Surprise wins and notable nods at APM 2015

SINGAPORE – Local Malay pop superstar Taufik Batisah has gone into this year’s Anugerah Planet Muzik (APM) competition as the frontrunner with the most nominations; and he emerged as the biggest winner, taking home four awards: Most Popular Artiste (Singapore), Social Media Icon, Most Popular Song (Singapore) and the APM Most Popular Song for his smash hit, #awakkatmane.

The awards show, held on Friday at Suntec, was jointly organised by MediaCorp’s Malay Segment, Suria, Warna 94.2FM, Ria 89.7FM and Manja, and recognises the best talents in the regional Malay music industry.

Meanwhile, a rising star in Singapore’s indie music scene, punk rock trio Iman’s League, managed to get two surprise wins, particularly because they had been nominated in the highly competitive categories – Best Band and Best Song (Singapore).

They edged out veterans such as Taufik and Art Fazil to pick up the latter, while beating out top overseas acts such as Noah as well as Akim & The Majistret for the former. Iman’s League is the first Singaporean band ever to win in that category since the APM was first created in 2001 and the band said they were “still in shock” after the win.

“I just hope that this is not a dream, that we don’t wake up tomorrow and find this is a dream,” Iman told reporters.

His bandmate, Ishyam Lal added: “We are the underdogs. The other bands are titans. For us to actually win this is something special. It is something to remember, something I’ll tell my kids and grandkids!”

Another local singer-songwriter Sezairi picked up the award for Best Collaboration (Song) for Jangan Coba Berlari. Although he could not be at the awards, Sezairi sent a message acknowledging his collaborators, Tulus and Ari Renaldi: “(They) really brought out the best in the song ... I couldn’t have done it without them”.

For his part, Taufik also acknowledge the support, not just of his fans, but his wife, who attended the awards for the first time. “All these years I have been sitting alone,” he told Channel NewAsia. “My wife, my family, they are supportive of me regardless if I win or lose, so that’s what keeps me grounded.”

Other notable winners included Indonesian songstress Anggun Cipta Sasmi, who picked up the International Breakthrough Award, a new category in APM; Fatin Shidqia Lubis, who walked away with APM’s Most Popular Artiste title.

Malaysian singer Siti Nurhaliza won Best Collaboration (Artiste) with Cakra Khan, for Seluruh Cinta; while Indonesia’s Judika who won Best Artiste (Male) and Raisa, won Best Artiste (Female). The Best APM Song award went to Faizal Tahir for Assalamualaikum.

First-time nominee, Indonesia’s Kunto Aji bagged two awards – Best New Artiste (Male) and Best Song (Indonesia); while fellow first-timer, Malaysia’s Elizabeth Tan took Best New Artiste (Female).

The 14th installment of APM featured various performances by Siti Nurhaliza, Taufik Batisah, Rossa, Afgan, Judika, Cakra Khan and Akim & The Majistret; and also paid tribute to A Ramlie and The Rhythm Boys, one of Singapore’s top Malay bands of the ’60s Pop Yeh Yeh era, with the Planet Music Special Award. Ryan Sufiyan, Cakra, Taufik and Hazama belted a Pop Yeh Yeh medley of evergreen classics such as Hidup, Oh Fatimah and Ole Ole Temasek.