She’s 17, and drums for Malaysian rock legends Search: ‘Music is my life’

It won’t take more than a few minutes of listening to Hanifah Naimi Daini’s rib-rattling grooves to get why the 17-year-old was chosen to play drums with legendary Malaysian rock band Search.

The Form Five schoolgirl – a self-confessed rock fan – is a powerhouse behind the drums; a ferocious, beat-perfect, percussionist whose love affair with drumming began before she could even remember.“I started drumming when I was nine,” she says. “I followed my elder sister for her guitar lessons and there was an electric drum kit in the front area of the music school and someone was playing it. It was then and there that I told my dad that I wanted to learn the drums.

“That’s how I started,” she says.

Her mum, Sarika Haifa, remembers things a little differently.

“I really am not surprised at her love for drumming. When she was about six, she’d come into the kitchen when I was cooking and start banging on my pots and pans,” says Sarika.

“Oh yes, I forgot about that!” exclaims Naimi. “And, sometimes, when my mum would ask me to massage her legs or hands, I’d use my drumsticks to do the job,” she says, laughing.

But still, the journey from her mother’s kitchen to enrolling in drum lessons to getting on the professional stage with Search (a band with more than 40 years of history) is something that Naimi never could have anticipated.

It has been quite a heady experience, she says.

“How did it happen? Well, it was quite unexpected, really. Uncle Hillary (Ang, Search lead guitarist) saw a video of me on my YouTube channel and he asked my bandmate for my number,” she says.

Since about a year or so ago, Naimi has been drumming for Caramelt, an all-girl rock band.

“He texted me and asked if I would like to audition for the band. I had about two weeks to master two songs (Pelesit Kota and Diari Habil & Qabil). I practised really hard – I hadn’t heard those songs before. I’d only heard two of Search’s songs – the ballads Isabella and Fantasia Bulan Madu – and so I had to study these two rock ballads to understand the grooves. It was hard but I was quite happy with my audition,” she says.

Obviously impressed by her skills, Naimi passed her audition and got the Search gig.

“After that I had about a month to learn 22 of their songs,” she says.

Practising 22 hits – “they were hard songs to learn, especially the ballads” – is no easy feat for anyone, let alone this Form Five student who has her school workload to contend with also.

But, she was determined to give it a go, knowing the long hours of practice ahead.

Naimi practises her drumming in a custom-built studio constructed by her dad, Irwan Daini, 57. The studio sits just beside their house in Kampung Padang Balang, Gombak, known as the oldest surviving traditional village in Kuala Lumpur.

Irwan conceptualised and designed the studio himself.

“I love reading up about these things,” he says.

He built a smaller studio in 2016 for Naimi and her sister Hanan Kiasati, 21, to practise their instruments.

But the girls soon outgrew the small space and about a year ago, Irwan extended the studio, making sure to reinforce the foundation and walls of the studio (essentially a house that he converted), and soundproofing it well so that the drumming would not disturb the neighbours.

“It can get really loud,” says Irwan.

“Naimi is very disciplined. I’ve drummed it in her that if she wants to be good at something, she has to work hard at it and she has. Even before this (gig with Search), if she doesn’t get her four or five hours of practise on the drums a day, she’d be very unhappy,” says Irwan.

Meeting the band

Naimi’s first meeting with the band took place at Timeless Studio in Damansara Perdana, Petaling Jaya about a month ago.

“I was very nervous but I tried to play it cool,” says Naimi. “But when I played with them for the first time, my mind kind of went blank. But Uncle Man (Kidal, Search guitarist) asked me to relax and after playing for about a minute, I felt better. I was in it,” she said.

The band members were all very welcoming, she says, and professional.

“The band has been really nice to me. They are very supportive and guide me and they don’t treat me like a 17-year-old girl but as a musician.

“They are really professional and that really has made me feel so much more confident. I appreciate that they see my performance and not my age because most of the time, people are just so focused on my age,” said Naimi.

She admits though that it took time to get in sync with her bandmates even though they were “very helpful and showed me the beats for some parts”.

“It was harder than I thought it would be and I really had to study the songs over and over. But, after some time and a lot of practice, I am getting there,” she says.

It’s a little hard not to be overwhelmed by the whole experience but the young woman is very focused on the job at hand – perfecting her set for the band’s performance at the Fantasia Bulan Salju show in Genting Highlands’ Arena of Stars tomorrow.

“This opportunity means a lot to me and I am determined to work hard at this as there are not many drummers who have this opportunity to play with Search. I am so honoured,” says Naimi.

Also not lost on her is the fact that she’s one of very few women drummers, and rock drummers, not just in Malaysia but on the international stage.

“I am very aware of the impact of this and I have actually been trying to encourage more women and girls to play the drums. Not only guys can play drums, you know. Girls can too,” she says.

Naimi wants to be a professional musician, a sessionist but for now, she wants to master her drumming skills. – HandoutNaimi’s first performance with Search was a 30-minute set at the Nusafest in KL in July where she quickly gained a lot of attention for her prowess behind the drums.

