TELUK INTAN: A 17-year-old with an exceptional talent has captivated audiences with his melodious voice, but what's even more surprising is that he is often mistaken for one of Malaysia's top female singers, despite being male.
Danial Irfan Abdullah gained attention after a video of him singing 'Kesilapanku Keegoanmu', originally performed by the Biduanita Negara, Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza, went viral.
In the comments section, many expressed their amazement at Danial Irfan's talent, with some even comparing his voice to that of the country's number-one singer.
Danial Irfan, the eldest of six siblings, said he has loved singing since childhood but only started performing in public at the age of 10.
"The first time I sang in front of an audience was at Uptown.
"I wasn't nervous because I had always wanted to sing. Since then, I've frequently sung songs by Siti Nurhaliza, Ziana Zain, and Ara Johari.
"I've also sung songs by male artists, but I mostly sing high-pitched songs by female artists," he told Harian Metro.
He added that his passion for singing has made him confident when performing in front of a crowd.
As a result, Danial Irfan has been brave enough to participate in competitions and has even represented his school in patriotic song contests.
"From the beginning, my parents have encouraged me to keep singing. However, some people can't accept my voice and think I intentionally make it sound soft.
"The truth is, my voice naturally sounds this way. Even though it may resemble a woman's voice, my personality remains male.
"At wedding receptions, there are times when people don't realise who's singing and look around, trying to find the performer. Some are surprised when they learn it's me, as they assumed it was a woman singing," he said.
Danial Irfan emphasised that he doesn't mind what others think, viewing his talent as a gift from Allah.
"I accept all opinions, whether positive or negative, as they won't dampen my spirit to keep singing.
"Thank you to those who support me, and I hope to have opportunities to showcase my talent as a singer in the future," he said.