In this episode, Asyraf reflects on the valuable lessons he’s learned along the way and shares exciting plans for what’s to come.
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00:00Have more self-belief lah brother
00:02I think being honest to yourself is the biggest tool that you can do to move forward
00:16Hello, hello! Episode 3 is here. Ashraf Nasir again for Celebrity Podcast. Let's dig in
00:30I think one of the biggest challenging things is being sure of myself. I know I sound like I'm contradicting the past person
00:39but I think last time was more of being sure of my capabilities of what I could potentially do
00:47but now when the scale is bigger and you're like entering studio sessions and meeting people from the industry
00:54who have a bigger reputation and bigger knowledge and experience which I totally respect, it can be a bit daunting
01:01So besides being a rapper, I'm also a songwriter and I have a lot of sessions writing for other artists which is really fun
01:09I've met a lot of different people and this aspect, I think, attests to myself of what I can do, what I can bring to the table
01:20Even working with other people, I like to broaden my horizons and see what it's like with other people
01:26not just in creative work but also I think the self-confidence that they have and how they bring themselves about
01:33the business side of things and also self-love of things and self-growth. That's one of the biggest challenges
01:42What is your proudest moment?
01:49I think if we're going back to the rap competition that I joined before, I think the proudest moment was
02:01for context, when you win the rap star era competition, you get a song fully produced by a producer in the industry
02:10and that producer happens to be Sonawan. Just for context, when I grew up listening to a lot of local artists
02:19he was one of the people I looked up to the most and my biggest inspiration because he was that one guy
02:25who articulated things very smoothly, he had his own character and he was one of the rare people who rapped in both English and Malay
02:33I thought that was interesting because he was someone who had different cultures and did that
02:38and so after that when I got the chance to get into the studio, I think it was a surreal moment because
02:45younger self has always dreamed about working with this person and learning so much from this person
02:51and that was that moment. It was my first ever studio time. Wait, let me recall it back
02:57because before we got into the studio, we had like a two hour, it was two hours before we got any work done
03:03because I think we were trying to understand each other, getting the vibes because Sona knew me from the competition
03:10but I think we wanted to connect even deeper because if we're going to create something and this is part of collaboration
03:15I think that was his way of working, which I understood. It's like, let me really assess you and see what fits for you
03:22because if I'm going to produce this, I got to know who I'm producing it for
03:26and then that was the time where the pandemic happened and it was a scary time. We were watching the news
03:32we were in the living room watching the news and then that time it was scary because India had like a major worldwide
03:41nationwide lockdown and then China had a lockdown and we're like, whoa, this virus thing is kind of serious, huh?
03:47It's a matter of time that Malaysia gets hit. Fun fact, it hit the next day.
03:51They announced the lockdown the next day of the studio session, which is like kind of wild.
03:56So we went to the studio and then when he was making stuff and then he was asking me, what's the vibe?
04:02And then after like five minutes, we looked at each other. It's like, you know, he already played the beat.
04:07He made this beat in five minutes. He already had like, the song is called Virus, by the way, and it's one of my biggest songs.
04:14So he made the beat done in like five, ten minutes, super fast. And then we were trying to find a concept for it.
04:21And then I looked at him and he looked at me instantly. He's like, why don't we write about the virus?
04:24I'm like, oh, OK, that's exactly what I was thinking. And then we wanted to spin it off.
04:30We didn't want to talk about COVID-19. No, we wanted to make this as a statement piece because this is the first official song of me
04:39into the industry. And it was a play on words, you know, I called myself the virus because the stuff that I do is infectious.
04:48And that time I was so sure of the things that I could do and things I could make.
04:53And I pumped, let's put it out there. I want the people to know Ashraf Nasir.
04:56And in this session, it was daunting because like you were with an award winning producer who's here talking to a kid
05:04who just won a competition straight out of Instagram, you know. And then I was so shy.
05:09I was I I didn't I didn't even like type it on my phone. I brought a whole writing book and I used to write a lot.
