The Eyelitz turning heads
It is pretty rare that one is greeted by rock band XPDC’s earth-shattering music after a mundane LRT trip. The group’s ‘Bahlol’ track dominates the air as commuters make their way to the exit at LRT Universiti station in Kg Kerinchi. It is impossible to be unaffected by it. But, somehow it is a bit confusing. The singer is neither wielding a guitar nor sporting a wild hair-do. He is blind and basically ‘attacking’ the keyboard instead.
Mohamad Zaki Norizan, 25, is not alone. His two band mates, Mohd Syafiq Arshad, 26, and Muhammad Tirmizi Muslim, 27, are also visually impaired. A petite, sweet lass donning a pink tudung joins them as she stands beside the passionate singer who croons his heart out. And there is nothing dark about that beautiful smile that Afira Naqilla Che Abdul Rahman, 24, wears. On the contrary, it lights up the whole station, if not the visually-impaired rock star’s day.
Together this motley group of 4 piques one’s curiosity.
“I love ballads,” says Zaki, adding that he only sings rock numbers when he is stressed.
“My favourite singers are Mariah Carey and Celine Dione. As for local artistes, I like those with powerful vocals like Siti Sarah Raisuddin ,” he shares, laughing when teased for having all-female favourites.
“I lost my vision to optic nerve cancer when I was 8,” explains Zaki, who hails from Kedah and has a degree in Malay Literature from Universiti Malaya.
“My father owns a band, so I guess he did influence me,” says the jovial guy, adding that he was taught in primary school to play musical instruments, but later polished his skills himself.
Musicians and degree-holders
Zaki, Tirmizi and Afira were university mates and met during their campus days.
Tirmizi, who plays the guitar and percussion, is from Johor and has a degree in History, while
Afira, who hails from Pasir Mas, Kelantan, has a degree in Malay Studies (Malay Socio-Culture),
“I graduated in November. But I’m still looking for a job. So, I go busking with them,” says Afira, who is a keyboardist plus vocalist for the band since 2014.
She admits than her band mates’ talent and ability as musicians surpass some who are able-bodied and had wowed her at first.
Calling themselves The Eyelitz they are registered under the Malaysian Busking Society and are allotted a slot to busk at different spots daily.
Afira is used to helping her band mates to travel and perform around Kuala Lumpur. They even had a gig in Singapore in 2016, for a closing ceremony at Mendaki Sense, a continuing education and training organisation in Changi Road.
“We were invited by Mendaki Sense to perform during a closing ceremony at ITE College’s Central Auditorium ,” says Afira, adding that sometimes it can be tough as she has to guide all three of them by herself to board public transportation and move around.
Asked whether she had any objection from her family members, Afira says she is thankful as her parents and family members are understanding and supportive.
In fact, her brothers are composers, and one of them has composed the official soundtrack for local movie Bukan Cinta Malaikat sang by Shiha Zikir and Analog, which is her brother, Nazif’s band.
They used to rent the equipment to busk, but later managed to save up to buy their own.
Zaki, Syafiq and Tirmizi go way back as all three were schoolmates at Setapak Blindness Special Education Secondary School (SMPK) since they were in Form 1. In fact, Syafiq and Tirmizi studied together in primary school before moving to KL to study at SMPK, which is a boarding school for blind students.
Vulnerable
One unforgettable incident that Afira recalls is when someone tried to steal the band’s collection while playing at a site.
“I was not around that time, therefore the others did not realise that the money was being stolen. Thank goodness passers-by alerted them and managed to catch the thief,” she shares, adding that it is quite heartless of the culprit to try to rob them.
Syafiq, who is from Negri Sembilan also shares the same incident when asked about unforgettable experience while busking.
He reveals that his parents wanted him to pursue religious studies. But he tells them that he is more inclined to make music as he has been playing the piano since young.
The Eyelitz can be contacted via its FB page for event bookings and invitations.