“Before the performance, I was so nervous, man. I was actually the first to go onto the stage. Only after the MC announced the band did the other (band) members come up onstage.

“It was so nerve-wracking. But once we started playing, I felt okay and I became confident and was satisfied with my performance,” she recalls.

Music, says Naimi, means everything to her.

“I love music and I want to pursue music after I finish my studies. In fact, I am not planning to stop until I am too old and am unable to do it.

“Why? The feeling I get when I am drumming is different from when I am doing other things … like maths,” she says, laughing.

“When I am doing music I feel the vibe, you know.”

When she’s not banging away in the studio (or doing her schoolwork) Naimi pours over videos of sessionists and reads up about drummers that she admires and follows.

“My hero is Matt McGuire from The Chainsmokers and Vicky Fates … she’s a female drummer too,” she says. “Their techniques are really awesome and I want to be like them.”

She admits that she hasn’t quite found her own style as a musician but it’s something she’s sure she will figure out in time.

“As for right now, I am still searching for my own style and my own way of playing.”

Sarika (left) says that its not surprising seeing Naimi’s trajectory as her daughter started banging her pots and pans when she was about six. – LOW LAY PHON

Solid support

Neither of her parents is a musician although her dad’s fondness for rock music might have influenced her a little. Both she and Hannan, 21, who is currently enrolled at the National Academy of Arts, Culture and Heritage (Aswara) play the piano too. The youngest girl, Hawa Nur Hafsah, is four, and only time will tell if she will follow suit.

What has made a difference in both the older girls’ musical careers is the uncompromising support from both their parents who literally moved their lives about to accommodate their daughters’ passion for music.

“We used to live around Sungai Besi,” explains Irwan.

“And we used to come here almost daily after their school so that the girls could practise in the studio. It got too much and so my wife and I decided to give up our apartment living and move back to the kampung.

“This is where I grew up and where the girls were born. For the first few months, we roughed it out and slept in the studio,” says Irwan.

Right now, Naimi’s days are packed to the brim but she’s willing to put in the hard work to fulfill a dream that “came out of nowhere”. And, fortunately, she has the support of her folks.

“Yes, my schedule now is hectic. I am in Form Five and have my SPM this year! So, every day, I come home from school at around 3pm and I have about an hour’s rest before I have to shoot off for practice with the band until around 10pm. When I get home, I do my homework and then I go to bed,” she says.

Whenever she does have free time, Naimi likes to play (online) games, watch movies and hang out with her friends, all of whom have been incredibly supportive of her drumming.

“When I shared the news with my close friends, some of them didn’t believe me at first … until I performed with the band. But they are happy for me.

“My (Caramelt) bandmates have also been really understanding … they understand I can’t do two things at one time and so they’ve told me to focus on Search first and, when I’m done with (all the rehearsals and gigs), we can start playing together again,” says Naimi.

Naimi works hard and practices about four to five hours a day.

Irwan and Sarika both admit that they do worry about Naimi’s entry into the entertainment scene, but they trust their daughter and left the decision (to join Search) up to her.

“I warned her that she would need to work really hard but she said she wanted to go for it and so … here we are,” says Irwan.

“I have always treated my girls as individuals, with respect. I advise them but I let them make decisions about their future. And I am here to support them and to protect them,” he says.

Sarika has her concerns too, although she wants her girl to be able to chase her dreams.

“She’s a girl and so, yes, I worry about her. She will always be my baby girl. But I do tell her to always remain humble, no matter how successful she becomes. I also tell her never to forget who she is and where she comes from,” says Sarika, 39.

Irwan adds: “We also remind her to always be grateful to God. To me and my wife the most important thing is for our children to be healthy and loving towards their parents and everyone that’s close to them. We are fine with other people’s opinions and they don’t really affect us as a family.”

Naimi says that she’s going into this new adventure with her eyes wide open, fully aware that there will be challenges ahead.

“I know that I have to be careful in the music industry but I think if I have the knowledge, then I won’t be scared. I will be confident in myself and I don’t think I will let all the other stuff bother me.

“Mostly the comments (from the public) have been supportive although there have been some negative comments as well. To me, if the comments are constructive, I will take it in and improve myself.”

She is banking on the continued support from her family, who has always been by her side, supporting her passion.

“My dad built this studio. He did a lot of research and put a lot of work into it and I truly appreciate it because I don’t think all dads would do all this for their daughters. He is amazing,” she says.

“My whole family has been really great and I want to thank them for motivating and encouraging me when I am down and supporting my passion. I want to pay them back by being good and successful,” she says.

“I want people to know me for my drumming. This is more than what I could have imagined for myself but, I do want to be a sessionist one day.

“And more than that, I also like singing. Maybe someday, I can play the drums and sing.

“But for now, I want to be good at drumming as I have a lot more to learn,” she concludes