Meet these trending noisemakers who are bringing hyper-local sounds and subcultures to a world that is ready to connect.
Airinna Namara
“My music is quite melancholic, which I think it’s the kind of music that people can relate to when they’re feeling sad or brokenhearted or when they need to have a good cry over it to make them feel better,” says Airinna Namara, a KL-based rookie whose top-search single on Spotify titled Hate That I Still Think About You sets high-gloss hooks against steel-string dreadnought groove, creating a blueprint of calming rhythm overpowered by thoughtful and deep-cut lyrics, especially for those who are going through rough patches in their love lives. “And since you asked, I think the best emoji to describe my music is the one with a smiley face and a teardrop,” she says, laughing.
“Generally, I write songs in my bedroom where it’s quiet and free from distraction,” Namara shares her way of churning out memorable lyrics. “I find it easier to write and finish a song when I’m alone with my piano, notepad and voice recorder on my phone. There are times when I’m on the train or having a conversation with someone when words or a line of lyric would just pop into my head. Whenever that happens, I’ll just jot them down in my notepad and add melodies to those fragments of lines when I get home.”
When singer-songwriter started playing the piano at the age of 12, she immediately became interest in music and songwriting. Extracting inspirations from the works of Regina Spektor, and The Smiths frontman, Morrisey, and seeing herself as someone with a genuine fondness towards poetry and storytelling, Namara took her passion a step further, continuing to study music at the International College of Music and working with music producers and people within the industry. And then, her own music career blew up.
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Before long, she was invited to play on multiple physical and virtual showcases – from TV3’s Borak Kopitiam to Urbanscapes 2019, and recently Pilih Kaseh, performing alongside other 21 talented local acts via a dedicated YouTube channel. “It’s truly fascinating to see how everyone in the music industry has been putting the effort into keeping live music performances alive through live streams despite the ongoing pandemic.”
Recording music would be ambitious under normal circumstances, but a pandemic has come with its own set of challenges. “I tried to stay positive and inspired by reading different types of content; fictional stories, news, poetry,” Namara says. “Sometimes I don’t wait for inspiration to strike, especially if I’m writing or toplining for another artist under a work-for-hire agreement with a deadline to meet. Whenever I’m stuck, I’ll just take some time to listen to music, brew up a hot cup of tea to help me work my creativity muscle.”
In the meantime, Namara seems to have found her rhythm and space once again in music with her newly released single Another Sad Movie, which according to her, is a song that transverse the pain of infidelity in a relationship and the struggles to recover from it. “Oh, I’ve got a song that’s coming out at the end of October which I’m pretty excited to share with everyone,” she says just as the interview comes to an end.
Ky Den
Pop is enjoying a moment of calm. Musicologists claim that hits are getting softer and smoother, engineered for unobtrusive playlist success – so standing out from the crowd has become more of a subtle art. Ky Den’s Alone is one bone that does just that, a gentle ode to his hometown that he sings over a slow-pop rhythm, billowing bass and drums, and flashes of flamenco guitar.
Ultimately, the work this Sarawakian-born musician (whose real name is Chairil Danish) is creating is so much bigger than music, it’s a form of emotional and mental liberation for a burgeoning generation of Malaysian youth – to appreciate their own language, arts and culture. “Especially for Alone, it really helped me push out what I intended to with this EP, which was how beautiful Sarawakian culture can be, and also to show the people of Asia that we’re not that much different from anybody else. We too can compose a song with our own language, just like how the people in the States have done with theirs and I think that is very valuable,” says Ky Den. “Also, it doesn’t take much to process and digest your native tongue, therefore it invokes a sense of togetherness and unity,” he continues. Going against what’s considered conventional in music composition such as music, singing, and rapping – Ky Den explores non-musical samples like the ambience of a beach, rainforest, and soundscapes from voice recording, scattered around throughout his tracks.
Having recently debuted his first EP called Damai, the budding star who started his first performing experience at a small cafe in Kuching, Sarawak wanted his creative outtakes on music to immerse around the beauty of nature through the mixology of musical genres. “I wanted to immerse people into the beautiful scenery at Damai Beach itself – the sound of the sunset, the trees growing, leaves falling, birds chirping, and what it’s all come to mean to me and my whole life, especially at the time I was making the EP,” he explains.
Finding a spot in the ever-changing music scene is not be an easy task for most rising stars, including Ky Den. But keeping his head up in the game while staying true to his identity, and surrounded by people of like-minded, Ky Den found his voice. “The backbone of it all was a friend and a mentor of mine, Razak A’ai. I could honestly give most of the credit, in regards to me taking my first step as a musician, to him. Razak taught me almost everything I know about the guitar and what it meant to be an artist, and how important it is to never lose sight of my cultural roots. More than anything, though, he was a really good friend.”
Growing up in an urban city with exposure to diverse music genre, part of a family which he describes as “would gladly crash any gathering in which a karaoke machine is present”, Ky Den never knew that he would become a professional musician until he came across the GarageBand about two years ago. Since then, he has been turning his heart melting voice and prowess in music and lyrics composition as a vessel for him to deliver the message that he feels worth sharing.
Nathanie Ngu
Nathanie Ngu’s energy is infectious. The 21-year old Sarawakian singer entered the scene just two years ago and is already responsible for one of the dopiest lyrics of the decade. “Calculating all the aftermaths, now we’re nemesis, a menace in my mind but protagonist in all my dreams” – she spits on Who Do I Call, a song which according to is her by far the most challenging one to write. “I was writing the lyrics while figuring out the production of the track. I remember trying to write the second verse for hours! I would write a couple of lines and restart over and over again. But I think because this song was made while I was learning, there was extra care put into it,” Ngu says, and so it’s only natural for that song to hold a special spot in her heart.
