“It became so much bigger than I thought it was gonna be,” says Iman Fandi.
But she’s not complaining.
The 20-year-old model has embarked on a new career as a singer-songwriter with the release of her debut single “Timeframe” under Universal Music Singapore.
The pop track is accompanied by a futuristic music video that opens and ends with an intriguing insight into her psyche.
“I know that this is something I want to explore and share with the world. Because I have always wanted to put out my own music.”
A time to shine
Iman is no stranger to the spotlight. As a model, she worked with brands like Estee Lauder, Louis Vuitton and Adidas, and has been featured on the covers of Female magazine and Elle Singapore.
Add to the fact that she’s the only daughter of football legend Fandi Ahmad and South Africa-born former model Wendy Jacobs, and one could say she is set for major stardom.
Not that her parents knew anything about it. Although they knew she loved karaoke, they were not aware she was writing songs and that music was much more than a hobby. “I wasn’t ready to share with my family yet. Because I knew I wanted it to be perfect,” says Iman.
In fact, they only heard the song and saw the video a day before it was publicly released. She says it was a really proud moment, and that they were just really “happy and shocked”.
A song inspired by distance
Wishin’ you would tell me to stay/But in this car I’m driving away/Don’t let the miles between us keep our love apart/Just listen close and you’ll hear my beating heart
According to Iman, ‘Timeframe’ is a song about “never being able to have someone close to you for long enough”, especially with family and friends who travel all the time.
She shares: “I actually wrote the song in a taxi, after having to say goodbye to a friend who was leaving Singapore. I had this melody in my head, and all of a sudden, I was just looking out the window and the sun was shining in my eye. And that was the reference of the first verse.” When she got home, she knew she wanted to finish the entire song.
Making the music
What began as a simple recording became much more. She recorded the song just before she turned 19 because “it was a birthday thing that I wanted to do”. Then Universal Music got hold of her demo and she was signed.
“Timeframe” was produced by Flightsch and mixed by engineer John Hanes. “It was so much fun,” says Iman when asked what it was like working with Flightsch. “He was really encouraging but he also pushed me, and I think we both worked really well together. We knew we wanted a great sound.”
As for the video, she simply trusted Singaporean director Choann to put together a visually arresting video that also showcased her vulnerable side through the use of a chocolate metaphor.
With Beyonce, Zara Larsson, and The Weeknd as her musical influences, expect Iman’s music to be rooted in R&B and pop. She has already written songs for an EP that’s set to be released this year.
“My goal is to put out more music, and hope people will like it. This is the new chapter in my life. And this is just the beginning.”
“Timeframe” is out on streaming services such as Spotfiy and Apple Music.
