In August, the daughter of Singapore football legend Fandi Ahmad sang at the National Day Parade at the National Stadium. Now Iman Fandi has released her debut EP, Afterglow. It arrived on 25 September 2026 on all major streaming platforms, and it’s the first full project of her independent career.
If 2026 has had you walking away from a job, a relationship or an old version of yourself, this record was made for that mood. It comes out of a year in which she left her label, went through a breakup, sang at the National Stadium in Singapore, and performed in a room in Los Angeles.
Who Is Iman Fandi, Anyway?
Iman has spent about six years building a music career of her own, separate from her father’s name in Singapore sport. Her work sits where pop, fashion and youth culture overlap, and she’s managed by Gushcloud International.
Her earlier catalogue came out during her time with Universal Music Singapore. That run included WANT in 2022, Baseball Bat in 2023, and That Girl and Leave You On Read in 2024. Longtime listeners may remember her 2021 single Love Me Little More. Compared with that era, her 2026 sound is moodier and more self-assured.
The Year She Nearly Quit
The backstory gives Afterglow more weight than a standard confidence anthem. A few weeks before the release, Iman spoke at a virtual roundtable with Philippine press. She said the EP took shape while she was leaving her label, going through a breakup and asking herself whether to keep making music at all.
She described 2026 as her first year as an independent artist. She said that year taught her to find herself, her confidence and her ambition again. At the roundtable, she explained that the EP’s title came from realising there’s “light at the end of the tunnel” after the hard stretches.
She released the record in pieces before putting it together:
- Tip Toes (6 February 2026) was her first single as an independent artist and a danceable opener to the new era.
- Out Of My Mind (1 May 2026) was a song she had once shelved.
- IT IS (21 August 2026) was the third chapter.
The first two singles came out under exclusive licence to Cross Ratio Entertainment, the label link that now carries the full EP.
From National Stadium to Snoop’s Studio
The two weeks before IT IS came out were the busiest part of her year. On 9 August 2026, Iman performed Giants at the National Day Parade (NDP) at the National Stadium. She co-wrote the song with Weish.
On 15 August 2026, she was in Los Angeles for her first international stage at Broadus Together: Superstar Among Friends. The invitation-only event took place at The Compound, Snoop Dogg’s private studio and office space, and Snoop Dogg himself performed as DJ. Death Row Games produced the event, with CMC Shine SEA and Gushcloud International as co-producers. Iman used the slot to debut IT IS before its release.
She also made a historic half-time debut at the Asian Cup this year. She also made her half-time debut at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup this year, which brings things full circle for a footballer’s daughter. That’s a lot of stage time for an artist in her first year without a label behind her, and it gives Afterglow a real story to tell.
What Afterglow Sounds Like
Sonically, Afterglow sits in sleek, edgy pop and R&B. The release describes the EP as a story of finding yourself again and learning to put yourself first. The more interesting idea is the tension between the heart’s desire for connection and the mind’s instinct to walk away.
That push and pull is the most relatable thing about the project. Anyone who has stayed in a situationship three months too long knows the feeling of your heart and your head arguing about the same person. The EP treats that argument as the plot, rather than something to settle in one chorus.
Iman insists the record isn’t all heavy reflection, though. “But it’s also about having fun along the way,” she said in the release. “Dancing around with your girls, celebrating how far you’ve come, and romanticising your own life.” That line sums up the EP’s two moods.
Afterglow dances through the other side of a rough year.
Where to Start Listening
Start with IT IS. She debuted it in Los Angeles, and its confident, playful take on feminine self-worth is the clearest snapshot of who Iman is right now.
For the emotional side, try Out Of My Mind. She almost left this song in a drawer, and its place on her debut EP echoes the whole Afterglow message: back yourself, even if you nearly didn’t.
Then play the EP start to finish. The three singles traced her journey one chapter at a time. Hearing them next to the rest of the record is the best way to follow the arc she describes, from walking away to glowing up on her own terms.
The fashion angle carries through the visuals as well. The Afterglow portraits lean on crystal embellishments and bold eye makeup, which suits an artist who has always treated style as part of the music.
Afterglow at a Glance
🗓️ Out now: Released Friday, 25 September 2026
🎧 Where to listen: All major streaming platforms, via Cross Ratio’s link page or directly on Spotify
💿 Release: Afterglow, Iman Fandi’s debut EP and first independent project
🎵 Sound: Pop and R&B
🎶 Singles on the EP: Tip Toes (6 February 2026), Out Of My Mind (1 May 2026) and IT IS (21 August 2026)
🔔 Live dates and new music: Follow her on Spotify and TikTok
If you’re in your own starting-over chapter, Afterglow works well on the walk home, on a late-night drive or at a living-room dance party with your friends. Stream the full EP on your preferred platform, follow Iman Fandi on Spotify to catch what she drops next, and keep up with her behind-the-scenes moments on TikTok. Her first independent year has already taken her from the National Stadium to Snoop Dogg’s studio, and this is a great time to start listening!
Photos by Jayden Tan and Visuals Courtesy of Iman Fandi.
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