Once vilified for cheating on his wife multiple times, Malaysia-based Singaporean singer Aliff Aziz is now being applauded by thousands for his Sunday performance at the Gegar Vaganza singing competition.
Aliff, 30, performed his rendition of the Kasih Tak Sampai ballad by Indonesian rock band Padi, while competing against other industry professionals like Adibah Noor and Fazley Yaakob in the second week of the competition, which is currently in its eighth installment.
One of the four judges, Singaporean music maestro Ramli Mohd Salleh, described Aliff’s performance as “very dynamic,” while Indonesian judge, veteran singer Hetty Koes Endang, said it was “truly grand” and encouraged Aliff to do even better next week.
Viewers who reacted to the Nyala singer online seemed surprised at how talented he was.
IniAlalalannn said on Twitter today that he “can’t move on” from the performance while another user, Faizalhamssin, tweeted: “I wouldn’t be surprised if he wins this thing at the end.”
“He did a good job. I didn’t know Aliff had such an amazing voice,” Muhammad Adam Darwish said on YouTube.
Aliff’s wife Bella Astillah also jumped online to thank everyone for supporting her husband in the competition, saying: “Thank you to everyone who supported and prayed for Aliff.”
The couple’s relationship appears to have bounced back from its very public meltdown years ago, when allegations of Aliff’s infidelity surfaced, along with his run-ins with the law.
Just last year, the actor-singer was jailed for two weeks and fined S$500 in Singapore for theft and disorderly conduct. He was accused of stealing at least S$300 from Indonesian actress Raja Yunika Perdhana Putri in June 2019, and filmed four months later pinned down by police officers in the middle of Singapore’s Orchard Road and screaming for his dad.
Gegar Vaganza is a competition dedicated to artistes who have already made it in Malaysia’s industry. Twelve contestants are vying for the RM100,000 (US$24,000) cash prize.
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