Biography
Singapore native Ferhad bin Iberhim cultivated an early admiration for George Michael, Stevie Wonder, and Eric Benét before establishing himself on the Positive Tone label in the late 1990s as a melodic crooner blending funky R&B with mainstream pop. His initial exposure arrived through the track “Soul in Me,” featured on the 1998 label compilation Tricks & Tales, which led to the 2000 debut studio album Tubed. That record presented a balance of energetic pop numbers and amorous R&B ballads, performed predominantly in English with several Malay selections; one of those, “Kasih Berubah,” achieved chart placement and helped earn the project multiple nominations at the 2001 Music Industry Awards. A live set, Soul Alive, soon followed, drawing heavily from the debut’s material.
The proper studio successor Katakan Saja appeared in 2003 and, though less commercially dominant than its predecessor, produced well-received singles including “Pernah” and the title track while also coinciding with Ferhad’s role in the Malaysian telefilm Neon. Five years later came Satu, an album thematically centered on his late mother and his wife, after which the artist stepped back from new releases for a decade. During that interval he participated in the reality competitions Mentor in 2012 and Gegar Vaganza in 2017. He resurfaced in 2018 with the single “Definasi Cinta,” returning to the lush ballad approach that had defined his breakthrough, then issued the more uptempo pop track “Tabah” in 2020, a collaboration with singer, actor, and politician Altimet.
The proper studio successor Katakan Saja appeared in 2003 and, though less commercially dominant than its predecessor, produced well-received singles including “Pernah” and the title track while also coinciding with Ferhad’s role in the Malaysian telefilm Neon. Five years later came Satu, an album thematically centered on his late mother and his wife, after which the artist stepped back from new releases for a decade. During that interval he participated in the reality competitions Mentor in 2012 and Gegar Vaganza in 2017. He resurfaced in 2018 with the single “Definasi Cinta,” returning to the lush ballad approach that had defined his breakthrough, then issued the more uptempo pop track “Tabah” in 2020, a collaboration with singer, actor, and politician Altimet.
Albums
Singles
