Singer-comedian Datuk AC Mizal rediscovers his musical side with a little help from Indonesian actress Luna Maya, writes Dennis Chua
TODAY, Datuk AC Mizal is better known as a television personality and comedian. His is a household name after hosting talk show AC Di Sini and two seasons (six and seven) of the popular reality talent show Akademi Fantasia on Astro.
A regular judge with Astro’s comedy search Raja Lawak and its spin-off Maharaja Lawak, he gives useful tips to aspiring funnymen. As an actor, he has appeared in lots of comedies such as Cuci The Movie, Cuci The Musical, Baik Punya Cilok, My Spy, Cicak-Man, Cicak-Man 2: Planet Hitam, Zombi Kampung Pisang, Buli and Buli Balik.
But he has also done serious roles in Gerak Khas The Movie, Gerak Khas The Movie 2, Puteri Gunung Ledang The Musical, Pasrah and Bara.
TELEVISION PERSONALITY
AC first shot to fame as lead singer of boy band 4U2C in the 1990s. He has never lost his love for singing, especially hip-hop and dance music.
Born in Muar, Johor, and raised in Perak, the 43-year-old father of four has been busy promoting his hit song Apa Kono Eh Jang, a collaboration with actress Rafidah Ibrahim and The Stellar Band last year.
He has also been riding high on the air waves with his spiritual duet Al-Haq Yang Satu, with Akademi Fantasia Season 3 winner Asmawi “Mawi” Ani.
The duo sang at the recent Anugerah Bintang Popular Berita Harian 2013, which saw AC win Popular Male Television Personality, a first in his 22-year show business career.
AC is now a Sony Music Entertainment Malaysia artiste, and to mark the occasion, he has come up with a colourful, catchy collaboration with one of Indonesia’s most popular actresses, Luna Maya.
The Balinese beauty recently won critical acclaim for her role as a psychotic lover in crime thriller Tembus, which also starred Aaron Aziz, Khir Rahman, Nur Fazura Sharifuddin and Miasara Nasuha.
AC and Luna’s maiden project is Paranoid, written and produced by Jeff of A To Z fame. Luna not only sings and dances with AC but she is also the director of the music video.
AC says: “We recorded the video in Jakarta in one day last Ramadan. It's a simple, yet fun-filled song, with MTV-style elements in its music video. We both appeared in colourful, stylish dresses and with psychedelic rotations of our images.”
Luna, 31, adds: “The song is about an artiste's paranoia, fear of not living up to expectations. It is also about how human greed and bigotry make the world unsafe and peace-loving people paranoid.”
She has always wanted to collaborate with AC and vice-versa. She says: “AC loves what he does and does what he loves. We both enjoy dance music and acting, too.”
AC adds: “I’ve always admired Luna as a versatile actress and I loved her in the movies Love and Tembus. It’s great to know that she can sing and direct videos beautifully.”
SINGING BUG
AC says Paranoid is a timely 22nd anniversary birthday gift for his fans in Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and Indonesia.
“I believe in moving with the times, and this is reflected in my dressing and music video styles. I also love collaborating with new talents, as well as versatile actors who are bitten by the singing bug.”
Paranoid, which will be promoted locally and in Indonesia, is one of 12 songs AC will record with Sony.
“I’ve 11 more to go, and hopefully all will be hit songs. I will sing with different duet partners, who are popular in their respective countries,” says AC, whose dream duet partner is American hip-hop star Pitbull.
“Pitbull is macho, suave, charismatic and extremely talented. If there’s a male singer whom I’d call the No. 1 entertainer in the world today, it’s got to be him.”
Luna promises to give her best if she gets to star in more movies in Kuala Lumpur.
“I enjoyed doing Tembus and I’m delighted to have made my character look terrifying and aggressive. I struck up a superb friendship with Fazura and Aaron on the set, and I’d definitely want to work with them in more movies next time, perhaps in romantic comedies or adventures,” she says.
Her first movie was 30 Hari Mencari Cinta in 2004. She was recently featured in adventure movie Killers which was screened at the Sundance Film Festival 2014 in Salt Lake City, Utah, the United States.
“I first met AC when I was a guest judge on Maharaja Lawak Mega last year,” she recalls. “While I’m not much of a comedy critic, I gave the contestants useful tips, based on my own experience in acting, on how to capture the audiences’ moods and tickle them.”
AC says he was impressed with Luna’s honesty and love for show business and decided to rope her in for his new single.
“She’s the first Indonesian actor I'm collaborating with, and since we are geographical neighbours with lots of home-grown talents, I plan to collaborate with more Indonesian stars in future.”
Luna, who will soon launch her perfume, Unforgettable, has been an avid follower of Malaysian musicians over the last decade.
“Malaysia has many talented composers, singers and songwriters and I’d love to do romantic ballads with them,” she says.