CLOSEUP
artsy nights out
30
FAHTHAI
Ali Aiman
Musicianandproducer
“My inspiration? Well, growing
up my parents played everything
from ABBA to Debussy and that’s
all stayed with me,” Ali says.
“They sent me for piano lessons
but I wasn’t sure that was what I
wanted. In high school, I got into
the marching band and started
playing the trumpet, but it was when
I picked up the guitar and started
jamming with friends that I knew
what I wanted to do. I was studying
engineering, but I was playing music
the whole time so it didn’t really
work out!”
While studying contemporary
writing and production at Berklee
College of Music in Boston, Ali
worked in post-production and
composed music for commercials.
Upon graduating with first-class
honours in 2010, he took up a
position as music director at a kids’
theatre in Massachusetts.
“Actually, it was only last year
that I decided to work on my own
music,” he says. “I’ve always wanted
to contribute to Malaysia’s music
scene; there are a lot of talented
acts here. The sound is changing
and there are a lot more electronic
sounds but the promotion and
exposure could be better.”
It’s these electronic sounds and
his classical piano background that
Ali managed to fuse so seamlessly
in his recent release
Breathe
, an
atmospheric track that highlights his
mellow vocals:. “I don’t know what
genre I fit into; really it’s up to the
listener,” he says.
Given his eclectic musical taste –
Ali confesses to having a passion for
heavy metal – he moves easily from
jazz clubs such as No Black Tie and
Alexis Ampang to rock gigs and big-
name DJ sets at Laundry Bar.
“Like many countries, Malaysia’s
not perfect but I wouldn’t be
anywhere else. I think KL is a great
creative city,” he says. “I’m constantly
writing and everything is self-
produced. Sometimes I don’t want to
go to sleep because I have so many
ideas. It’s a bit unhealthy at times but
that’s just the way it is.”
Ali released his six-track debut EP
Overture
in July this year.
