KUALA LUMPUR: Hip-hop sensation Mimi Fly, or Shamimi Amalina Norhisham, bade farewell to 2017 on a sour note as her two-year marriage to Mohamad Firdaus Hajar ended in a divorce.
Still smarting from the breakdown of her marriage, the 31-year-old vocalist of One Nation Emcees is focusing on a string of projects to mark a new chapter in her life and in order to put the painful episode behind her.
“Firdaus and I ended our marriage amicably last November and we remain friends. However, since I am a very sensitive person, I cried for days,” she told the New Straits Times.
Mimi Fly is fortunate that her mother, Ramlah Jalee, who is a scriptwriter, gave her all the love and support she needed to “stand up and move on”.
“My mother encouraged me to channel my sadness into composing and writing songs, and that’s just what I did.
“The end result was Superfly, a catchy song that’s about picking yourself up after falling, and realising that there’s inner strength in each and every one of us,” she said.
Mimi Fly also had another setback late last year, when a planned holiday in Perth, Australia did not materialise.
“I was looking forward to visiting Perth for the first time with a friend, but sadly, her mother fell ill and the trip had to be called off.”
Not one to sulk or feel sorry for herself, Mimi Fly got back to work, collaborating with Singaporean singer Ryan Suffian in a duet, Gila.
“It’s a blessing that Ryan contacted me and expressed interest in a duet.
“He’s the first Singaporean singer I’ve collaborated with, and working with him was a breeze,” she said, adding that she wrote and composed the song, which is about appreciating the funny side of life.
While singing remains her priority, Mimi Fly has also begun to compose and write for fellow artistes.
“I’m in the midst of creating songs for two new pop singers, Sasha Nichole and Sophia Fredskild. They may be relatively unknown, but I think they’ve got good, melodious voices.”
Besides channelling her frustrations into catchy lyrics, Mimi Fly is also writing poetry, following in the footsteps of her mother.
“Later this year, I plan to launch my first book, and it’ll contain poems which I have penned since my teens. Most are observations of life and messages of support to friends,” she said.
Mimi Fly has been invited by rock band OAG for its 25th anniversary roadshow in August.
“Lead singer Radhi and founding member Qi Razali were impressed with my hip-hop addition to their hit song 60s TV, which was re-recorded last year. They told me my contribution was ‘magical’ and fans would love to hear it live.”
Mimi Fly will also mark her third acting stint in the comedy series Mamu Mami Gosip alongside award-winning actress Fasha Sandha.
She made an impressive acting debut, playing a psychotic hotel manager in the 2011 thriller Klip 3GP and has occasionally appeared as an undercover police officer in Datuk Yusof Haslam’s long-running police series Gerak Khas.
“I’m appearing in one episode of the comedy, and I’ll be different from the ‘red-haired girl’ I usually am. My character looks ‘plain’ but has memorable quips.” said Mimi Fly.