Malaysian composer Johan Nawawi dies of heart attack

Award-winning Malaysian composer and songwriter Johan Nawawi has passed away on the morning of March 23. He was 52.

Johan was the husband of singer Nora (Nora Ariffin); the couple had four children together.

Nora confirmed the news of Johan’s death via a voice message, stating that her husband passed away after being warded at a hospital in Subang Jaya, Selangor. Meanwhile, their son Syakir Alif said that his father had died of a heart attack.

Born in 1965, Johan made a name for himself from as early as the 1980s composing romantic ballads and pop songs like Desa Tercinta, Naluri and Jentayu. A number of the songs were written for Nora, but many top Malaysian artistes have also had hits composed by Johan.

When he was only 19, he worked on the lyrics of a song that Adnan Abu Hassan (who passed away on March 18, 2016) had written. The song was Sinaran, which was later sung by a then relatively unknown singer, Sheila Majid.

Johan and Nora, both from Kelantan, met sometime in the early 1990s after the latter won a singing competition organised by RTM. She had gone to Johan to get some advice on a music career. With the help of Adnan, the pair started working together, resulting in Nora getting a contract with Warner Music.

Shortly after releasing her first album Sandiwara in 1994, Nora and Johan tied the knot.

His company, Johan Nawawi Sdn Bhd (JNSB), was established in 1984 and has been producing and publishing original music for artistes, films, TV shows and other commercial purposes.

A file picture from 2014 showing Nora and Johan Nawawi with their four children, at the launch of Voice Of Ummi. Photo: The Star

A file picture from 2014 showing Nora and Johan Nawawi with their four children, at a Voice Of Ummi event. Photo: The Star

 

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