ZIANA Zain, the iconic Malaysian singer, will be fulfilling her long-time dream of performing at the Petronas Philharmonic Hall. The 'Raya Sepanjang Zaman' concert, presented by the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO), will feature the singer alongside Datuk Hail Amir, Sanisah Huri, and Bob Yusof. It will be held on May 6.
Zain, who is turning 55-years-old, expressed her excitement and gratitude for the opportunity to perform at the august venue. "It has been my dream for a long time to perform on the stage of the prestigious hall while being accompanied by a large orchestra," said Ziana. “But I didn't expect it to be this year. Alhamdulillah, luck finally was on my side when I was offered to be involved with this concert and not just for one song, but many of my songs can be performed."
The singer also shared her joy in being able to perform alongside legendary singers such as Datuk Hail Amir and Sanisah Huri, whose songs she has been listening to since she was in primary school. "Imagine when we were little we listened to their songs, and now I will share the same stage and sing together. It is hard for me to describe this feeling. I am very honoured,” she said during a press conference announcing the concert.
Zain has been one of Malaysia's most prominent singers since the early 1990s. Her hit songs such as Madah Berhelah, Puncak Kasih, and Anggapanmu have become classics and have won numerous awards.
Her setlist will also include Indah di Hari Raya, a crowd favourite. In addition, Ziana will also sing a hymn from Datuk Sheila Majid as well as a special 'tribute' to the late Biduanita Negara, Datuk Sharifah Aini which will be sung alongside Bob Yusof.
This concert will be conducted by music conductor, Ahmad Muriz Che Rose, who worked with Ziana during her early days.
"I feel very lucky to be able to work with Ahmad Muriz again. We used to work together in the early 90s. We often went all the way to Bintulu. And now we can work together again. This was a very unexpected blessing.”
"I really hope that Aidilfitri this time will have a big impact. We don't always get to hear hymns played by a large orchestra like this. It is usually with a five-piece band, so this concert is going to be incredibly special,” she added.
Meanwhile for Ahmad Muriz, the success of the raya concert last year encouraged them to organize a concert once again with a similar theme but this time bringing in a bigger artist.
"Their performance will be accompanied by more than 60 orchestra musicians. We will rearrange the songs that will be performed, to give 'justice' to the music itself which has been created beautifully. We want to make it bigger. And we have a great singer like Ziana," he shared.
When asked about the preparations for the concert, Ziana said besides having to pay attention to breath control and vocals, she also had to really focus on the orchestra's music because when it involves a large group of musicians, sometimes it can confuse the singers.
'Raya Sepanjang Zaman' featuring Ziana Zain and other legendary singers, promises to be an exceptional event for music lovers. The concert is also an opportunity for Malaysians to celebrate their cultural diversity and unity, especially during the festive season of Hari Raya.
Tickets can be purchased at the link here. – The Vibes, April 5, 2023
*this story originally apperead in our Malay-language sister portal Getaran
