Jan 12 2021, 08:26 AM, updated 5y ago
By C. ARUNO, NEWSDESK@THESTAR and COM.MY
NATION
Tuesday, 12 Jan 2021
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2021...hool-top-scorer
PETALING JAYA: Malaysian singer-songwriter Firdhaus Farmizi (pic), who made waves in Chinese social media, is a graduate of an independent chinese school.
According to Sin Chew Daily, Firdhaus, who is known as Fei Dao Er in China, did not expect his composition Gulf of Alaska to gain such traction in China and garnered a staggering 170 million views on Douyin, the Chinese equivalent of video-sharing app TikTok.
In an interview with the daily, the 22-year-old from Kulai, Johor, admitted that he would have likely been another regular youth had he not been given a chance to come in contact with the Chinese-speaking world.
Even though his parents did not speak Mandarin, they sent Firdhaus to a Chinese-language kindergarten and ended up sending him to a Chinese vernacular school for Year One.
Little did they know that their son would show a flair for academics and for the language such that he successfully enrolled in the prestigious Foon Yew High School, an independent chinese school known for its rigorous entrance exams.
Firdhaus, who was always at the top of his class, recalled fondly during report card day one year where other parents crowded around his mother to ask where she sent him for tuition to be able to score so well.
“I remember it clearly until today my mother’s facial expression at that time. She wore a bright smile at that time, ” he said.
Firdhaus admitted that he loved Chinese culture and was part of the che lin (Chinese yoyo) club and once represented his district in a Chinese calligraphy competition.
“When I was in secondary school, I would often visit my friends’ house and play with lanterns. During Chinese New Year, I would often bring along mandarin oranges and visit houses to collect ang pow, ” he said.
When he was in Form Four, he represented Foon Yew High School in the International Chinese Bridge Chinese Proficiency Competition, earning himself third place among other Malaysian contenders.
Even though he did not win the competition, he earned the right to travel to China to watch the international stage of the competition.
Firdhaus, who gained an interest in writing music after listening to King of Mandopop Jay Chou when he was 12, started his music career by singing at restaurants and was scouted after one of his performances was recorded and shared online.
He said he wrote his songs based on his life experiences and oftentimes inspiration would kick in when he was feeling sad.
He added that lyrics did not need to be poetic, and one could choose to be simple and direct as long as they were moving.
“After writing a new song, I will let my mother listen to it. Even though she does not understand (the lyrics), as long as the melody moves her it is good enough, ” he said.
He is currently signed to Malaysian record label Loolala Music that released his latest EP, A Letter last November, which contains his viral composition Gulf of Alaska.
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