“Saya ingin meraikan kebudayaan Malaysia yang
berbilang dengan menggabungkan pelbagai jenis
muzik tradisional dalam gubahan lagu sendiri.”
- Amirah Ali
“I want to celebrate the diversity of malaysia by combining
the wide range of traditional music into self-written songs.”
Amirah Ali is a world pop singer songwriter whose fusion of traditional Malaysian and modern pop music was introduced to music lovers across the world through the release of her first single "Katakanlah", featured in Bernama TV News Malaysia, a track that gained great attention from fans, press and radio from the US to Malaysia. Her forthcoming Aidilfitri EP "Syawal: Koleksi Lagu Aidilfitri" and her upcoming English World Pop Album, also wonderfully showcases this talented young artist's unique new sound.
Growing up in Kuala Lumpur, the densely populated capital city of Malaysia, Amirah Ali was constantly exposed to the juxtapositions of different cultures and different viewpoints. In this fascinating city several languages are commonly spoken; and timeless traditions stand side by side with modern personal styles and values. Its populace subscribes to several different religious backgrounds, and traditional music, played on instruments unheard of in Western countries like the tanbura, the erhu, the gamelan and the kompang. It is this exposure to diversity that has framed who Amirah Ali is today: both as an artist and as a human being.
Amirah’s debut single, "Katakanlah," delves lyrically into Amirah's passionate belief in freedom, equality and love. “Katakanlah”captivates the listener through beautiful, mystical vocals and the use of exotic world ethnic instrumentation such as the tanbura, tabla, and seruling; all infused with modern drums and electronic synths. Ultimately, she's asking the question "what makes us who we are; is it our cultural and religious make up, or our actions, intentions and intelligence?"
Her upcoming Aidilfitri EP, due for release this August, on the other hand showcases traditional Malay music fused with modern western music and traditional Chinese instruments including a bonus track entitled “Malaysia” in the English language fusing traditional Malay, Chinese and Indian music with modern western music. By doing this, Amirah Ali accomplishes in a beautiful and truly unique way the ultimate goal of pop music - to bring people together.
Musically, Amirah enjoys exploring ways to fuse aspects of music traditional to her part of the world with elements of modern Western pop. She uses traditional Malay instruments and scales to lend her songs a unique feel, blending them together with Western pop instruments and rhythms to create a style of music she refers to as "World Pop." She hopes this style will make traditional music more appealing and relevant to the youth while at the same time showing older, more traditional communities that pop music is not "just noise."
Amirah’s music is available at Mydin outlets nationwide (Malaysia), The Guitar Store (Malaysia), CDbaby, iTunes, Amazon, and at her website.
Malay Lyrics and English Translation below:
SYAWAL
Syawal
Mengisi sejuta rahsia
Menjulang segala kebesaran
Menyambut kedatangan keluarga
Rakan dan saudara
Kuih-muih beraneka warna
Ketawa gembira
Tapi ingat pada
Kasih orang tua
Bekal kita semua
Ke pintu syurga
Chorus
Telah pun jelang mentiba
Mencurahkan rahmat dan makna
Kepada semua
Kan ku serah imanku
Seluruh hati dan minda
Bersyukur padanya
Di hari mulia
Disambut setelah berpuasa
Bersama cabaran dan godaannya
Gembira memegang ketabahan
Hati jiwa kita
Tibalah masa kita bersama
Dan bersuka ria
Mereka yang susah
Bukakanlah dada
Ke Maha-Esa
(English translation)
Is filled with a million secrets
It is filled with greatness
We welcome our families
Our friends and relatives
We enjoy delicacies of many varieties
With joy and laughter
But remember
The sacrifice and love of our parents
This deed will bring us
To the doors of heaven
Is finally here
To bless us with its meaning
To everyone of us
I will surrender my Iman (faith)
With all my heart and mind
And be thankful to God
On this sacred day
Is celebrated after a month of fasting
It is full of obstacles and challenges
We hold strong with pride
Full heartedly in our soul
Now its time for us to be together
To enjoy this day with happiness
Those who are less fortunate
Lets open our hearts
To this higher power
KATAKANLAH
Hari ke hari ku cari
Tapiku tidak pasti
Seribu malam ku mimpi
Tapi ku belum fahami
Adakahkanku namaku
Adakahkanku kulitku
Ugamaku dan bangsaku
Tradisiku, negaraku
Akalku, buatanku, niatku
Oh Ya Allah
Katakanlah
Ya Allah
Hari ke hari ku pandang
Tayangan hias bumi
Seribu malam ku kira
Bintang-bintang menawan hati
Seluruh dunia di dalam
Sebutir tanah pasir
Kecil-kecilan hidupan
Merangkumi semua angkasa
Jauh di dalam lautan
Rahsia anak ikan
Pusaka lama disimpan
Cantik lagi bahaya
KATAKNLAH
(English Translation)
Each passing day I seek
And yet I am unsure
For a thousand nights I dream
And still my doubt endures
Am I but a name
Mere colour of my skin
Am I just my faith beholden to my race
Am I tradition, blood of a nation
Am I thought, an act, intention
Oh God
Tell me
Each passing day I gaze
Upon this ornamented world
For a thousand nights I count
The stars that bind my heart
All the world contained
Within a grain of sand
Life's merest whisper
Encompasses the firmament
Deep beneath the tide
Secrets still abide
An ancient heritage endures
Perilous and ever fair
