ENTERTAINMENT ICON: Datuk Irwan Shah
Abdullah @ D.J. Dave
By TONY MARIADASS
Special needs children virtually
charted the path of a small town lad from humble beginnings singing Hindi songs
as a pastime, to becoming an icon in the music industry.
Datuk Irwan Shah Abdullah, better
known as DJ Dave, his real name is Dhammi Jagjit Sukhdev and thus DJ is the
initials of his birth name was born on February 14, 1948 in Kuala Kubu Baru and
raised in nearby Tanjung Malim.
The 67-year has to thank his late
mother who had an excellent singing voice and his grandfather who was a
musician playing the tabla and harmonium (pump organ) for his
background and inspiration to venture into music.
“It all started when I was young. I
enjoyed singing but never ever thought it would someday become a career. It was
initially just for fun,” said the father of three grown up children – Arveen,
Shazdarween and Davina and grandfather of four.
Dave started his working career as a
postal officer before discovering his vocal talent in 1971 when he was invited
to appear in RTM show to sing Hindi songs at a shelter for spastic children.
That was the turning point for Dave
when a young teenager on crutches walked up to him and told him that the songs
he sang was good, but suggested that I do it in Bahasa Malaysia.
“This made me to think. I thought
about it and then it occurred to me that it was possible. And so I sought an
audition with a recording company (Life),” Dave recalled.
“But the company although saw the
potential in my songs, told me that I needed some brushing up on my Bahasa
Malaysia, as my scent was rather strong.”
Dave determined to make the break,
returned to his office (Section 17 Post Office) and told his colleagues to only
speak to him in Bahasa Malaysia as he went about trying to speak Bahasa
Malaysia more fluently.
In six months, DJ Dave presented
himself to the recording company and they gave the thumbs up to record.
He choose two songs that were his own
compositions, and two from Hindi films, to be sung in Malay.
“After recording, the records were
not released for some reason and I went to see the lady at the recording
company again. She was surprised that it had not been released and immediately
asked for the album to be released.
“It became an instant hit overnight
and was number one for 13 weeks.”
The songs which captured hearts of
Malaysians both young and old were Harum
Bunga Kembang, Ku tak ingin menaggis lagi and Maafkanlah.
In 1973, DJ Dave signed up with EMI
and with producer Ahmad Nawab and recorded Ingin
Bersua (Yeh Kya Hua in Hindi) before he opened up his own recording company
called Dave Enterprise.
With his songs, DJ Dave
revolutionised music in Malaysia by bringing all the cultures in the country
together. DJ Dave besides Hindi, English and Bahasa Malaysia also speaks fluent
Tamil and Chinese.
DJ Dave has since released 41 albums
to date, held many concerts and besides performing at private functions.
“It was the boy in crutches who made
me successful and as a tribute on my birthday, which coincides with Valentine’s
Day, I donate my time and love for the last 43 years to Malaysian charities
that cater for children with special needs.
Three years ago, he launched an
album, consisting of collection of Punjabi songs as a tribute to his father.
His father who is 92 years-old, came to Malaya
at the age of 16 with only a pillow and a mat. He later sold newspapers,
cycling some 50 miles to Tanjung Malim.
“He sold clothes in the estates and
after making some money bought a cow. We eventually owned three cows. I still
remember the days when used to graze these cows and many times with my
bicycle,” related DJ Dave.
“I still have that bicycle. It brings
back lots of memories for me, especially during my childhood days. I haven’t
forgotten my roots,” he emphasised.
DJ Dave also spoke of his 2012 major
concert at Istana Budaya which was organised to a tune of RM 1 million
“It was my final grand concert. I was
getting older and I wanted to give back one mega concert with songs spanning my
career. I was not sure if I had the pace to do it. But I am glad that I did it
and on the final day of three days of sold out concerts, I took it to two hours
and forty-five minutes. I was amazed at myself,” said Dave proudly.
“But I cannot do it again. That was
my final curtain for my fans. I just do private functions these days when there
are requests,” said Dave who is married to Datin Seema Amir Amar.
That concert raised money for Yayasan
Artist I Malaysia to help artistes regardless of race, creed or religion. The
Foundation was set in June 2012 for which, DJ Dave is the president.
Following his successful
entertainment career in the 70s and 80s, Dave followed his dream and in 1986
furthered his studies in Boston to attain a marketing diploma which enveloped
his diversity and foresight to prosper in another passion, the Malaysian
environment.
His business interests in Sabah area
involves with his carbon and pollution reduction program under his own brand
name ‘D1 Eco Energy’.
He is also in another business
creating energy from waste through gasification.
DJ Dave’s singing and business
ventures aside, has also craved a name for himself in sports - badminton.
DJ Dave who is fit and trim and pays
great emphasis to health who starts his day with a five-minute breathing
exercise and does push-ups, sit-ups and squats every morning, plays badminton
for the last twenty years.
“Football was I first passion in
sports, but a broken nose saw me take up badminton,” said DJ Dave who trains three
times a week.
In 2013, competing in the World Morning Badminton Cup in Taipei,
he proved age is no barrier when he partnered Sabahan veteran Ho Tze Fah and finished
second in the men’s double category for 65 and above age-group. He also won the
singles silver.
Last year in the All-England veterans’
category, he was the losing quarterfinalist and this year in Taipei the World Morning Badminton Cup, he settled
for the singles silver again.
“Maybe, I will be third time lucky
next year,” said Dave.
And that is DJ Dave. A person who
never gives up easily and is determined to achieve goals he set.
No doubt, it is music that DJ Dave
has left an everlasting mark, he has done equally well through his charity
involvement, his business and now sporting arena.
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