Siblings hit right note with modern take on dikir barat

New Straits Times

6 days ago

KOTA BARU: While most teenagers their age are glued to gadgets, three brothers from Kampung Chengal here are captivating audiences on a different stage, as rising stars in the modern dikir barat scene.
Ahmad Afnan Khudri Mohd Osman, 17, his younger brother Ahmad Rifqi Rafie, 14, and their youngest sibling, 10-year-old Ahmad Nawfal Iman, have won the hearts of Kelantanese audiences with their soulful vocals and youthful take on the traditional art form.
Students of SMK and SK Kampung Chengal, the trio began singing at a young age, performing at school functions and village events. Their passion for dikir barat, a traditional Malay musical performance native to Kelantan, was nurtured within the family, where musical talent runs deep.
"Our interest in singing began in primary school. We used to perform at school and later joined dikir barat sessions in the village bangsal (stages)," said Afnan.
"Our youngest brother, Iman, started singing with us when he was just in Standard Two."
The boys credit their uncle, who regularly brought them to dikir barat performances, for introducing them to the art. However, their turning point came when they met modern dikir barat personality 'Poyie Gasi', who helped them break into the wider scene.
"Poyie was the one who brought us to the main stage and introduced us to the wider dikir community. From there, everything changed," said Rifqi.
Since then, the trio have performed at a variety of events, from family gatherings to major expos and even official state programmes in Kelantan.
Their popularity has continued to grow, particularly on social media, where clips of their performances have gone viral.
Among their popular renditions are Ubi Lambung, Kelantan Bumi Bertuah, Segar Angin, and their own original, Rindu Hatiku Rindu. Iman has also impressed audiences with his version of Putus Terpaksa, originally sung by popular vocalist Ziana Zain.
Their parents, Mohd Osman Mahamad, 39, who is self-employed, and housewife Anis Harnita Muhamad, also 39, are their strongest supporters.
"We give them 100 per cent support. This is their passion, and as long as they enjoy it and it brings something positive, we won't stop them. Alhamdulillah, they've also received overwhelming support from the public," said Anis.
Despite having to juggle their studies with performance commitments, the boys have learned to strike a balance.
Anis said the siblings sometimes receive up to 10 show invitations a month, although some periods are quieter.
Even so, she said, the boys remain grounded and focused on honing their craft.
"Our dream is to keep dikir barat alive among the younger generation and show that tradition can be cool too," said Afnan.