7/09/2025

ON SUNDAY September 7, 2025 theSunday Special IV

From Besprenn to centre stage T HE role of an entertainer has transformed dramatically over the years. Once upon a time, we admired our favourite singers RU DFWUHVVHV IURP DIDU ÀLSSLQJ through glossy magazines, plastering posters on our bedroom walls and, if lucky, catching them at concerts or fan events. Fan mail often went unanswered, save for a signed postcard. From viral sketches to original songs, Yazmin proves she’s more than just a content creator.

BY HANNEF ESQUANDER

Being half Malaysian, half Filipino allows me to reach different audiences. I can sing in Malay, English or Tagalog and still feel authentic and that’s a gift I don’t take lightly.”

Today, celebrities are just a direct message away. Social media has erased the once-unreachable distance between fans and their idols. You can watch them live, interact instantly and sometimes even shape their content. Music discovery, too, has changed. Instead of waiting for the radio to play a new single, audiences now stumble across artists through TikTok trends or YouTube recommendations. For younger fans, the bond is less about star power and more about relatability. But this accessibility raises a question: What really sets apart a recording artist with a million followers from a content creator with the same reach? For Yazmin Aziz, the answer is simple: She is both.

Yazmin performed with the Malaysian Philharmonic

Orchestra at the ASEAN Summit before royalty and world leaders.

Besprenn, a Filipino slang term for “best friend,” became a character through which Yazmin channelled humour, relatability and cultural quirks.

A VLQJHU ¿UVW FUHDWRU VHFRQG The Malaysian-Filipino talent may be widely recognised for her comedic Be sprenn persona on social media, but music remains her heartbeat. Singing, she insists, has been part of her identity from the very beginning. “I started singing before I could even properly speak full sentences! I still have D SKRWR RI PH KROGLQJ D PLF RQ P\ ¿UVW birthday,” Yazmin recalls with a laugh. “My family would always catch me singing and dancing randomly. Over time, it evolved from a hobby to a passion and eventually, a career.” The pandemic, however, forced a de tour. With live shows on hold, Yazmin turned to content creation. “That’s when my videos, especially under my Besprenn persona, started gaining traction,” she says. “It kept me connected with audiences and, ironically, introduced a lot of new listeners to my music. It was a blessing in disguise.” Besprenn, a Filipino slang term for “best friend,” became a character through which Yazmin channelled humour, relatability

DQG FXOWXUDO TXLUNV 7KH YLGHRV ¿OOHG ZLWK her exaggerated accent and playful skits, quickly went viral among Malaysian and Filipino communities online. “I never expected it to resonate that much. People started tagging their friends, saying, ‘This is so us!’ and it snowballed. Suddenly, I had a whole new following who then discovered, ‘Oh, she sings too!’” At the same time, she was pursuing her diploma and later her degree. Balancing assignments with recording sessions and content shoots was far from easy. “There were nights I’d be editing videos until 3am and still have a presentation at 8am the next morning,” she admitted. “I missed out on a lot of social life, but it taught me discipline. In a way, studying and creating at the same time prepared me for this career, because entertainment is a constant juggle.” I QVSLUHG E\ OHJHQGV Yazmin’s artistry is shaped by icons such as Lady Gaga, Michael Jackson, Bruno Mars and Lea Salonga. Each has left a mark on how she approaches perfor mance.