Fagrie Isaacs shot to fame when he became the lead singer of Cape Town’s first ever boy band, The Boys, and has never looked back since then.
He has become a Cape Town favourite and a household name.
Fagrie started singing when he was a laaitie where he first took to the stage as part of the choir at Strandfontein Primary School.
Like most singers who hail from the Cape Malay community, Isaacs ventured into the Cape Malay Choir scene where he performed his first solo, titled, Wonderlike Liefde van ’n Ma, a song which was written by Mynie Grove, for the Classics, his family’s singkoor.
Fagrie says he was so nervous that his mouth went dry, but he managed to get over it.
He says that has not changed and he still gets nervous every time he does a big show.
BAND: Fagrie was the lead singer of group, The Boys. Picture: Supplied.
I remember seeing Fagrie perform that song, and it really got tongues wagging in a good way.
He became that artist whose name travels through the industry. You knew about him, even if you didn’t know him personally or ever saw him.
He developed a reputation as one of the most gifted singers in the Cape Malay Choir fraternity.
Fagrie says: “I didn’t win my first year at the Malay Choirs; it was only two years later that I won my first 1st prize trophy for Classics.”
Since then he has won 11 first prizes, which bears testimony to the magnitude of his talent.
I have gotten to know Fagrie over the past few years and he is one of the most humble artists I know.
He is not phased by the money and is always focused on what he presents to audiences and how the song is delivered.
He is simply all about the music and the pleasure and satisfaction which the audience gets from it. He always maintains a certain level of dignity and respect when he is on stage.
He also ventured into the Kaapse Klopse where he spent 13 years at the Seawinds team. He is the current coon song king with five consecutive first prizes while he was with the Juvie Boys, and is now one of the stars at Baruch Entertainers.
RISE: Fagrie also has hit songs playing on Islamic radio stations. Picture: Supplied.
Boy bands seem par for the course for most male Cape Town performers, and in 1996 Fagrie formed a boy band called Souldeep with some of his family members, which gave him more opportunities to perform.
I admire his musical ear because he manages to find those weird and uncomfortable notes in a song and then belts them out with ease.
So, it was no surprise when Anwar Abrahams approached Fagrie to be the lead singer for The Boys when Rashaad Voegt left the band in 2000.
Abrahams says: “He enjoyed his journey with Cape Town’s first boy band and they became like brothers, seeing each other five days a week for a period of 13 years.”
In 2013, Fagrie joined a new nasheed (faith-inspired) group called Unity and they enjoyed international success and are still going strong.
Their first song was released on Unity FM in the United Kingdom and the group now plans to tour the world, including Canada and the USA.
Fagrie says: “We have enjoyed tremendous success with two songs going to number one on every Islamic radio station in the world.”
Fagrie is the most complete soul singer Cape Town currently has to offer and draws his influences from artists like Boys2Men and the Manhattans, among others.
STAGE: Artist Nur Abrahams will be singing on Saturday. Picture: Supplied.
It is, therefore, no surprise that he has put together a fantastic show called Fabusoul, which is now in its third season.
It’s a showcase of all the music that Fagrie grew up with and loves to sing.
He will be joined on stage by a live band and the sultry Nur Abrahams, while The Boys will make a special appearance together for the first time after five years.
“I’m excited to have my brothers on stage with me for this show,” says Fagrie.
The show takes place on Saturday at the Joseph Stone Auditorium.
To book your tickets, Whatsapp 084 922 1444.