The interesting thing of her songs is the wide range of genres and ideas, among other things. Some are dreamy, almost ambient-like, while others are groovy-indie dance beats. Message-wise, the Kuching-born singer songwriter has touched on many aspects of life – from broken-hearted to chasing dreams to discovering true friendships. Her latest single Paper is about frustration with capitalism and the illusion of wealth. “It was a combination of books I was reading, conversations, and my reflections about how we’ve been conditioned to think that having certain amount of wealth will allow us to reach a destination called joy. The song is from the perspective of someone who believes in this sentiment and is committed to the pursuit,” she explains. For someone with a keen interest in communicating with the universe, Ngu believes song lyrics should come from an honest place within you. “However I’m feeling, whatever sounds I enjoy most, I try to just let that manifest.”
“It was a rollercoaster of emotions,” she recalls of the time she was searching for that creative side of her to create the 66 seconds music video to accompany her newly released single. “I remember being so excited when I first made the mood board for the video, and my mind was buzzing with so many ideas. There were instances where I was afraid we weren’t going to pull this off, but everyone who was a part of this project, really went above and beyond to make sure the vision comes to life. So I’m just really grateful to everyone who put in all the effort,” she continues. Indeed, all that teamwork and determination paid off. The cinematic clip features a juxtaposition of Ngu distinct singing and harmonising to rap lyrics with the oriental-design interior space, filled with traditional Chinese decors – from chairs to side tables to lanterns and mah-jongs – while wearing an oxblood mink fur coat and multiple hair clips, as well as a lion head, shot behind a red-light filter.
At this young age, the music visionary has a lot of valuable experience under her belt. Recently, she was enlisted among the five superstars across Asia to compete in Vans Musicians Wanted Competition 2021. “I still don’t believe it! I sincerely thought it was a prank when I got the first text about being a part of the competition. But it is such an honour to be in an event alongside the talented artists. I was actually fangirling over the other contestants because they were incredible,” says Ngu. With so many creative projects and collaborations awaiting, in a very literal way, there is no telling where Ngu might take us next.
“It was a rollercoaster of emotions,” she recalls of the time she was searching for that creative side of her to create the 66 seconds music video to accompany her newly released single. “I remember being so excited when I first made the mood board for the video, and my mind was buzzing with so many ideas. There were instances where I was afraid we weren’t going to pull this off, but everyone who was a part of this project, really went above and beyond to make sure the vision comes to life. So I’m just really grateful to everyone who put in all the effort,” she continues. Indeed, all that teamwork and determination paid off. The cinematic clip features a juxtaposition of Ngu distinct singing and harmonising to rap lyrics with the oriental-design interior space, filled with traditional Chinese decors – from chairs to side tables to lanterns and mah-jongs – while wearing an oxblood mink fur coat and multiple hair clips, as well as a lion head, shot behind a red-light filter.
At this young age, the music visionary has a lot of valuable experience under her belt. Recently, she was enlisted among the five superstars across Asia to compete in Vans Musicians Wanted Competition 2021. “I still don’t believe it! I sincerely thought it was a prank when I got the first text about being a part of the competition. But it is such an honour to be in an event alongside the talented artists. I was actually fangirling over the other contestants because they were incredible,” says Ngu. With so many creative projects and collaborations awaiting, in a very literal way, there is no telling where Ngu might take us next.
Leon Sapphire
“I would say, ‘Just follow where the heart takes me’,” says Keith Noel. The Malaysian musician is determined to make it clear that the music he creates is not just entitled to a specific genre, it’s an amalgamation of different tunes that transcend music to a whole new level. “The songs are a slow walk that I hope everyone enjoys, with each song trying to set its own unique scene,” he continues.
Oh Yes!, Keith’s soon to be debuted EP is promised to reveal more with every listen, with delicate percussive embellishments with featherlight vocals tickling the top line. It’s music and production that are believed to live and breathe in its careful and deliberate construction. Keith notes, “it’s romance – not the Hallmark kind. The kind that bursts at the seams with imperfection. I’m not even singing to a muse in most songs. I want to feel hope, nostalgia, or an end. These are songs to my younger self.”
“I came from the music that I created, it’s what I was brought up listening to, and that I would do it even if it was just for me,” says Keith. Tracking back the memory lane to when he first started to get involved in showbiz, Keith Noel began showcasing his charisma through Christian music, and it took him a big leap of faith to call it a quit and try something new. “I didn’t like (Christian bands such as) Hillsong and Planetshakers. I was more about gospel music; they had groove and were more rhythmic. I obviously felt a lot of emotion playing that kind of music, and it did help me musically, but it didn’t help me internally,” he shares. The mid 20s singer/songwriter also decided to walk out on his law school to loosen his family finances to support his two younger siblings with their studies. In spite of every bold decision made by him in life, Keith has finally found his feet. Today, the soulful singer has established himself as the artiste Leon Sapphire, creating blueprints of newfangled sounds like never heard before.
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Despite mashing genres, there’s a common thread of resisting and resilience that runs through Keith’s lyrics – a likely result of navigating as a risk taker with creative mind. According to Keith, music is his way of expression towards problems that nobody knows where and when the period will get in. “I don’t get involved [in] political and racial problems. There’s no answer to them, so I have to sing about it. It’s the easiest way to champion my ideas,” he shares.
For Keith, there are lessons to be learned from the ever-changing music industry. To him, everything including the way music is perceived is not going to stick around for long, and change or innovation is the only way that it should. “Thank you, Spotify, for my 0.004 cents,” he laughs. “But in all seriousness the music landscape has changed, and if T-Pain is playing Halo on Twitch for money then you can do anything to promote your music,” he continues.
This story first appeared in the October 2021 issue of Men’s Folio Malaysia.
