14/09/2026

LYFE MONDAY | SEPT 14, 2026

25

Siti Nurhaliza dominates AIM25 nominations o Artiste’s sheer versatility on display, could bag up to 14 awards this year

20 veteran musicians aged 75 and above who remain active in the music industry will be honoured at the MfM Benefit Showcase 2026 “Rocking For A Cause” on Oct 10. Malaysian Musicians Association (MfM) honorary secretary Latifah Abdullah said each recipient would receive a plaque in recognition of their contributions to the development of the local music industry. She said among those to be honoured is Richard Joseph, 83, who remains active in performing, including as a busker. “We want to recognise them because no one has ever given them such recognition, despite their long involvement in the music industry and the fact that they continue to work to this day,” she told Bernama recently. Latifah said the programme would also feature a tribute segment for Heavy Machine member Rusli Musif, or Olie, who suffered a stroke, through a performance by the group featuring his son, who plays the saxophone. The tribute segment for the group Freedom will feature Royston Sta Maria, songwriter of Mulanya Di Sini, who will return from Perth, Australia, to reunite with his former bandmates and deliver the song. According to Latifah, the fourth edition of the event is not merely aimed at raising funds to assist musicians who are ill, but also at enabling MfM to carry out welfare programmes and provide employment opportunities for local musicians. She said MfM is targeting a minimum collection of RM100,000 to fund medical assistance, workshops for the younger generation, small-scale music festivals and performance platforms throughout the year. “Many people think Covid-19 is over, but the reality is that many musicians are still looking for places to perform as many venues have closed. We need funds to create more platforms and performance opportunities as a lifeline for them,” she said, adding that about 800 members are currently under the association. Latifah said singer Datuk Francissca Peter and Royston had agreed to perform voluntarily as part of the charity initiative, while honorariums would be provided to participating musicians who do not have permanent employment. The performance is scheduled to take place at the Subang National Golf Club from 4pm and will also feature Electric Orgasm, Goblokes, Heavy Machine, Datuk Leonard Tan, Lighthouse with Vijay David, Os Pombos, The Polymaths and The Studio 10 Experience. The organisers are targeting an attendance of about 400 people, with individual tickets priced at RM105 and a table for 10 priced at RM1,050 through Ticket2U. 20 veteran musicians to be honoured at benefit showcase

D ATUK Seri Siti Nurhaliza Tarudin has emerged as the leading nominee for the 25th Anugerah Industri Muzik (AIM25), securing 14 nominations across a range of categories. The national songstress’s nominations span traditional music, festive songs, international collaborations and technical aspects of music production, reflecting her versatility and enduring presence in the local music scene. In the main categories, she is nominated for Best Female Vocal for the song Kesuma , while her album Gema Bumantara earned nominations for Best Album and Best Album Recording. Siti’s dominance also extends to the Best Traditional Song category, where four of her works – Kesuma, Rencong, Hujung Bumi and Pesanan Buat Diri – are nominated. For the Best Collaboration Between Local Artiste/Songwriter and International Artiste/Songwriter category, three of her songs – Cenderamaya, Kumbang Bunga and Jenjang Cinta – made the shortlist. In addition, Pesanan Buat Diri is nominated for Best Musical Arrangement in Malaysia and Best Song Recording, the latter also featuring Kesuma , while Raya Nak Ke Mana? is nominated for Best Festive Song. Singer Aisha Retno is the closest contender with six nominations, followed by Hael Husaini and Mimifly, who received five nominations each. Meanwhile, AIM Organising Committee chairman Rosmin Hashim said 135 nominees have advanced to the final stage across 32 categories, following the submission of about 600 entries. He said the judging process this time was led by composer Mohd Faizal Maas, better known as Ajai, and independently audited to ensure transparency. “The Silver Jubilee edition also introduces two new categories, namely Best Borneo Song and Best Festive Song, while the Best Malay Language Song Performed by an International Artiste category has been dropped due to limited participation,” he

Siti has garnered 14 nominations, reflecting her sheer versatility.

– PIC FROM INSTAGRAM @CTDK

through the Tourism Event Grant from the Sarawak Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Ministry. Scheduled to take place on Sept 26, the AIM25 grand finale will be held in Sarawak for the first time, at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching.

recently told Bernama at a media conference on the prestigious awards. He said this year’s event also received RM1.95 million in funding, comprising RM950,000 from the Communications Ministry’s Digital Content Fund through MyCreative Ventures and RM1 million

Indonesian band Ungu marks 30-year journey at glamorous KL concert

AFTER three decades in the music industry, popular Indonesian band Ungu proved its special bond with its Malaysian fans remains as strong as ever when it entertained thousands of fans at the Ungu 3 Dasawarsa: Special Night in Kuala Lumpur concert at Idea Live Arena recently. The two-hour concert saw fans, including those from neighbouring countries, such as Brunei, Singapore and Indonesia, turning up dressed in white and purple in keeping with the concert theme. Adding a local touch to the special evening, all Ungu members looked dashing in baju Melayu as they opened the show with Cindai , originally performed by Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza Tarudin. Ungu member Pasha later took the opportunity to greet the fans and share his thoughts on Ungu’s long standing relationship with Malaysia. “We first came to Malaysia in 2007, which was 19 years ago. This also shows that Ungu and Malaysia have a

The evening also saw Ungu sharing the stage with Malaysian singer Marsha Milan, who appeared as a guest artiste to perform Bismillah Cinta and Tercipta Untukku. Marsha’s appearance added colour to the show before Ungu took fans on a musical journey spanning 19 songs from various stages of the band’s career, including Cinta Gila, Hampa Hatiku and Percaya Padaku. Other songs performed that night included Sejauh Mungkin, Seperti Yang Dulu, Cinta Dalam Hati and their latest release Utara-Selatan. The band’s three-decade musical journey was also celebrated with a birthday cake-cutting ceremony on stage, while a special tribute was paid to Makki, the only original member who has remained with Ungu since the band was formed in 1996. Pasha also hinted Ungu would be releasing new material soon, with the upcoming song expected to carry a similar musical nuance to Andai Ku Tahu and Bila Tiba. – Bernama

strong relationship,” Pasha said. Besides performing romantic songs, Ungu also showcased the spiritual side of its music with Andai Ku Tahu and Bila Tiba , with the audience singing along with them. An enthusiastic crowd enjoys a night of music. – PICS FROM INSTAGRAM @UNGU_BAND

The band expresses its thanks to Malaysian fans for their constant support.