drums) is excellent.” Local musician Addy Cradle concurred, “It is something different. You wouldn’t expect something like that from Hanafie.”

On Hanafie’s Facebook page, fans welcome the return of a “rock legend”. “Refreshing from the legend!” said a Sapian Sapari.

Hanafie will release the album on the CD format on 19 December.