Nazrey Johani Essentials

Nazrey Johani is a founding member of Raihan, whose debut LP is one of the biggest-selling Malaysian albums ever. Moving on to pursue a solo career, he continued the Raihan way, making commercial pop nasyid—a modern take on the traditional Islamic nasheed—with lyrics of praise. Johani’s arrangements range from plaintive and sparse (“I’tiraf”) to the layered and energetic (“Iman Mutiara 2019”). His smooth, welcoming voice takes centre stage, yet he gracefully allows space for soloists to shine, with flutes providing enchanting flourishes.