McFerrin happy to be in a class of his own

DON'T expect to see Bobby McFerrin happily posing for selfies at tourist spots and sharing them on social media when he returns to Singapore next month for this year's star-studded Singapore International Jazz Festival. The 10-time Grammy winner admits he has "a little crazy" pre-show routine which he has been sticking to religiously throughout his career.

"I travel to all these beautiful, amazing places (but) I stay in my room: I keep quiet, I pray, I drink tea," shares McFerrin, who last played here in 2004, via an e-mail interview. "So I didn't see very much of Singapore last time, and I won't this time. If I'm feeling wild and crazy I might have lunch with my sound guy, who is also one of my closest friends."

It's a little unusual but so is McFerrin's career. It took four albums and 10 years before the 64-year-old made a commercial breakthrough with his signature a cappella ditty, Don't Worry, Be Happy, in 1988.