ON the road to musical success, Chubb-E has joined various TV programmes since he was a kid but his groundbreaking performances in reality TV singing competitions such as Ceria Megastar 2018, where he emerged as champion, and Dansa Dan Sing 2020 as the first-runner up, was especially memorable.
The 22-year-old Sabahan shared: “I guess I became matured very fast and built a level of confidence in myself during the early part of my life. I fell in love with music, especially hip-hop, since I was just a new kid on the block and later started getting serious in dancing and graffiti.”
With encouragement and support from his family, Chubb-E started composing his own songs from age 16 and decided to form a duo rap group called JoMeGo with his best friend in 2013.
“I write what I feel. It’s a lot easier for me to compose a song when I’m able to relate it to myself or someone close to me.
“Most of the time, it comes naturally for me to pause what I do for a second and say to myself: ‘Hey, I’m feeling something right now ... I have to go write a song about it.’ It doesn’t really matter what am I feeling in that moment, I could be angry, sad, happy, curious and even in love.”
How do you think your style of music has evolved over the years?
When I started getting serious in music, it was one hell of a ride for me but I took it as a challenge to figure out what I could do best. It wasn’t only to find my sound but also to find my identity.
Throughout the years, I can say that my music has evolved from a typical rap song to a more experimental rap that focuses on vocal melodies. I am also more open to other music genres while still being true to myself.
Do you get performance anxiety?
It is not uncommon to have stage fright, even some very successful international artistes have it. To get over it, I usually ask myself why I started being an artiste in the first place, and my on-stage alter ego will take over.
What is the story behind your latest single Biru Malam, featuring Amir Masdi?
The story is a deep one for me, it’s the most sincere song I’ve ever written.
It highlights the state of self-reflection but it could also mean a lot of things, depending on the person listening to it. Amir, whom I collaborated with for this song, expands the sound of Biru Malam with his voice. It became an experimental project that highlights modern hip-hop with a hint of rock ballad.
Biru Malam is exactly what I meant when I said my music has evolved, it really shows the other side of me.
What was the biggest challenge in your role for the TV series Projek: Anchor SPM?
It isn’t my first acting experience, I’ve done it before when I was a kid. Even though I’m more inclined towards music, I do find acting to be fun.
The most challenging part for me is actually to bond with the cast. Being a newbie, it takes time for me to blend naturally with them, given my background as a singer. It’s difficult for me to have the same vibe as everyone else who have years of experience in acting.
That said, I’m incredibly thankful to my director and my fellow cast. They have given me so much guidance during the shooting.
Have you ever doubted yourself on how far you could go as an artiste?
Not going to lie, I do have doubts even to this today. It’s not that I don’t have trust in myself. For me, being an artiste is really about selling your talent to the people. You never know how far and for how long they can accept you and what you offer.
Anyway, I am not going to have this doubt stop me from writing more songs.
