Malaysian artist Yuna recently released a new single in collaboration with Usher titled “Crush”.
It is not hard to fall in love with the song again and again when the entire track is harmonizing beautifully with Yuna’s sweet honey vocals with Usher’s melodic voice.
Even before this song, Yuna was already well-known in the music scene, thanks to her songs “Rescue”, “Escape” and many more.
Malaysians may have heard of Yuna, but what about our International readers? That being said, to avoid feeling left out and confused as to why this woman is such a big deal, we have compiled a list of things that you need to know about this up-and-coming songstress.
1. Born Yunalis Zarai in the town of Kedah, Malaysia, Yuna started writing songs when she was 14 and performed her songs in public at the age of 19.
2. A graduate of the University Teknologi MARA in Shah Alam, Yuna continued on to law school in her father’s footsteps after she completed high school and graduated with a Bachelor of Legal Studies (Hons.) degree.
3. Yuna became a resounding name in the Malaysian indie music scene with the release of her self-titled EP and hit single “Deeper Conversation” in 2008.
4. Eventually, Indie-Pop, a record label and management company spotted Yuna’s talent and flew to Malaysia to convince her to sign a contract with them. The company also gets her a deal with FADER Label, which is based in New York.
5. In 2012, her single “Live Your Life”, produced by the much sought after Grammy Award winning producer Pharrell Williams debuted on iTunes.
6. Yuna received the National Youth Icon Award, awarded by the Malaysian Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, for her exceptional achievements in 2012.
7. US-Based Huffington Post lists Yuna as one of the “Top 20 Artists To Listen To In 2014”, which make her the only Malaysian artist on the list.
8. In 2013, Yuna signed a deal with major label Verve Music Group. “Yuna has a unique perspective as a singer and songwriter. She’s hypnotizing. Her music and persona have an air of mystery that draws you into her world. She’s simply one of the most compelling young artists I’ve ever heard, and a perfect compliment to our developing roster of legends and legends in the making at Verve,” said David Foster, Verve Records Chairman.
9. Yuna has a successful women’s clothing boutique in Kuala Lumpur named IAMJETFUELshop, in Subang Jaya.
10. Being a proud Muslim, Yuna wears the Hijab and shows it most visibly in the way that she dresses. In the interview with Billboard, she admitted that she gets a lot of criticism for her style of dress.
“People say, ‘You should let your hair out; you shouldn’t be oppressed — you’re not in Malaysia anymore. You should show your curves and be proud of it.’ But I am proud — it’s my choice to cover up my body. I’m not oppressed — I’m free.”
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– Cover Image: nytimes.com
