Rendra Zawawi
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Rendra Zawawi

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"Jazz crooner had an early start"

EVEN when he was young, Rendra Zawawi began showing off his musical talents. In fact, the first words out of his mouth were not Mum or Dad, instead, he began with a song.

“I was about one-and-a-half-years-old and still hadn't said anything. Then one day, while in the car with my parents, I started singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. My parents were shocked and, for a while, thought I was possessed,� he said.

Soulful: Rendra performing at Bangkok Jazz.
Since then, he has moved on to bigger things and is currently one of the most sought after singer-songwriters on the circuit.

Rendra was in Kuala Lumpur recently for his summer break and performed mainly original compositions at various venues, including Bangkok Jazz Showcase.

“The showcases are to show my music and songs that are inspired by summer,� said the 22-year-old who is pursuing a civil engineering degree in the UK.

Rendra picked up the guitar when he was 15 while studying for PMR.

“I was stressed out so I got my dad to teach me some basic guitar skills. He taught me the A, E and D chords and, the next day, I wrote my first song called I’m Lost,� he said.

Among Rendra’s signature tunes are Si Bulat, Kerana Si Dia and Broken Guitar.

“Si Bulat was written for a friend who happened to be at the right place at the right time. I was at home writing a melody and when I went online, I saw my friend who had the nickname Si Bulat, so I decided to dedicate the song to her.

“Kerana Si Dia is more mellow and was written for someone special while Broken Guitar is a metaphorical song about abuse of power and position,� Rendra said.

The three songs are reflective of Rendra’s different styles, which range from acoustic to Malay rock.

For Rendra, composing and performing is a way to spread happiness.

“I just want to make people happy and encourage them to express themselves through music or other mediums. I think people these days are too constrained to truly pursue what they really want,� he said.

Rendra played with his band The Unusual Suspects for the Bangkok Jazz Showcase while other local jazz artistes, including Mr Gambus Quartet, Urban Tribes and Atilia, will also be performing this month. - The Star


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