POP and rock legend Datuk Sheikh Abdullah Ahmad, better known as Dato Shake, occasionally keeps a short beard, and that helps him "keep in touch with his roots".
"I'm a Sheikh, and sheikhs did sport beards much longer than mine long ago," said the France-based singer, who has been back in Malaysia for the last two weeks.
Shake, 73, shaved off his trim, white beard as soon as he arrived in Kuala Lumpur from Paris, in preparation for his big day on Dec 16.
At 8pm that day, he will rock state-of-the-art concert hall Zepp KL in Bukit Bintang City Centre, Jalan Hang Tuah, Kuala Lumpur for two hours in a concert titled Dato Shake Live At Zepp KL 2023.
"Truth be told, I'm not into beards. Like some rock singers, I grow a beard just for the fun of it.
"In France today, many young men sport trim beards seasonally, shaving them off whenever they want," said Shake, who will be in town until January.
COMMON FORMULA
The secret to his youthfulness is a "rather common formula" — he works out in his gym every day, spending around 90 minutes there, and has a physical trainer to assist him too.
"My trainer told me there is no need to do things fast and at my age, it is always good to keep at my own pace," he said, adding that eating right has always been important in his life.
"As I grow older I have to cut down on spicy and sweet food, these do not do me good. Eating in small portions is important, too," he said.
Shake currently weighs 66kg, having lost 10kg over the last two years, particularly during the Covid-19 lockdown. He also goes for regular health checks.
"As the lockdown was gradually lifted, I kept myself busy as always, entertaining fans in various parts of France," he said.
"Other than France, I've also performed in neighbouring Belgium and Mauritius, where there is a large French-speaking population."
Shake is trilingual, besides mastering French over a decade through sheer hard work, he speaks fluent Malay and English as his parents had wanted.
Later as a parent and grandparent, he made sure that his four children and seven grandchildren did the same.
LIFE IN FRANCE
Shake's eldest child, Mina, 52, is his Serbian wife Datin Milena Abdullah's daughter from a previous marriage. Mina, who is married, used to be an actress.
His second child Natasha, 45, is from his earlier marriage and she used to sing.
Shake and Milena also have twin sons Amaro and Nicolas, now 42, who are involved in acting and filmmaking.
"As for my grandchildren, Mina has three while Natasha and Amaro have two each," Shake said, adding that all of them currently live in France.
"The family spent 20 years in the United States, from 1989 to 2009, where the children studied. But as it turned out, our love for France remained stronger than ever."
Asked what led him to France in 1973, Shake said he had gone to the Western European country "by chance".
"I was singing in a nightclub in Johor Baru back then, and a producer invited me to sing in France.
"Having a sense of adventure and limitless curiosity, I decided to explore a distant land."
While the singer had an initial culture shock, as France's winters were very cold, and he struggled with the language, he persevered and gradually adapted to life in his second home.
"Lack of information about France made me curious to explore the country, which I subsequently did, and after understanding the French people better, I made lots of friends."
AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Shake will be revealing many interesting chapters of his life in an autobiography, which will be released next year.
"I have completed the English and French versions of the book, it is currently being translated into Malay," he said.
Besides singing, Shake played hockey and football during his secondary schooldays in Johor Baru.
"Singing remained my biggest passion while growing up. My favourite extra-curricular activity was being part of my school's choir," he said.
A 'SHAKING' GOOD TIME
Shake's concert next month will be featuring both local and foreign musicians.
"They're very experienced and talented, and I'm confident they will give everyone in the hall a 'shaking' good time."
With several new songs in the pipeline, he will performing a couple of them at the concert.
"I'll serenade fans with about 25 songs, including medleys."
He will also introduce new arrangements for some of his evergreen songs.
Tickets priced from RM358 to RM5,000 are available at www.ticketcharge.com.my.