By RUBIN KHOO
Once Malaysia’s ‘ratu jazz’ and now mother of four, Sheila Majid wants to make a difference.
It’s been some time since Sheila Majid has held a full concert. The last “big” concert was perhaps in 2000 when she had the honour of being the first local singer to perform at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas. That was really more of a showcase. In 2006, she made an appearance at Planet Hollywood. In the same year, she celebrated her 20th year in the music industry with a concert at Singapore’s Esplanade. Needless to say, all performances were packed to the brim. Getting tickets was impossible.
For those of us who have followed the singer’s career – from her early “spiky hair” days to the sophisticated and stylish performer she is today – Sheila’s ability to draw a crowd is a given. The songbird has proven time and time again that she is capable of belting it out like the best of them.
Sheila Majid marks her return to the stage with a concert in aid of the National Heart Institute Foundation. Picture by VICTOR K.K. NG / The Star
So it is hardly surprising then that the same buzz is generating about the upcoming charity performance – Sheila Majid in Concert – in aid of the National Heart Institute (IJN) Foundation.
“I actually do a lot of corporate events,” she says at a recent interview at her home in Damansara Heights, Kuala Lumpur. “But this time it’s a chance for me to meet my fans and for them to meet me again and I am glad that we’re doing it for charity and collecting funds for a good cause.”
As the show is for charity, the singer will be keeping to a strict budget to ensure that she can raise as much as possible for the foundation. The target is RM1.5mil and she is hoping that a sponsor will come in to help cover the cost.
She adds that her decision to do her bit for charity was prompted by her maternal instincts.
“I have reached a point in my life where I would like to make a difference,” says the mother of four, who just turned 43 on Jan 3.
The petite singer who has maintained her pixie-like charm is, however, reluctant to reveal too much about her two-day performance, explaining that she wants to retain an element of surprise.
“Come and see,” she says cheekily.
What is assured is that the 90-minute show is bound to enthral the audience. For the show, Sheila will wear specially-created outfits by designer Michael Ong and she will perform songs from her 20-plus years in the music industry. Putting the songs together, however, proved to be a bit of a challenge.
“I have been getting a lot of e-mail asking me to perform certain songs but it’s so difficult doing the repertoire,” she explains. “Even if I sing some of them as a medley, I’ve got 36 songs, which will be difficult to fit into a one-and-a-half hour show.”
Nonetheless, fans can expect the favourites, like Legenda, Antara Anyir dan Jakarta, Ku Mohon and Sinaran.
“The older songs are so much more familiar, so I understand that the audience wants to hear them,” she says.
But at the same time, she does acknowledge that she wishes some of the songs from her last album Cinta Kita, released in 2004, would generate the same excitement among fans.
“I don’t want to say that I am tired of singing them because that would be ungrateful but as a singer, you sing a song hundreds of times and no matter how much you change the arrangements, after a while...
“There are so many good songs – Cinta Kita, Cobalah Bertahan, Getaran Cinta – are any of these songs familiar to you?” she asks.
The sluggish performance of the local music industry has led the star to contemplate on how she would like to market her next album.
“I am actually planning on coming out with a new album but I have to think of the best way to put it out there.”
Today’s trends of downloading music, she says, have led to a slash in the budgets of many recording labels. That means poor promotions and as a result, the public is often not aware of what new albums are out there.
“If you don’t want to spend and do the promotions, why bring out an album?” she asks. “These days, selling albums doesn’t work. Those days, selling 150,000 copies was not a problem but now we need a new method and I am trying to come up with the best ways to market songs in a more effective manner,” she says.
The Indonesian music scene, she adds, is so much more vibrant and there is a healthy balance between “old” and new artistes. In fact, at the moment the songs she has compiled for her latest album are all by Indonesian composers but she wants to feature some local composers as well, to have a balance.
Looking back on her career, Sheila says she has gone through many phases while on the path to discover her sound. Her first album Dimensi Baru, released in 1985, was about getting attention, hence it was more commercial. The immensely popular Warna, released in 1988, she describes as being more electronic, something she was not too comfortable with.
“It was with Legenda that I found my sound,” she says. “I like the orchestration and it was more refined.”
And it is this refined sound that we can expect from her concerts.
“But it’s going to be funky too, “ she quips.
Sheila Majid in Concert takes place at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre on Feb 1 and 2. Tickets are priced at RM150, RM200, RM250, RM280 and RM350. Members of IJN Foundation will enjoy a 10% discount. For tickets visit ticket2.biz or call 03-26178200 or 03-20911666.
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