The idea of a musical experiment garnering award-winning prowess may sound like a tall order, but for Akim (born Afiq Hakim Ahmad in Johor Bahru on January 18, 1991), it became a hit-churning reality. After wowing on reality show Akademi Fantasia in 2009 with his prodigious songwriting talent, Ahmad formed a sprawling group made up of members from other bands. In 2014, a roll call of names from the disparate fields of pop, rock and indie came together for Akim and The Majistret (ATM): Beby, Gjie, Faoq and Wan. The group’s baroque strings-laden epic “Mewangi”, taken from their debut 2015 album, Patriot, saw their career take off, but it was poetic power ballad “Potret” (also featured on Patriot) that transformed the group into bona fide pop-rock sensations. The hit took ATM to Anugerah Juara Lagu in 2015, where they scooped the award for best song. They conjured a streak of talked-about singles in the years that followed, including “Lagu Untuk Laila”, “Rampas” and “Stereotype”. ATM were crowned the most popular duo or group in 2015 and 2017 at Anugerah Bintang Popular Berita Harian. It’s no wonder that they managed to pack in the crowds at two iconic venues, the Dewan Filharmonik Petronas in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore's Esplanade, along the way. While the band has suffered from a number of controversial lineup changes, they continue to warm the hearts of fans and critics alike.