Dr Katalina tells Bibi Nurshuhada Ramli there’s no reason why she cannot be a doctor and an entertainer at the same time
SANDAKAN-BORN Dr Katalina (born Siti Khadijah Awang Amat) is not a “celebrity doctor” who tends to artistes or takes on that role on television.
The full-fledged doctor sings and acts when she’s not treating her patients. The 33-year-old has been a physician for seven years but last year, she decided to become a professional entertainer.
“My entire family sings, so I guess it’s in my blood,” says Katalina with a proud smile. “Besides, there wasn’t much to do as a kid growing up in Sabah, so we sang to our hearts’ content!”
As for her being a doctor, Katalina said she experienced a great loss during her childhood when her father died of liver disease. “I remember feeling so helpless. I blamed myself for not being able to help in any way and that influenced me greatly in pursuing medicine,” she recalls.
At the same time, she also nurtured a deep interest in singing.
She says: “I always thought it’s important to motivate myself to stretch my limits.”
So the first chance she got, she jumped on the bandwagon. Now, an artiste under Warner Music Malaysia (WMM), Katalina has released a single called Kan Terjadi, which she co-produced.
She has also started acting. Last year, she made her debut in a tonton original series, Dan Calonnya Adalah 2, playing a supporting role opposite Aaron Aziz.
HOW IT STARTED
Katalina started singing when she was 14, performing on an RTM programme.
Unfortunately, she had to stop singing when she went to Russia to study medicine. Katalina thought that would be the end of her singing career, but she was asked to perform at an annual event at Kursk State Medical University, where she was studying.
“I thought nothing would come out from that. I came back to Malaysia and started my housemanship (internship period for medical students). Life went on as usual,” she says.
She eventually became a personal physician to the Sultan of Pahang, Sultan Ahmad Shah.
“There are four doctors serving Tuanku, and we take turns weekly to work. Then last year, I was invited to sing in China for an event. The organiser must have seen me singing on the Internet,” she says.
RTM jazz pianist Datuk Mokhzani Ismail was part of the local band that performed with her. He told her to not let her singing talent go to waste.
“I thought I was already too old for this career but I took his advice anyway,” she says, adding that during her childhood days, there was no talent agency in Sabah to assist her in expanding her talent.
“Now that I live in Kuala Lumpur, the opportunities are there. I get to realise my dream of becoming an artiste. It has been a whirlwind of a ride for me so far,” she says.
ACTING PROJECT
Katalina’s latest acting project is Astro Prima’s 100-episode series Lara Aishah, airing Mondays to Fridays at 6pm on Astro Prima and Maya HD.
Adapted from the Mexican telenovela La Loba, the series is about Aishah (Fasha Sandha), who falls in love with the heir of the company, Iskandar (Nazim Othman).
Meanwhile, Zurin (Jasmin Hamid) had been imprisoned for 27 years for something she didn’t do. She aims to look for her daughter who was kidnapped was a child.
“I play a counsellor to the prison inmates,” says Katalina. “My character finds out the truth about Zurin and helps her.”
Katalina adds that while it is a heavy drama, she enjoyed herself thoroughly. “I’d love to try something new every time. I don’t want just to play the same type of characters, or work on the same genres.”
The song, Dirgahayu, by Faizal Tahir and Datuk Siti Nurhaliza, is the series’ main soundtrack. Katalina’s Kan Terjadi was chosen as its second song.
HISTORY OF HER NAME
Katalina has been called Kat since school. “My friends told me Siti sounded a little too ‘girly’.”
When she became a singer with WMM, however, she was introduced as Dr Kat. “People kept asking ‘What? Doktor Kucing? (Cat doctor?)’ every time without a miss!” she says.
WMM boss Darren Choy proposed that she come up with a stage name. Kathy and Katrina were suggested before they finally decided on Katalina.
“It’s actually the name of a local flower in Hawaii. But no, I haven’t been there,” she says.
WHAT’S NEXT
Having released her single, Katalina is eager for more. She has received acting offers to star in several dramas.
“At the same time, my dream is to open my own clinic. The Sultan of Pahang has even given me his blessings and said that I should plan for my future.”
Her establishment would be an aesthetic clinic, for which she has hired two local doctors to work for her.
The clinic in Mont Kiara is expected to open next year. “My friends feel it is brave of me to quit working for the government to pursue my dreams. In life, I believe that whatever decision you take, you need courage,” she says.
“At the same time, I do whatever makes me happy. I look at singing as a talent that shouldn’t go to waste, and treating the sick to make them better gives me a lot of fulfilment. There is no reason why both cannot co-exist.”