Fariz Jabba and his fellow Singaporean rapper OmarKENOBI teamed up for the addictive track ‘Kalah’ in 2020, but it was only last year a wider audience cottoned onto its brilliance when it spawned a viral lip-sync challenge on TikTok. Fariz delivers a solo rendition of ‘Kalah’, and his own single ‘Masa’, for NME Radar Sessions – watch his fiery performance above.
- READ MORE: Subsonic Eye, THELIONCITYBOY, Khally and Fariz Jabba – watch the NME Radar Sessions trailer now
Fariz’s performance, supported by DJ K-Faith, filled the cosy studio of his close friend and collaborator Akid Amir with infectious energy. The studio, filled with vinyl, tapes and other music memorabilia, is a place that has lately been instrumental to Fariz’s own creative journey. It’s located in the bustling area of Geylang – just walking distance away from Fariz’s own home in Geylang Serai, where he’s lived for over a decade.
Whether he’s singing the praises of the area’s fantastic food or its warm community, Fariz is a proud resident and representative for Geylang Serai. We can’t think of a better way to end this season of NME Radar Sessions, a series about the relationship between art and place. Keep an eye out for another video this week to learn more about Fariz’s love of Geylang and how it has influenced his trajectory as one of the country’s most exciting rappers today.
Other artists who’ve shared their stories for this season of NME Radar Sessions are indie rockers Subsonic Eye, rapper THELIONCITYBOY and singer-songwriter Khally. Catch up on all their episodes in the link below!
This instalment of NME Radar Sessions was produced with the support of the Singapore Tourism Board’s SG Stories Content Fund Season 2
Want more NME Radar Sessions? Find the full series – both interviews and performances – here