Hady Mirza is co-winner of Malaysian reality music show: 5 ups and downs over the years

Hady Mirza was named co-winner of the sixth season of Malaysian television singing show Gegar Vaganza. PHOTO: NUR DIYANA TAHA

SINGAPORE - Former Singapore Idol and Asian Idol winner Hady Mirza looks to be closing the year with a bang.

The 39-year-old was all smiles as he held on to his trophy at the MBSA Auditorium Hall in Shah Alam, Malaysia, on Sunday (Dec 22).

He was named co-winner of the sixth season of Malaysian television singing show Gegar Vaganza, sharing the prize with Malaysian singer Naqiu, 33.

Hady dedicated the award to his fans, declaring the victory as "our win".

Here are five ups and downs the singer has been through over the years:

1. First co-winner of Gegar Vaganza

This was the first time the annual television show by Malaysian broadcaster Astro had two winners.

The judges for the show, music industry veterans Datuk Ramli MS and Hetty Koes Endang, as well as fashion designer Datuk Rizalman, gave both Hady and Naqiu a score of 87 per cent.

Both winners took home RM100,000 (S$32,700), a trophy, a holiday to Eastern Europe and the Middle East, home renovation packages and hotel stays.

Fellow Singapore singer Jatt Ali, 63, lead singer of veteran band Black Dog Bone, was the runner-up and was awarded the third prize, which includes RM30,000 in cash.

Gegar Vaganza features contestants who are either veterans or established names in the Malay music industry.

2. Rehab for drug offences

Hady ran into trouble with the law last year when he was arrested for suspected drug offences. Hady, whose real name is Muhammad Mirzahady Amir, is understood to have been caught at a land immigration checkpoint for offences involving the drug marijuana, and was later taken to the Drug Rehabilitation Centre in the Changi Prison complex.

Hady spent time on both sides of the Causeway, visiting his mother and Malaysian wife in Johor Baru, before his arrest.

3. Business ventures

Putting his singing career on hold in the early 2010s, Hady delved into entrepreneurial ventures. He reportedly worked as the brand ambassador and operations director of Kassimbaba Autohub, a car dealership which sells new parallel-imported cars and has a showroom at Wcega Plaza in Bukit Batok Crescent. It was also reported that he owned Tempting Trading, a food and beverage business based in Singapore which he ran with his Malaysian wife, Ms Nurjannah Nur Wahid, and mother, Madam Mardiana Ahmad. The business started in 2016.

4. Driving for Grab

The versatile singer had a stint as a Grab driver too. In December 2017, Twitter user Hanis Rojo, who called for a JustGrab ride, posted a screenshot of his driver's profile, showing the singer's profile photo and real name - "Muhammad Mirzahady".

The screengrab was eventually shared more than 1,500 times on Twitter.

According to the photo, Hady drove a Toyota Wish and was given a five-star rating by Grab passengers.

5. Youth work

Following his Singapore Idol win in 2006 and Asian Idol win in 2007, Hady was involved in youth work in 2013, having co-founded local group FRHM Youth, an organisation that promotes Muslim education and the Islamic way of life among young people.

Sources: The Straits Times, The New Paper

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