THEY say when a door closes, another one opens. And this is particularly true for Singapore -born singer-actor Harris Baba.
Harris Baba, or his full name, Khawaja Mohammad Harris Baba, started out as a singer in the island republic, but a year after making his official debut, his career remained stagnant.
So, the 26-year-old decided to try his luck in Malaysia. And Lady Luck has been smiling down at him ever since.
“Sometimes, the universe works in mysterious ways.
“I was hoping that my career would take off in my homeland, but that didn’t happen. My rezeki seems to be in Malaysia,” he said at the launch of his second single Parah at Red Box in The Gardens Mall in Kuala Lumpur.
Making it easier for Harris to call Malaysia home is his marriage to a Sabahan, Nik Naziha Zawawi, last year. The couple had, on Feb 10, welcomed a daughter they named Aleena Ziya Khawaja.
Harris, who still feels slighted that his talent was not appreciated in his home country, said: “It’s really sad, but that’s how things turned out for me.”
A believer of fate, he remains thankful for the opportunities Malaysia had given him so far.
“I treasure every opportunity that come my way. It’s part and parcel of learning for me as well.”
Seeing the support from fans, Harris promises to work harder.
“That’s how I give back to my fans who have been supportive of my career. I will continue to give my best,” he said.
The singer, who released his debut single Katakan last year, said Parah was composed by award-winning singer-songwriter Faizal Tahir, together with composers Mike Chan, Ezra Kong and Romeo.
The song, which was made available on YouTube recently, has garnered more than 300,000 views .
Besides singing, Harris has also acted in TV drama series and telemovies such as Isteri Tuan Ihsan, Cinta Viral and Alien Planet Cinta.