Haqiem Rusli doubles down on ABPBH 37 bid after 2020 triple win
Haqiem Rusli will campaign aggressively for two trophies at Anugerah Bintang Popular BH (ABPBH) 37, shunning outside songwriting to focus on his own material.
Source: FMC Music · August 2, 2026 at 10:56 PM · AI-assisted report
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KUALA LUMPUR, 3 AUGUST 2026 —
Haqiem Rusli will campaign aggressively for two trophies at Anugerah Bintang Popular BH (ABPBH) 37, shunning outside songwriting to focus on his own material.
Market Impact
The 27-year-old nominee says he no longer accepts writing assignments because the risk of a track flopping weighs on him. “If it doesn’t become a hit, I feel the pressure even though the artiste would never blame me,” he told FMC Music. “When it’s my own voice and story, I control how it’s delivered and received.”
Haqiem is up for Most Popular Male Singer and Most Popular Boom Song with the single Sangkar Derita. He hopes to repeat his 2020 sweep—three awards including Most Popular Star and a car worth more than RM181,000—and is marshaling his fanbase, Qiemilio, to rally votes.
“They’ve been working tirelessly since voting opened,” he said. “Every vote represents someone’s belief in me. Whether I win or not, knowing people still care is already a huge victory.”
The 2020 win turbocharged his catalogue. His post-award release Mimpi broke out after three prior songs languished. “That award gave my music a new push and made people notice my work again,” he said.
Now he curates only autobiographical material. “I want to focus on songs that carry my emotions and stories,” Haqiem said. He has not ruled out writing for others eventually, but only when he feels “the song will do justice to whoever sings it.”
With Sangkar Derita gaining traction and his nominations stoking buzz, the Kuala Lumpur singer remains one of Malaysia’s most influential young acts—balancing humility with ambition.