05:15I like chonteng, chonteng, chonteng. I wrote, wrote, wrote. It was like a good like 20 minutes.
05:19And I was like, should I share it to him? And I was like, I just say like, hey, guys, I sang him the hook.
05:26And like, what do you think of this? It's like dope. Like, let's record that right now.
05:30And we went he brought me straight into the studio and everything you hear is the first take.
05:38And I think because he believed in like the energy that was brought there.
05:43And that was so interesting because I think sometimes in my perfectionist side, like even delivering it like I got to be.
05:50Is this nice? Is it good enough? But no, I think then I learned of like how his ear works and a lot of the other technical stuff.
05:58But that was a big experience. And I think that was the biggest challenge for me to speak up and speak my thoughts,
06:04because other people are just human, too. Right now, even in my writing sessions, I just decide to like let go of the judgment and the pressure.
06:15Just be you. That's why you're here. People are here because they want to work with you. Be yourself.
06:19My personal goal, I feel like there are a lot of milestones I have yet to to tick off the box.
06:33I think in the conversation in the previous episodes of like forgetting my direction and like what I enjoy doing, I think I want to get back to doing exactly what I enjoy.
06:45I didn't have a time to really explore my sound because I was a kid from social media and then got signed to a major label.
06:54Shout out to Def Jam, Universal Music. And I think it was that whole experience of understanding how the real world works.
07:01So now that I kind of see it, I don't know it from the back of my hand. I'm still learning.
07:06But no, I understand it. I think I want to go back to what I enjoy doing.
07:10So maybe an album, fully myself and the stories that you could relate to, you could understand just like this podcast, hopefully.
07:18I think I have a bucket list of people that I would love working with. For me, it's about collaboration and see what happens in the pot and, you know, if it connects to anybody.
07:29And I just want to connect to people. I think whatever creation I make, I just hope that people genuinely like it for what it is.
07:38And I guess the message for any creative person out there, it's a challenge. I think it's can be scary, can be daunting.
07:46But I think aside from the obvious boxes to tick, which is be certain of yourself, finding your people, it's just not stop.
07:55This is going to sound cliche AF, but really just don't. If I stopped back then, I don't know if I'd even be here doing a podcast with Sean.
08:04Wherever you may be, if you're not sure, have no regrets. One of the things I hold on to my life is know what ifs and I never want to regret anything that I do.
08:13So please keep going.
08:23Yeah, so I think I always try to remind myself of the now. What's my purpose?
08:29Even if I, you know, win a giant award, which is a great bucket list, that's one of my biggest bucket list.
08:35But I'll never forget of like where I came from. It's going to sound cliche, but it is real.
08:41Like I always remember my day one friends, people who made me of who I am today, people who inspire me, even my teachers.
08:48I wasn't that much of a vocal kid, by the way, in primary school. I was so quiet.
08:53Shoutouts to Puan Nalini. She dragged me into debating and that was such a new world for me, but it gave me that confidence.
09:02Remembering yourself when you didn't go anywhere, that's what keeps you grounded.
09:08And also have honest friends. Your honest friends will always remind you, hey, you're not that good ah.
09:13Unless you have a song with someone internationally or whatever, you know what I mean.
09:18But those are the friends who bring your younger self back, your past self. Always remember your younger self.
09:35I think you have a lot more self-worth than you think you do, did, you do at that point.
09:44Being honest to yourself is the biggest tool that you can do to move forward.
09:49And I'm not talking about just about yourself, but I'm also talking about the people you surround yourself and people you think matter to you.
09:57That is something to always consider because five years, 10 years later, bruh, they're not over here.
10:04They don't matter. Nothing matters. What matters is now and today.
10:08So, yeah, think about that.
10:12Ha, what a season it is.
10:15And I'm so blessed to be here sharing my story on The Celebrity Podcast.
10:20Till the next time, my name is Ashraf Naseh. Big love. Take care.