Cover Singaporean singer-songwriter Iman Fandi in Celine
Singaporean singer-songwriter Iman Fandi in Celine
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The Singaporean singer-songwriter is ready to take flight as a solo artiste
Iman Fandi was once completely oblivious to her father's fame. “I didn’t realise that my family name carried any kind of weight until I was 10 years old,” she shares, the only daughter to Southeast Asian football legend Fandi Ahmad and South African model Wendy Jacobs.
“I had a normal childhood in Indonesia before moving back to Singapore and finding out that people knew who I was because my dad ‘did something’,” she says, referring to Fandi’s long and celebrated career in professional football, first as a player then as a manager to teams in Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia. “That’s when things started to shift for me.”
More than a decade later, Iman, 23, has made a name for herself as a model and singer-songwriter, signed to Universal Music Singapore with three singles under her belt: Love Me Little More, Timeframe, and Want. She steps on the set of Tatler's digital cover shoot with an air of quiet confidence that can only be cultivated through years of experience. She nails shot after shot, is unfailingly polite, and attentive to instructions from the entire crew, from styling assistant to photographer. Soon enough, Iman is sitting down for her interview, hours ahead of schedule.
Right from the start, the multi-hyphenate is game for discussing her family, unafraid to wade into the discourse about nepo babies, a buzzword created by the internet to describe children of famous people and their inherited goodwill from the public and their chosen industry.
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Above Iman Fandi in Celine outfit jewellery, and Triomphe shoulder bag in Tromphe canvas and calfskin
Iman Fandi in Celine outfit jewellery, and Triomphe shoulder bag in Tromphe canvas and calfskin
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“I’ve always tried to do things on my own,” she begins. It has become a well-known fact that 14-year-old Iman, a track and field athlete, did not tell her mother before signing up for The New Paper’s 2014 New Face competition that launched her modelling career. She would go on to take the same ‘do first, tell later’ approach when making her foray into music.
“I’m lucky that my parents were always supportive; they let me do my thing as long as I could handle it and pass all my exams,” she says.
See also: 5 minutes with Singaporean football icon Fandi Ahmad
It was an act of independence to venture outside the realm of sports at a time when her older brothers, Irfan and Ikhsan—later joined by younger siblings, Ilhan and Iryan—were following in their father’s footsteps in pursuing football. Perhaps this is why she is inclined to see her family’s stories of success separate from her own story.
“But (my family) is not something that I can run away from or deny—not that I would want to,” she adds with remarkable self-awareness.
“The best I can do is carve out my own identity as Iman."
At the height of her mother's modelling career in Singapore, Iman remembers being Jacobs' shadow at photoshoots, quietly observing how everything came together on set to bring garments to life. “I’ve always been fascinated with modelling but I didn't realise how much I loved it until I competed," she says.
When she decided to take it more seriously, she was determined to prove herself. "My schedule became different from my peers; I would have shoots in between school and sports training and competitions. I was a working teenager!" she reflects.
Iman didn't mind being busy. Overhearing this, her longtime manager interjects, with obvious fondness for his young charge: "She's always been like this; gets antsy if she goes without work for too long."
But she admits her early days were lonely: "My classmates didn't really understand me or get what I do. I didn't have a lot a friends—I still only have a small, tight-knit circle of friends to this day," she says.
Above Celine outfit, jewelllery, and Triomphe shoulder bag in black calfskin
Above Celine knot bracelet, knot ring, and Triomphe large ring
Celine outfit, jewelllery, and Triomphe shoulder bag in black calfskin
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Around the same time, everyone was beginning to use social media. It was a shock to the system for Iman. "People always had their opinions and assumptions about me but there was suddenly a lot more voices, both good and bad.
"It was difficult to navigate. I was trying to figure out my life and career; I definitely put a lot of pressure on myself to be better, do more, work harder. I was always scared to pursue new interests outside of modelling. I didn't want to let my family down," she says.
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In 2019, she made it her personal goal to write a song with no intention of letting the public hear it. "I grew up listening to all types of music; my dad loves Eminem and Guns N' Roses, and my brothers were always playing R&B and reggaeton. I would always come up with little melodies and write them down in a diary," she explains.
Her friend and fellow singer, Estelle Fly, introduced her to Jason Gelchen, producer, sound engineer and CEO of Homeground Studios, who helped her record her first song. "When it was done, I wanted to keep it for myself but Universal Music Singapore somehow got a hold of it and that's when things got bigger."
She would go on to sign with the leading music label and release that song, Timeframe, as her debut single with an accompanying music video at the beginning of 2021.
"I was so nervous when I first signed. There was a lot of fear and hesitation, especially when things slowed down during the pandemic; I think it definitely motivated me to be a better singer and well-rounded performer. I remember crying when Timeframe finally came out because so much work and effort went into it. And the positive feedback was overwhelming."
Since then, the rising star has put out two singles, Love Me Little More and Want. "I'm slowly growing out of my fear of exploring new things because that's what growing up is all about. No matter how much I try, people will always talk. I can't stop them or change what they think. Instead, I'm excited to share more sides of myself," she says.
In fact, she has gained a large following online from opening up to her fans on social media. They love her adventurous #ImanTries series as well as vlogs on YouTube, where she gives a glimpse into her daily life with frequent cameos from her famous family.
"Right now, I'm really enjoying TikTok because it's less curated than Instagram and YouTube. I can be funny and post videos about dancing or my arts and crafts," she laughs.
Above Celine outfit, boots, jewellery, and Besace Cuir Triomphe bag
Celine outfit, boots, jewellery, and Besace Cuir Triomphe bag
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"I just love being able to be creative. To me, singing, dancing, modelling, acting, and even sports, all complement each other. I am also dyslexic, which most people don't know, so expressing myself in creative ways comes easy for me."
Persuaded to open up about her ambitions, Iman, who has been introspective and in quiet contemplation for most of the interview, becomes animated. Her quick enthusiasm is contagious as she lists her aspirations to produce "not a regular pop song" by diving deeper into her own experiences and experimenting with more international elements. "Everyone always forgets that I'm also half-South African!" she quips.
She dreams of performing on bigger stages, even festivals, and collaborating with fellow artists from the region, such as Yaø, Yungraja, Yuna, and Manila Grey. "The industry in Singapore and Southeast Asia is not as vibrant as it could be. There's so much untapped potential. It would be game-changing if we, as a region, could open up to each other's different voices, languages, and cultures," she comments.
Iman embraces her burgeoning status as a role model to the younger generation: "If I could turn back time, I wouldn't have been so hard on myself. So I hope that I can inspire them to try new things, go for what they want and not letting anyone—including themselves—stop them."
In 2023, she finally leaves behind the pressure to live up to her family name, ready to embody instead the most authentic version of Iman.
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Credits
Photography: Chee Wei
Styling: Colin Sim
Videography: Goh Kwee Jin
Hair: Keith Ong
Make-Up: Plika Makeup
Based in Kuala Lumpur, Zue Wei Leong is the senior style writer at Tatler Malaysia. Read her stories on the latest in fashion, beauty and jewellery or follow her on Instagram at @fshnbrnr.
