Atan was raised in Singapore, where he lived in a
kampung in the Malay settlement of
Geylang Serai. As a child, he was taught by his uncle to play accordion and bongo drums. While attending the local Chinese-language school, Happy Garden, he served as a member of the school's music club. Atan entered the music industry in 1972. During his career, he was reported to have written more than 1,000 songs. He wrote for artists such as
Jamal Abdillah,
Siti Nurhaliza, and
Sudirman. Atan died in
Selangor, Malaysia on 16 November 2024, at the age of 75. His death followed a recent hospitalisation due to a lung infection. ==References==