Spicy kick to Cakra’s voice
HOT and spicy dishes are often avoided by singers, as most believe such food damages the vocal chords.
But popular Indonesian R&B star Cakra Khan believes otherwise; that consuming spicy sambal gives his vocals a shot in the arm.
“Eating chilli paste and sambal makes my voice sound lighter and more melodious.
“This may sound strange to most of my fellow singers, but somehow it works for me,” said Cakra at the launch of Konsert Nova 2017 in Royale Chulan Damansara Hotel, Mutiara Damansara in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, recently.
Wherever he goes for a concert, Cakra makes sure he brings along a sufficient supply of sambal pedas to add to his meals.
“I always bring sambal and chilli paste from my hometown along with me whenever I’m travelling.
“While I have eaten spicy dishes in the Klang Valley, they don’t come close to what we have back home.”
So, what is Cakra’s ideal level of hot and spicy?
“The hotter the better for me. I like it when it brings tears to my eyes!”
Cakra, who always consumes his hot and spicy meal an hour or two before a performance, also makes sure he stays clear of airconditioned rooms an hour before he steps on to the stage.
“Sitting under the cool blast of an air conditioner affects my voice and health. I’d rather get all warmed up by the after-effects of a spicy meal, which works wonders with my voice within an hour or two.”
In Kosert Nova, which takes place in Stadium Malawati in Shah Alam at 8.30pm on Aug 5, Cakra will be joined on stage by fellow Indonesian singers Judika, Syahrini and Mia Isni.
Their Malaysian counterparts are Dayang Nurfaizah, Faizal Tahir and Azlan Rosle of Azlan and the Typewriter.
The two-hour event will see Aubrey Suwito as the music director and Akademi Fantasia 3 graduate Reza Mohamad as its emcee.
Each singer will perform six to seven songs, and there will also be duets involving the Malaysian and Indonesian artistes.
“I’ll be singing my new songs — Kekasih Bayangan and Mencari Cinta Sejati — and I’ll also have a duet with Syahrini,” said Cakra, adding that the songs would be included in a new album, set for release in December.
Mencari Cinta Sejati is one of the songs from the soundtrack of last year’s biopic Rudy Habibie.
“Kekasih Bayangan has been getting good airplay back home, and it’s a song about unrequited love, something which is close to my heart.”
Concert organiser Suasana Enak Sdn Bhd’s chairman Datuk Mohammad Kamal Yan Yahaya said Konsert Nova 2017 was held to commemorate 60 years of friendship between Malaysia and Indonesia, and 60 years of Malaysian independence.
He announced that there would be a Nova Carnival on Aug 4 and 5 outside the stadium as a sideshow for the concert.
Tickets for the concert, priced between RM103 and RM602, are available at www.konsertnova.com. By Dennis Chua