I remember once when an auntie of a music shop asked me "你 听 马来 歌?" (you listen to Malay songs?) when I purchased Ella's album (for those who don't know, Ella is one of Malaysia's best selling female artiste - famed for the 1998 KL Commonwealth Games song - Standing In The Eyes Of The World).
Anyway, that's just one of the many incidents. I can't help it - I grew up mixing with a group of Malay friends in school - a whole gang of them actually, and they introduced me to Malay pop. I am those people who you call grew up in an English educated school. It was through them that I know KRU, 4U2C, Awie, Ziana Zain, Erra Fazira, Amy Mastura and many more.
I'm not sure if I'm right, but I think many people think that listening to Malay songs are a lil uncool, especially if you are Chinese? Though I can guess a few reasons, but I still ask how come? I am Malaysian-mah... and my national language is Bahasa Malaysia. Can't a Chinese listen to Malay songs?
I mean, we listen to Spanish songs, Japanese songs, and even Korean songs without really knowing the lyrics, do we? (except 사랑해요 - sarang he yo of course).
Beginning To Be Cool?
But, I guess all that is about to change. First we have a duet by Lin Yu Zhong 林宇中 with Sheila Majid in Melodi.
Then Chinese singer Karen Kong 龔柯允 released her debut album in Malay - Mulakan with hit song Cinta Hello Kitty.
Wait - there's more!
Now if you think it stops there, one more song is going to make an even bigger impact in the Malay music industry at least. Yes, it's the Official Malay version of the Summer Olympics song - Olimpik Di Beijing.
First let me tell you the local based acts featured include people like Maya Karin, Jaclyn Victor, Ning Baizura, David Arumugam (Allycats), Faizal Tahir and Pop Shuvit.
Wait, and before you start yawning.... this is not just another Malay song because joining these stars are our overseas based acts - Micheal Wong 王光良, Penny Tai 戴佩妮, Gary Cao Ge 曹格 and Daniel Lee 李吉汉 amongst many others. Yes, these Chinese stars are singing in Malay!
Yes, sit up and listen to it... This is going to be a special olympic song alrite! We Are Ready!
*Now, who say Malay songs are uncool? haha
Official Beijing Olympics Report On Olimpik Di Beijing.
Report by The Star.
wah really olimpik di beijing... beijing people understand what she singing meh?
ReplyDeletei just know daniel lee, penny dai and Micheal wong in this mv
hi vickie
ReplyDeletedont think they understand lah... haha. i guess its more for us in south east asia.
though they may not understand, i think the song has a nice tune, ya?
and it shows we from malaysia support the beijing olympics :)
Hey, thanks for yr kind words and also yr entre card ad. :) i hope you achieve yr dreams to be an actor and a model
ReplyDeleteI had many Chinese friends in school but they did not listen to Chinese songs, they listened to English songs. So for many years, I - a Malay - listened to mainly English songs! I suppose my Chinese friends were the more KL-Urban types who come from English-educated families.
ReplyDeleteIt was only mainly in Uni that I started listening to Malay songs more and more, and that too was because of Sheila Majid, Zainal Abidin, Afdlin Shauki, etc who, IMHO, made Malay music more acceptable across the races. Nowadays, i listen to both Malay & english songs!
When I was studying in university, some of the Malay friends thought I was "sombong" beacuse I didn't listen to Malay songs very much! Its not that i was sombong - I had Chinese friends + Malay + Indian friends in school who listened to english songs more!
Music is universal. i would probably appreciate Chinese & Indian songs more if our radio stations were more genre rather than language based.
QC, thanks for sharing the vid. Nice.
ReplyDeleteAmir Fuad, I like what you said about "if our radio stations were more genre rather than language based." Cool!
beng beng
ReplyDeletethanks for dropping by :)
amir fuad & happy surfer
agree if our radio can play more genre music rather than language base, that will be cool.
tho im just not too sure if ppl will response well to it. what do you think?
oh and i agree, not listening to a type of language song doesnt mean sombong or whatever. for me, i was introduced to mando pop only in uni haha!
errr....
ReplyDeletecan i disagree?
there is nothing surprising or uncool about listening to malay songs la actually...
many of my friends n i listen to malay songs oso..
nothing out of the normal to us...
some r nice, so we listen lor..
hehehe
cya
hey teddy
ReplyDeletewow, thats one of the first i heard :) btw, are yr friends chinese/ english ed? (just wanna see if that makes a diff) :)
when i was still living in malaysia i remember i listened to sheila majid, amy mastura, - and KRU and feminin during my primary 3 days lah!
ReplyDeletelol
and p/s dude i may be blind or something but i cant locate the date of your posts!
quachee..
ReplyDeletechinese ed.. i only know very few bananas around me.. heheh..
r u a banana?
anyway,wats ur full time job ah? u r working in S'pore rite?!
hoho... im english ed. human. not banana (the fruit) lah haha.
ReplyDeletemy full time job - wish i can say its blogger haha. im a publisher :)
Nice song indeed :)
ReplyDeleteyes, indeed, yeinjee! :) if we can perform at beijing even more cool!
ReplyDelete