When entering a televised national singing competition, even if you don’t win, you can still gain a certain level of fame simply by being a contestant on the reality programme. That being said, it’s also natural for fans to wonder what those former contestants have been doing after all these years, if they haven’t been active in the industry.
You can imagine many were surprised when one Malaysian Idol contestant went viral recently for their gender identity. Over the long weekend, TikTok user Patricia Porsild posted a video that appeared to show a karaoke session during the Gawai celebration. Although the uploader did not reveal the identity of the singer, many recognised her as Saiful Safrin from Malaysian Idol. What also made the performer’s identity clear was the fact that she was heard singing her own song, “Ku Juga Mencintai Dirimu”.
The TikTok user later confirmed that it was indeed Saiful Safrin by liking comments from netizens who had correctly guessed the singer’s identity. As expected, the video went viral, with many wondering what had happened to the former Malaysian Idol contestant — and whether they had indeed transitioned.
Shortly after the clip was posted, Saiful, who reportedly now goes by Saifulina, responded to the comments they had been receiving. According to Gempak, the singer said that the backlash would eventually subside: “Whenever I receive criticism from netizens, I just pray for the best. Everyone has their flaws; we don’t know how our story ends. People will only see the bad side but refuse to acknowledge what really matters,” she stated.
She also spoke to mStar, revealing that she had been struggling with her gender identity even before competing on Malaysian Idol. This isn’t the first time Saifulina has made headlines regarding her possible transition. Back in 2017, the singer clarified that she still identified as male after a photo of her went viral. It’s clear that she has come a long way since then, now that she has chosen to disregard what others think of her.
Watch the recent viral clip below:
@patricia_majestic
Sources: TikTok, Gempak, mStar, MediaHiburan, YouTube
