My ears are made for music, not words. That is why family and close friends would agree just how stubborn I can be. I don't mind being stubborn. In fact, I enjoy being stubborn for the day I am not, one'd better call the police to report alien abduction. But I digress.
My ears are made for music, not words. The only time I dislike this simple fact is when my ears are torn between music and the husband wanting to talk about something. You see, my ears are weird because when they're determined to listen to something, I can literally feel movements on my eardrums. No kidding!
So last evening we were in a taxi - caught in the infamous KLCC jam no less - and there was this song playing on one of the radio stations. English-speaking radio station but a Malay song. But I could understand why it was getting that 3-minute-plus airtime. If one ignores the words and just focuses on the female voice and how the instruments were played, it could easily be described as Indie-pop meets acoustic jazz. As for the voice, it is most likely someone from a non-Indie background, distinctive, calm and honey-smooth. If this was Malaysian, then Malaysians would have someone to be proud of.
The song was simply beautiful. I had no idea who sang what. My ears were piqued (read: eardrums!). But JL started talking to me about the real problem with Malaysian traffic.
Well we had a great laugh with K and W over half-racks of barbecued pork ribs each and drinks, with stories about kids' schooling, marriage, maids (hot topics in Malaysia and Singapore!), power plants, Muar, and why, in future, we should just let our husbands choose which beer for us to drink. All this fun while I made a mental Post-It to look for the song tomorrow.
I did just that this morning. All it took was a Google search for "malaysia malay song jazz norah jones" and several clicks later, who-sang-what was no longer a mystery. I fell in love with Yuna's Terukir Di Bintang. The 26-year-old UiTM law graduate is in fact making news performing in NYC. Love her headscarves, by the way.
Two things: my ears are made for music; Malaysia Boleh exactly the way it should be.
My ears are made for music, not words. The only time I dislike this simple fact is when my ears are torn between music and the husband wanting to talk about something. You see, my ears are weird because when they're determined to listen to something, I can literally feel movements on my eardrums. No kidding!
So last evening we were in a taxi - caught in the infamous KLCC jam no less - and there was this song playing on one of the radio stations. English-speaking radio station but a Malay song. But I could understand why it was getting that 3-minute-plus airtime. If one ignores the words and just focuses on the female voice and how the instruments were played, it could easily be described as Indie-pop meets acoustic jazz. As for the voice, it is most likely someone from a non-Indie background, distinctive, calm and honey-smooth. If this was Malaysian, then Malaysians would have someone to be proud of.
The song was simply beautiful. I had no idea who sang what. My ears were piqued (read: eardrums!). But JL started talking to me about the real problem with Malaysian traffic.
Well we had a great laugh with K and W over half-racks of barbecued pork ribs each and drinks, with stories about kids' schooling, marriage, maids (hot topics in Malaysia and Singapore!), power plants, Muar, and why, in future, we should just let our husbands choose which beer for us to drink. All this fun while I made a mental Post-It to look for the song tomorrow.
I did just that this morning. All it took was a Google search for "malaysia malay song jazz norah jones" and several clicks later, who-sang-what was no longer a mystery. I fell in love with Yuna's Terukir Di Bintang. The 26-year-old UiTM law graduate is in fact making news performing in NYC. Love her headscarves, by the way.
Two things: my ears are made for music; Malaysia Boleh exactly the way it should be.
For those who don't understand the Malay language, ukir is to carve or engrave; bintang means star(s). The singer professes her love for that special someone, in that the love she has for him has already been carved onto the stars.
A poignant touch in ending the song on a dominant chord - a semi-cadence as one calls it. Sweet.
Check her out at www.yunamusic.com.
A poignant touch in ending the song on a dominant chord - a semi-cadence as one calls it. Sweet.
Check her out at www.yunamusic.com.
