Taufik @ Straits Times 15122008

What exactly lies beneath the exterior of that cool, calm & composed soulman whom we know as Taufik Batisah? Check out the following sections to learn more about the man.

Taufik featured in Straits Times Newspaper

Straits Times : 15 December 2008

Fame and Family in the bag...

Winner of Singapore Idol 2004 says his success has brought his family closer and they even have cameos in his latest album

8 Questions with …
Taufik Batisah

It has been four years since he won the inaugural Singapore Idol contest and singer Taufik Batisah is a happy and contented man. Looking relaxed in a white T-shirt, the 1.8m tall singer, who turned 27 last week, says the biggest change in his life since winning the singing competition in late 2004 has been how it has brought his family closer together.

His parents are divorced and his father lives in Johore Baru with his new family.

Meanwhile his mother and one elder brother live here. His other older brother lives in Johor Baru with his own family.

Taufik says: “The beauty of the competition was that we got really close. My brothers normally don’t speak to each other but they now have something in common to talk about.

“My mother actually hangs out with my dad’s current wife. She is also taking care of their kids while they are in Mecca for the Haj.”

He gets excited when talking about his latest project, a Malay album titled Suria Hatiku (The Sun of My Heart), his fourth album in as many years.

Besides producing and writing his own songs, he also managed to snag one of Malaysia’s top talents – composer, producer and singer M Nasir – to collaborate on two tracks.

Taufik, who graduated from Singapore Polytechnic with a diploma in marine engineering, also says has evolved as a singer, songwriter and producer.

He says: “Through working with other musicians and composers, I have gained more knowledge of music over the years.”

Even his close friends, whom he calls his “hardest critics”, are impressed with the new songs.

“They don’t have to be nice to me so they are very honest in criticizing my work. But even they are saying how I have matured in my songwriting, “he says.

1. If you didn’t join Singapore Idol back in 2004, how different do you think your life would be today?
I would have completed national service and I would have pursued music with a passion and then gone on to be a marine engineer.

I would have gone sailing. I would love to sail as a career. And I would probably have further my studies.

2. When you are out in public, are you under any pressure to be on your best behaviour and be a role model?
I try to be as normal as I can and to mind my own business. If people say “hi” to me, I will definitely acknowledge them.

I enjoy meeting fans and supporters. To me, its part of the career path I have chosen. And when people recognized me, a part of me will be happy that they still recognize who I am and hopefully they know that my album is out and they will enjoy my music.

It’s a wonderful thing. It’s part of the whole artist game. I guess.

I’m doing this 24/7, entertaining people on stage or off. The world is my audience. I’m indebted to my fans for giving me the opportunity to be where I am today.

3. You must get asked this next question a lot. Are you in a relationship right now?
NO. I’m not. It’s weird that every time I go out with a female partner, even when I go out with my best friend, who is a girl, people assume she’s my girlfriend. I guess its fun for them to assume that and I’m okay with it.

I have many female friends but I’m not in special relationship. I haven’t really found a person to call the special one.

I’m keeping my options open. I guess. I’m not forcing anything; I believe the time will come when you do find a special someone.

4. There is a song in the album, KepadaNya (For Him), where you do a duet with the second Singapore Idol winner and Asian Idol champ Hady Mirza. Are the two of you close and is there any rivalry between you two?
Not really. As local talents, we should support each other as much as we can.

If we have any opportunity to collaborate, just to make the industry a lot more interesting, why not?

Originally the song wasn’t meant to be a duet but when it was first done and I listened to my demo, it didn’t feel complete.

So I talked to Hady about the song, he heard it and he said it sounded like a song we should be doing together.

I was happy he agreed. His vocals and mine went really well together and I’m really happy with the finished product.

As for rivalry, I think people just like to say that kind of stuff.

Hady and I have known each other for quite a long time, way before Singapore Idol. He’s my brother’s friend.

We don’t hang out as often as we would like to but we play soccer sometimes.

5. You started out singing in English but in this album all the songs are in Malay. Was it difficult to make the transition to start singing and even writing Malay songs?
Initially it was quite difficult. I’m not used to listening to a lot of Malay songs and there was a time when my friends were mostly of other races, and even the Malays don’t really listen to Malay songs.

But my command of the Malay language has improved. I started writing Malay songs only in the last two years and I’m still learning.

I started to read more Malay newspaper and books to brush up on the language.

6. Your mother and several other family members have cameos in your latest album. How did their involvement come about?
The idea came to me halfway through the recording. My brother, who is a restaurant manager, can sing and I’ve always wanted to work with him on a song.

I thought that it would be so nice to have my family members as part of this project and even cooler to have my mother’s voice as part of it. I also have my stepbrother on it.

It makes the album more personal and special. Ten years from now, when I listen to their voices on the album, it will feel so nice. They make the songs sound better.

7. You quit smoking and even became the Health Promotion Board’s Smoke-Free Ambassador. Did becoming Singapore Idol help in making that decision to give up smoking and have you been tempted to pick up cigarettes again?
I became a more focused and determined person after winning the competition and one of the things I wanted to do was to quit smoking.

Honestly, there have been occasions during the initial period where I might have been tempted to smoke but I managed to stay away from cigarettes with the help from my family.

After going smoke-free for so long, it has well become a part of my lifestyle.

8. Complete this sentence: If I could live my life all over again, I would….
Not change anything. I always believe that things happen for a reason, whether good or bad. They give you a direction. I’m very much contented with what I have right now.

Suria Hatiku is out in stores now.

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