Iman Fandi has pop star dreams - and she's not afraid to chase them

It’s hard not to be charmed by Iman Fandi. From her friendly demeanour to the captivating gaze she throws the camera, the model/singer carries herself with a certain je ne sais quoi that makes you feel like she’s destined for stardom.

Of course, one could argue that her family’s fame and popularity gave her a foot in the door. Her father is football legend Fandi Ahmad, and her mother, model Wendy Jacobs.

Her two older brothers, Irfan and Ikhsan, are professional footballers. She’s no stranger to the spotlight either, having been modelling since she was a teen. At 14, she joined The New Paper New Face – making her the youngest participant in the competition’s history.

But with her latest foray into music, the 21-year-old is proving that she’s a star in her own right.

Pop ambitions

Earlier this year, Iman surprised everyone (her family included!) by dropping her debut single Timeframe – a dancey R&B-influenced track about farewells and longing. It quickly garnered more than half a million streams across Youtube and Spotify in less than two months. She’s following that up with an EP, which she’s currently working on and hopes to launch this year.

Oh, did we mention that she writes her own music too?

“Growing up, I was exposed to different types of music because of my family. My dad loves Linkin Park, my mum loves Destiny’s Child and Beyonce – music from the 2000s. My grandma, who’s in South Africa, loves different genres, and I feel like that has helped me develop a curiosity when it comes to music. “Every time I hear a new song, I’d think about what I could do with it, or how I could have written it in a different way,” she adds.

Eventually she started taking note of her ideas and penning lyrics to go with the melodies she’s written. On her 19th birthday, she resolved to record a song and see where that takes her. Next thing she knew, someone from Universal Singapore picked up her Timeframe demo, et voila – a pop star was born.

“And to this day, my dad still reminds us to always be humble – no matter where we go or how big we get,” she adds.

A constant surprise

We can expect an EP from Iman next, but that’s about as much as she’s willing to divulge for now. What we know so far is that she’s a narrative songwriter who draws inspiration from her experiences, and her EP would be like a peek into her personal diary.

“There will be sad songs and there will be happy songs. It’s going to have a whole range of emotions,” she shares. “I’m experimenting with different sounds and working with as many new producers as I can.

“I’m just so excited to develop my voice and sound,” she gushes.

And the biggest dream for her music career? To perform at a music festival.

“I feel like everybody says Coachella,” she adds with a laugh. “But wherever people want me, or want to take me, I’ll accept!”

Staying curious

When asked what she’d like to be remembered for, Iman pauses.

“That I took a chance,” she finally answers with a small smile. Describing herself as someone who’s always curious and adventurous, she ticks off a long list of things she’s tried just for the sake of it: boxing, tennis, painting, jewellery crafting. And those are just her hobbies. This multi-hyphenate has also been an athlete, model and actress.

“It’s a little bit messy, it’s a little bit of a roller coaster, but I like it, and it’s what makes me, me,” she says of her life and the many interests she’s pursued.

“There are so many career paths in this world, and so many things to do and learn. That’s why I’m so intrigued by new things. There are different chapters in my life, and my chapter now is to do music.”

This article was first published in Her World Online.