Quick Facts
Biography
Shabir is a Singaporean multiple award-winning singer-songwriter, record producer, music composer and performer whose works are predominantly in Tamil. He is the winner of the inaugural singing competition Vasantham Star 2005. The talent quest was hosted by MediaCorp Vasantham TV Channel. The artiste's finest work to date is known to be Singai Naadu, the National Day Parade 2012 Tamil song that received rave reviews and a liking from the Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong.
Personal life
Shabir is born and bred in Singapore. His father's origin is Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu. He is of mixed heritage from an Urdu speaking father and a Malay/Tamil mother. Shabir started songwriting at an early age and wrote & composed his first song at the age of 12.
Career
Shabir started songwriting and song composition when he was 12 years old. Starting out as a self-taught keyboardist, he went on to learn Hindustani Classical Music under the tutelage of violinist Sri Veereshwar Madhri and guitar from Steeve Vatz. Shabir also graduated with a bachelor's degree in music production and composition and is an alumnus of SAE Singapore.
Shabir remains one of the leading recording artiste in Singapore with a strong fan following in the region having released three albums to date 'Alaipayuthey', 'TraffiQ' and 'Swasam-Scents of Prose'. Shabir's music is known to be an eclectic concoction of various genres and influences that includes pop, indie, alternative rock and world music. Shabir's lyrical style consists of wordplay, metaphor and he often experiments with cadence. His edgy vocal rendition marks a distinct style that owes itself to his early metal and rock influences such as Rage Against The Machine and Metallica.
Film Music
Shabir started his film music career in Tamil Cinema as a playback singer and songwriter. Shabir sang two songs in the Indian film Vathikutchi produced by A.R Murugadoss. He also wrote lyrics and recorded a rap based on a ragaa for one of the songs. Shabir received positive reviews from critics for his rendition of the song Ari Unnai. The audio of the film launched on 13 Feb 2013 in Chennai. Shabir recorded a song for Drums Sivamani titled "Yaaro Yaar Aval" from the movie Arima NambiIn 2016 Shabir wrote and sang for the Venkatesh starrer Telugu film Babu Bangaram. He is now making his debut as a film composer for a Tamil film called Sagaa. The film is slated for a late 2016 release. The song titled "Yaayum" from Sagaa became a hit upon its release, receiving acclaim from critics and fans. Shabir signed his next film titled "Sanguchakkaram" produced by the makers of Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom and Idharkuthane Aasaipattai Balakumara. "Sanguchakkaram" is due for release in late 2016.
Independent Music
Shabir was one of the first few to drive the international Tamil independent music movement. His first album "Alaipayuthey" was released in 2005. Shabir's independent music from his later albums TraffiQ (Dejavu & Nagaravaytai) received regular airplay on both local and international channels including MTV Asia . and Channel V. which garnered him a good following in South East Asia.
"Swasam – Scents of Prose" produced by High Breed Media was released on 7 April 2012 to positive reviews. The album has an eclectic combination of various musical styles and features poetry recitations by prominent personalities and luminaries from Singapore such as the nation's 6th President S.R Nathan, Minister S Iswaran, former NMP Viswa Sadasivan and many others.
Shabir is currently the CEO of Shabir Music Academy, a music school based in Singapore, which is affiliated with Rockschool UK.
Controversy
Shabir has courted controversy since he took part in inaugural Vasantham Star competition in 2005. The singer received mixed reviews on his performances, and was under scrutiny for his pronunciation and slang when singing.
After impressing the judges during the quarter finals, he was eventually expelled from the competition altogether during the semis. This provoked an eruption among his growing fan base. His departure resulted in the local community writing a petition that was signed by more than 500 members of the public.
Understanding the dynamics of his participation, the producers for the first time in Tamil television history, introduced a wild card entry which made way for Shabir's re-entry into the competition.
Shabir eventually won the talent quest.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Language | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Vathikuchi | Tamil | Singer-Songwriter for "Amma Wake Me Up" & "Ari Unnai" |
| 2013 | Pranam Kosam | Telugu | Singer for Erugara |
| 2014 | Arima Nambi | Tamil | Singer for "Yaaro Yaar Aval" |
| 2016 | Babu Bangaram | Telugu | Singer-Songwriter for Babu Bangaram Theme |
| 2017 | Sagaa | Tamil | Music Director (Post-Production) |
| 2017 | Sanguchakkaram | Tamil | Music Director (Post-Production) |
Awards
- Vasantham Star 2005 (Winner)
- Derana TV Awards Best Music Video for Nagara Vaytei by Shabir ft Dinesh K & Ramya 2009 (Winner)
- Pradhana Vizha 2011 Best Actor (Winner)
- Singapore Indian Artistes Association (Honored Best Actor) 2011
- Pradhana Vizha 2012 Most Popular Song (Winner)
- Kannadasan Award 2012 by Association of Singapore Tamil Writers (Winner)
- Edison Awards 2013 Best International Singer (Winner)
- Highly Commended Award for Kshatriyan soundtrack at Asian Television Awards 2016
- Pradhana Vizha 2011 Best Soundtrack (Nomination)
- Pradhana Vizha 2010 Most Popular Artiste (Nomination)
- Pradhana Vizha 2011 Most Popular Artiste (Nomination)
- Hall of Fame – Vasantham on xinmsn Entertainment. Entertainment.xin.msn.com (19 September 2011).
- Tv Derana – Sri Lanka's Premium Entertainment Channel – Teledrama, Mp3, Music videos, Reality shows and Fanclub. Derana.lk.
- ^ Pradhana Vizha 2011 – Vasantham on xinmsn Entertainment. Entertainment.xin.msn.com (29 June 2011).
- Pradhana Vizha 2012 – Vasantham on xinmsn Entertainment. Entertainment.xin.msn.com (19 September 2011).
- சிங்கப்பூர்த் தமிழ் எழுத்தாளர் கழகம். Singaporetamilwriters.com (5 March 2011).
- sg-cafe – Timeline Photos. Facebook.