KUALA LUMPUR: Popular young singer Haqiem Rusli had recently shocked his fans with news that he might be quitting his blooming career in the music industry altogether.
The 20-year-old fresh-faced artiste took to Instagram two days ago to state his unexpected intention and that he would make a final decision on the matter next month.
In a lengthy caption, he wrote: “An important announcement to all, I’ve been waiting a long time for this moment, for the right time. I’d like to reveal my status in the music industry, to quit or not, and by early July I’ll give a definite answer. A lot of things have happened to me being in the music industry, they talk so easy of things but I feel the pain.”
Saying that he was seventy per cent sure he would be throwing in the towel, Haqiem added that he would be performing at a show in Ipoh on June 24 and that it could be his last show as a singer.
Although the troubled rising star said that anything could happen, he addressed his fans, dubbed Qiemilio, and asked them not to be angry at him and to understand his situation.
Some fans had apparently questioned the real intention of the post, with some speculating that it was just a gimmick in conjunction with the release of a new song.
The pop, ballad and R&B singer, who is also a songwriter and composer, further wrote: “You already know that I have been going through spells of depression since early this year and it has been ongoing till today. Not just depression but other things as well.”
“My family and FMC (the record label he’s signed to) have given me space to relax and to think things through until the end of June,” he wrote in the only post on his Instagram account, which had garnered over 108,000 likes.
Haqiem had apparently deleted all of his previous posts from the account that has over a million followers.
The artiste ended the post by asking everyone to wait for him till early July for his announcement on his final decision.
Haqiem started his singing career at age 10 after competing in the singing contest Idola Kecil in 2008, where he emerged as second runner-up.
After a decade of being in the music industry, the talented young adult had built a large fan base that included supporters from Indonesia, Singapore and Brunei.
He has since released a string of hit singles with accompanying music videos that have each garnered millions of views on YouTube.
His single “Tergantung Sepi” alone had already racked up over 26.5 million views.
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