30/09/2026

LYFE WEDNESDAY | SEPT 30, 2026

/thesuntelegram FOLLOW / Malaysian Paper

ON TELEGRAM m RAM

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Honour comes before all else

D ESPITE being at the pinnacle of her career and hailed as National Songstress, Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza Tarudin has made it clear she will never withdraw from competing in the Anugerah Industri Muzik (AIM). She explained her title and standing today are no reason to “rest” from the prestigious stage, which she sees as a way of honouring the individuals working behind the scenes. “I am prepared to withdraw from other popular awards, as I have done for the Anugerah Juara Lagu or Anugerah Bintang Popular Berita Harian . But for AIM, I cannot put myself first because there are people I need to honour. The AIM stage is the best platform for us to nominate and recognise the efforts of those behind the scenes, from songwriters, lyricists and music arrangers to producers. There is truly no reason for me to withdraw,” she told reporters after clinching the Best Song trophy at the 25th AIM, Borneo Convention Centre Kuching recently. Reflecting on Pesanan Buat Diri , which clinched Best Song at the ceremony, the country’s number one singer attributed its uniqueness to a blend of traditional elements woven into a modern arrangement, backed

o Siti Nurhaliza attributes career success to countless people working behind scenes

by powerful lyrics. The song’s lyricist Datuk Habsah Hassan said the inspiration for the poetic verses of the track, composed by Aubrey Suwito, came after she listened to its melody repeatedly. “Nothing in life is permanent. There are happy times, joyful times and when sorrow comes, someone will inevitably go before us or be left behind. But in reality, we cannot grieve excessively. We must always be prepared to face it,” she said. Habsah said the message was woven in to ensure every individual is always ready to confront life’s trials, translating it into lyrics that resonate closely with the realities of the general public as well as the journey of a creative artiste. Meanwhile, Best Album winner Aisha Retno, for her album Rehab , said she was deeply grateful and had not expected the recognition, given the

fierce competition from industry heavyweights such as Siti, Faizal Tahir and Shila Amzah. Aisha described the win as a personal revival and therapy after eight years in the local music industry. “Honestly, this is completely beyond my expectations. This album was a ‘rehab’ process for the journey and tragedies I have gone through in my life. It now stands as a symbol of my revival to keep creating music,“ she said. Commenting on the album’s strengths, Aisha explained its uniqueness lies in the diversity of genres offered, born from her musical experimentation to present something different for listeners across the board. She said the win is also an encouragement for young music makers, as well as a tribute to her production team, who worked tirelessly, reported Bernama.

Siti poses with the trophies she won at AIM.

Siti Nurhaliza clinches best song, Aisha Retno bags best album

Mimifly performs energetically onstage during AIM25.

NATIONAL Songbird Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza Tarudin recently fulfilled expectations at the 25th Music Industry Awards (AIM25) at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching after clinching the Best Song trophy, further solidifying her status as a national music icon. Siti Nurhaliza, 47, won the category through her hit Pesanan Buat Diri , which also dominated the Best Traditional Song category. The popular singer also won Best Female Vocal Performance for Kesuma and Best Collaboration Between Local and Foreign Artistes/Songwriters for Cenderamaya . Meanwhile, rising young talent Aisha Retno scored a sweet victory after being crowned winner of the Best Album category for her debut album Re.Hab . She also won Best Album Recording and Best Local English Song for O.R.B.I.T . Also stealing the spotlight was

singer Mimi Fly, who swept five trophies. These included Best Festive Song for Serumpun , Highest-Earning Song on TikTok ( Serumpun ), Best Music Video ( Temberang ), Best Musical Arrangement in a Song ( Nara ) and Best Electronic/Dance Pop Song ( Temberang ). Meanwhile, Mawat was named the inaugural recipient of the Best Borneo Song Award, which was presented by Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg. The victory with the song Dayang Bintang makes Mawat the first artiste to win the newly introduced category in AIM history, elevating the language, culture and musical identity of Borneo onto the national awards stage. The evening’s highlight was the presentation of the Sri Wirama Award to rock queen Ella in recognition of her lifelong contributions to the local music industry. – Bernama

Mimi Fly stays true to personal principles after winning five AIM25 trophies Arrangement for Nara .

WINNING five trophies at the 25th Anugerah Industri Muzik (AIM25) has done little to change popular singer Mimi Fly’s outlook, as she remains committed to creating distinctive music rather than chasing personal accolades. Mimi, whose real name is Shamimi Amalina Norhisham, emerged as the night’s biggest winner, taking home the Best Festive Song and Song with the Most TikTok Creations for Serumpun , Best Music Video and Best Electronic Pop/Dance Song for Temberang , as well as Best Musical

independent artiste, Mimi attributed her success to the unwavering support of her small team and her mother’s prayers. She said her career resurgence began after she met producer Bo Amir Ikram, who reignited her passion for creating music in late 2024. She subsequently set up her own management team with her manager. “I’m not signed to any label; I am my own team. Although my team is small, they believe in me and genuinely want to see me succeed. I also believe that my mother’s constant prayers have helped me get to where I am today,” she said. Reflecting on her career, the 39 year-old singer revealed she had gone through difficult periods during her 18 years in the music industry, including a four-year hiatus from music after she lost her sense of direction. “There were so many times when I tried things that did not work out and people did not believe in me. When people said my prime time was over or that I was no longer relevant, those words affected me until I started believing that I was not good enough myself. “However, I am grateful that I did not give up and took the opportunity to rise again. This resilience is a blessing from God,” she added. – Bernama

She stressed winning trophies was not her priority, saying she wanted to continue inspiring others through her distinctive musical identity. “I don’t want my achievements or failures to stop me from creating. I just want to be an artiste who is ‘the one and only’, someone who is different from everyone else, rather than trying to prove who is the best among us,” she told reporters at the awards ceremony held at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching recently. Sharing her experience as an

Aisha wins the Best Album category for her debut album Re.Hab.

Mimifly (right) smiles after receiving her awards at AIM25.