BESIDES being legendary icons in the music scene, Datuk Jamal Abdillah and Datuk M. Nasir are also longtime friends, having known each other for decades.
In 1984, Jamal got fans swooning over the song Azura, written by M. Nasir for the romantic film of the same name.
Fast forward to 2018 and Jamal continues to be relevant in the music scene. With that signature deep voice, even at 59, the singer proves that age will not slow him down.
At a recent Press conference held at Istana Budaya, Jamal performed Azura, hitting all the high notes with ease.
With his trademark sunglasses, he looked youthful in a white shirt and a pair of jeans.
All his energetic vibes must be due to the presence of his much younger wife, 24-year-old Datin Zai Izzati Khairuddin, in his life.
But it could also be due to the exercise routines he does to help build his stamina for a very special upcoming four-night concert called Konsert Duo Lagenda.
The concert is special to Jamal as he will be sharing the stage with M. Nasir. The duo will be serenading the audience with a collection of their greatest hits.
“Collaborating with M. Nasir has long been a dream of mine. To me, he is a singing legend who continues to have a huge fan base,” he said.
This is not the first time the two are sharing a stage. They have done so previously but none matches the scale of this upcoming concert.
According to Jamal, there will be a special segment where he and M. Nasir will be interacting with the audience, taking them down memory lane to the early days of their careers.
“It will be very casual. We will be candid when talking about our days as young singers trying to make it in the industry.
Jamal first met M. Nasir in Singapore at Lion Studio. “I am a huge fan of his work and I love singing the songs he wrote.”
“In fact, when I won Bintang RTM in 1979, it was M. Nasir’s song, Senandung Semalam, that I sang in the finals,” he said.
Konsert Duo Lagenda will not only feature the two young-at-heart singers but also Aussie singer Cassidy Anderson.
“Initially, I wanted to invite Wany Hasrita to join us. Unfortunately, that didn’t work out. I’ve watched Wany’s YouTube videos and while she’s a newcomer to the music scene, she’s a really talented singer,” he said.
Jamal’s friends then suggested Anderson. Impressed by her ability to sing and speak fluently in Malay, he was convinced.
It was a dream come true for Anderson too, as Istana Budaya had long been in her list of must-perform venues.
M.NASIR ON JAMAL
Just as Jamal is a fan of M. Nasir, the prolific singer-songwriter also looks up to Jamal.
“As a singer, Jamal is indeed in a class of his own. He’s a wonderful singer who has withstood the test of time,” he said.
“I’m sure most of the fans who come for the concert will be there because of him,” M. Nasir said with a smile.
“I can’t wait to share the stage with the legend,” he added.
A VERY SPECIAL GUEST
The concert, which will run for four nights from Dec 20, will host a VVIP Night on Dec 22 as there is a very special guest — the prime minister’s wife, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah.
She will also come on stage with Jamal and M. Nasir to accompany them on the violin for the song Gubahanku.
“I am very honoured to have her on the show. She was very keen to participate and is just as excited as we are,” said Jamal.
The VVIP Night is held to raise funds for the less fortunate, so Jamal is calling out to corporate bodies to take this opportunity to give back to society while enjoying a night of great music too.
Tickets are priced at RM1,500 (Golden seat/VVIP), RRM558, RM458, RM358 and RM158 which can be purchased at www.ilassotickets.com.
For more details, call 03-21706333.