Datuk Syafinaz binti Selamat;[2] (Jawi: صافيناز بنت سلامت; born 11 January 1973),[notes 1] is a Malaysian singer who sings in Malay, English, Italian, Spanish, and German.
Syafinaz began her singing journey as a child singer at the age of 7 in events around her hometown in the Batu Pahat District.
[4] At the age of 9, Syafinaz was recommended to join a talent search hosted by Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) by her sister who worked there.
She was chosen to play the role of the soprano solo in Carl Orff's opera Carmina Burana with 100 choir members and the National Symphony Orchestra of Malaysia, conducted by Roland Peelman.
Her career achievements as a pop singer include a Gold Medal in the R&B/Pop/Rock/Contemporary category during the 1999 World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA) in Los Angeles.
[12] During her final year as a student in the Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Syafinaz was trusted with the responsibility as a lecturer assistant by Siti Chairani Prohoeman.
She was the music advisor for the reality programme Audition II, and a vocal coach in Malaysia national singing competition Bintang RTM 2018.
[21] What makes Syafinaz one of Malaysia's celebrated jury and critics in local singing competitions are her motivating encouragements, constructive remarks and pointers from the academic point of views.
[18] Due to her reputation as the region's leading soprano, Syafinaz is often invited as a special celebrity guest to do classical performances in local and international prestigious events, including private functions, fashion shows and product launches.
Some of her international shows include the closing ceremony of the 2007 meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, a special appearance in Expo 2008 in Zaragoza, the 2009 Southeast Asian Games in Vientiane, the 2010 Islamic Fashion Week in Monte Carlo performing before Prince Albert, the 2011 World Islamic Economic Forum in Kazakhstan, and in the Malaysia Day Expo 2020 in Dubai.
[22] Syafinaz also made a performance alongside Rosnan Rahman, Zainal Abidin and Jaclyn Victor during Barack Obama's official visitation to Malaysia during his US presidency in 2014.
So he asked Syafinaz to further study in medical education after she obtained excellent SPM examination results, and a scholarship to do English as a Second Language (ESL).
She performed consistently well throughout her studies which not only earned her Dean's List awards and a bachelor's degree in music, but also the approval and blessing of her late father who later became her even bigger supporter.
Syafinaz said that her focus and daily busyness on work commitment was the main reason she found it difficult to socialize freely, therefore rarely becoming the target of media gossip.
However, due to her commitment for Mentor 7 in 2018, she announced her decision in creating an Instagram account with the initial intention of promoting her protégés; Lazarul and Ranisha.