One of the biggest names in the local music scene, Ismail Affan released his debut album on Monday night.

Ge’bendhen was released at a special show at Olympus in the capital Malé City, where he was joined by other artists. Affan performed some songs from the new album, as well as some of his other biggest hits such as ‘Chaka’ and ‘Aadhey’.

While the ticket price for the show was MVR 440, this sparked a debate online; with other artists taking Affan’s side in noting that the price is not outrageous compared to the fact that Maldivians are known to travel abroad for shows by their favorite artists.

Affan said that the nine-song album took him two years to ‘write, compose, arrange and record’.

“I can finally say this project has led me to the path I want to explore and or engage in future compositions,” added Affan.

While Affan had been well-known amongst his peers and public for years, for his original take on music, he became a household name after his first stint as a judge in Maldivian Idol in 2017.