SINCE winning Season 3 of Astro Ria’s veterans’ singing contest Gegar Vaganza (GV3) last December, job offers have been streaming in for soulful Sabahan songstress Azharina Azhar.
It was a great comeback for the 31-year-old who had been laying low on her singing career to focus on her businesses, one of it being a production company that produces documentaries.
For long-time fans of Azharina, they are thrilled that their favourite singer is back on the music circuit.
“Alhamdulillah, GV was a great platform for me to shine once more. Singing will always be my passion so now I’m trying to make my singing career work again.
“I won’t lie, I have a lot on my plate now but it’s all good. I have my schedule packed up till the year-end so I’m not complaining,” said Azharina who first rose to fame after winning Bintang RTM 2001.
But a packed schedule means less time with her two-year-old son, Rahmat Azaharin Aziz Mohamad Faizal.
“Yes, it’s a sacrifice all single working mothers have to do. But I try my best to include him in my schedule. And if that cannot be worked out, I make sure that when I get home, I drop everything for him.
“My boy is my strength. He motivates me to work harder for the both of us. I’m doing this for his future,” said the singer who went through a divorce nine years ago.
“What also keeps me going is knowing that I have the support of my family and friends. I wouldn’t be where I am today without their encouragement,” said the Elegi Sepi hitmaker when met at a beauty event by hair product company Aveda in Pavilion Kuala Lumpur recently.
As for the RM100,000 cash prize win, she hopes to hold a “doa selamat”, settle all her debts and lastly, to perform the Umrah.
Azharina is also thrilled to be performing in a concert in Lombok, Indonesia on Jan 26. While in there, she is also set to film a music video with Indonesian singer-songwriter Rizal Badilah, for the song, Seribu Cinta.
The duet is a soundtrack for an Indonesian movie titled Que I love You.
In addition, the singer will also be having her own concert in Hard Rock Café in Kuala Lumpur on March 26. However, she remained tight-lipped on further details.
Asked if she is afraid to compete against new, younger generation of singers, she said : “Of course I’m scared! We are all in this industry together and we all have bills to pay and mouths to feed.
“But I know who my target market is in terms of listeners. While I still do have young fans, generally people who like to listen to my music are 35 and above,” she said.
On another note, Azharina is in the midst of recording a new album with composer Julfekar Ahmad Shah. “I will be doing a live recording of the album in the studio. There will be a total of seven songs and I’m hoping to release it this year.