Malaysia has never been short of musical talent. Many of our performers have made it big on the world stage. Datuk Shake was probably the first, penetrating the French-speaking market in the 70’s and 80’s.
Eric Moo, Michael and Victor, Fish Leong, and Ah Niu were some of the names who led the invasion into Mando-pop territory in the 90s. The new millennium saw the likes of Yuna, Jaclyn Victor, Shila Amzah and Zee Avi carrying the Malaysian flag into the international scene.
But for every success story, there are probably a few hundred others who never make it big. Some carry on playing in small venues and events, others find success and recognition in the indie circuit, while still others have faded from the music scene altogether.
Here are 5 world-class (IMHO) Malaysian talents who are yet to be “discovered”, i.e. they have not been picked up by any mainstream music label, even though some of them have been performing professionally for years.
1. Abigail Chew
Abigail is a 15-year-old kid with the powerful voice and technique of a seasoned diva. She’s currently honing her skill under the wing of Dennis Lau – the multi-talented violinist, songwriter, producer, and businessman – and has sung in several contests and events. She recently performed at Tun Dr Mahathir and Dr Siti Hasmah’s 58th anniversary gala.
2. Dischord
It’s hard to pin Dischord down to any particular genre, although their music is heavily Pop Rock with Jazz, Orchestra and Dance influences.
Although they are slick performers, they believe good music doesn’t necessarily have to be polished and ‘happy mistakes’ give a song a little unexpected magic. The band writes, composes, arranges and produces their own songs.
3. Prema Yin
Prema Yin is a multi-award winning singer/songwriter/musician who’s been singing since she was 3. She began writing original material when she was 14 and won the Who Will Win Malaysia’s Topstar contest in 2004.
Since then, she has toured Japan, Singapore, Germany, United States, China, and Thailand and played in many regional festivals. In Malaysia, however, she mainly performs in the pub scene and indie circuit. She has released a 5-track EP and several singles to date.
4. Poova Plachciak
Poova, a singer-songwriter and budding composer/producer, has been singing for as long as she could remember. She picked up the guitar and piano early in life, while writing songs about her day to day experiences.
Poova left a stable job to sing professionally in 2005. Since then, she has sung in most of the best music haunts in KL and is well-known for her stage presence and power-packed performances. Poova’s style blends rock, R&B, jazz, electronic, and hip hop with her soulful vocals.
5. Beeha
Beeha quietly entered the Malaysian indie scene around 2009. The singer/songwriter/composer released some original songs but mostly just sang in some small venues and minor events.
Her style is a blend of folk, pop, jazz and blues, and her lyrics are refreshingly whimsical. There’s no record of any new material or performances by her posted online in the last 3 years, so it could be that Beeha is another unfortunate Malaysian talent who joined the ranks of the almost was / has beens.
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