Yuna (singer)
Encyclopedia
Yunalis Zarai or commercially known as Yuna, a Malaysian singer-songwriter
.
Yuna is conquering Malaysia with her acoustic guitar and winning folk pop tunes – enchanting listeners with the gentle warble in her voice, a flair for old-timey pop songcraft, a bit of Feist’s soul and subtlety, and Mirah’s warmth.
Her rapidly evolving sound can be incredibly stripped-down and intimate, as it is on the title track to her 2010 debut full-length Decorate, or it can have a sophisticated ’60s pop feel. This is a complex, funny, charming young woman (she once described her music as “a cross between Mary Poppins and Coldplay”) who also has a drop-dead glamorous side.
Yuna signed with Fader Label
, a record label based in New York, in February 2011. She released her debut US EP, Decorate, in the United States in March the same year.
in Shah Alam
, Malaysia. In 2009, she completed her undergraduate degree as a Bachelor of Legal Studies (Hons.)
.
Yuna also co-owns a unisex clothes boutique, IAMJETFUELshop, in Subang Jaya
, Selangor
as a side project.
, Coldplay
, Sia
and Bob Dylan
.
Yuna's meteoric rise in the Malaysian indie music scene is largely due to the strong following she gained via Myspace
. Having played at many gigs since the release of her Demo, she is now focusing on promoting and performing music on her debut EP.
Yuna describes her music as "a cross between Mary Poppins and Coldplay".In 2008,she released her self titled EP which become a massive hit in Malaysia most notably the single 'Deeper Conversation'
Yuna performs with her band when she is not active in acoustic gigs.
Yuna(EP)
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
.
Yuna is conquering Malaysia with her acoustic guitar and winning folk pop tunes – enchanting listeners with the gentle warble in her voice, a flair for old-timey pop songcraft, a bit of Feist’s soul and subtlety, and Mirah’s warmth.
Her rapidly evolving sound can be incredibly stripped-down and intimate, as it is on the title track to her 2010 debut full-length Decorate, or it can have a sophisticated ’60s pop feel. This is a complex, funny, charming young woman (she once described her music as “a cross between Mary Poppins and Coldplay”) who also has a drop-dead glamorous side.
Background
Yuna is an independent Malaysian singer-songwriter. She began writing her own songs when she was 14 years old, and her first performance of her own songs was at the age of 19, after she learned how to play guitar. She has performed in numerous acoustic shows and events in many parts of Malaysia since 2006.Yuna signed with Fader Label
Fader Label
Fader Label is a record label out of New York City, New York. It was founded in 2002 and is operated by media and marketing company Cornerstone Promotions, an outlet of The Fader Magazine. After years of releasing compilations, FADER Label has also started to release original music...
, a record label based in New York, in February 2011. She released her debut US EP, Decorate, in the United States in March the same year.
Personal life
While being active in the music scene, Yuna was also a law student at Universiti Teknologi MARAUniversiti Teknologi MARA
Universiti Teknologi MARA is a coeducational public university with its main campus located in Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.It is the flagship institution of the Universiti Teknologi MARA...
in Shah Alam
Shah Alam
Shah Alam is the state capital of Selangor, Malaysia situated within the Petaling District and a small portion of the neighboring Klang District. It is located about west of the country's capital, Kuala Lumpur. Shah Alam replaced Kuala Lumpur as the capital city of the state of Selangor in 1978...
, Malaysia. In 2009, she completed her undergraduate degree as a Bachelor of Legal Studies (Hons.)
UiTM Malaysia Law School
UiTM Malaysia Law School is one of the professional graduate faculty of UiTM and is located in Shah Alam, Malaysia....
.
Yuna also co-owns a unisex clothes boutique, IAMJETFUELshop, in Subang Jaya
Subang Jaya
Subang Jaya is a suburban city in the Klang Valley, Selangor, Malaysia. It comprises the southern third of the district of Petaling, and is home to a third of the district population of 1.78 million. Subang Jaya comprises , Bandar Sunway, UEP Subang Jaya, Putra Heights and Batu Tiga...
, Selangor
Selangor
Selangor also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity") is one of the 13 states of Malaysia. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east, Negeri Sembilan to the south and the Strait of Malacca to the west...
as a side project.
Music
Yuna started out as a solo Myspace artist in 2006, singing in both English and Bahasa Malaysia. Her music influences include Feist, The CardigansThe Cardigans
The Cardigans are a Swedish rock band formed in the town of Jönköping in October 1992.Their debut album Emmerdale gave them a solid base in their home country and enjoyed some success abroad, especially in Japan. It was not until their second album Life that an international reputation was secured...
, Coldplay
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...
, Sia
Sia
-People:*Sia Berkeley , British actress*Sia Figiel , Samoan novelist, poet and painter*Sia Furler , Australian singer...
and Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
.
Yuna's meteoric rise in the Malaysian indie music scene is largely due to the strong following she gained via Myspace
Myspace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
. Having played at many gigs since the release of her Demo, she is now focusing on promoting and performing music on her debut EP.
Yuna describes her music as "a cross between Mary Poppins and Coldplay".In 2008,she released her self titled EP which become a massive hit in Malaysia most notably the single 'Deeper Conversation'
Sessionists
One of the first few people who expressed interest in her music was Farhan Fadzlishah aka Pa'an (Telephony Delivery), who later became her supporting guitarist. Along the way, Efry Arwis (Lightcraft) helped her with the bass while Adib Azfar handled the drums. Adil Ali (Seven Collar T-shirt) replaced Adib Azfar after the latter quit to concentrate on his drumming role in Oh Chentaku.Yuna performs with her band when she is not active in acoustic gigs.
Yuna(EP)Yuna (EP)Yuna is the debut studio album by Malaysian acoustic singer Yuna that showcases Yuna music fleshed out with a full band arrangement. Released on October 12, 2008.- Track listing :All songs written by Yuna and composed by Yuna, Adil, Efry & Pa'an....
- Backpacking Around Europe
- After Midnight
- Dan Sebenarnya
- Blue Sands
- Deeper Conversation
Decorate
- Gadis Semasa
- These Streets
- Penakut
- Fireworks
- Rocket
- Random Awesome
- Permission
- Cinta Sempurna
- Decorate
- Super Something
- Dan Sebenarnya (Hidden Track)
Decorate (US-EP)
- Decorate
- Deeper Conversation
- Someone Out of Town
- Coffee
- Fears and Frustrations
Awards
| Awards | Year | Nominated Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anugerah Juara Lagu Anugerah Juara Lagu Anugerah Juara Lagu is a popular annual music competition in Malaysia, organized by TV3. It features the best musical and lyrical compositions of each year it is held... |
2009 | Dan Sebenarnya | 1st Runner Up |
| Anugerah Bintang Popular (Popular New Artiste: female) | 2009 | - | Won |
| Anugerah Industri Muzik Anugerah Industri Muzik Anugerah Industri Muzik , is Malaysia's music award-giving ceremony. It is the Malaysia's equivalent of Grammy.-Best Album:-Best Song:... (Best New Artist) |
2009 | - | Won |
| Anugerah Industri Muzik Anugerah Industri Muzik Anugerah Industri Muzik , is Malaysia's music award-giving ceremony. It is the Malaysia's equivalent of Grammy.-Best Album:-Best Song:... (Best Local English Pop Song) |
2009 | Deeper Conversation | Won |
| Anugerah Industri Muzik Anugerah Industri Muzik Anugerah Industri Muzik , is Malaysia's music award-giving ceremony. It is the Malaysia's equivalent of Grammy.-Best Album:-Best Song:... (Best Pop Song) |
2009 | Dan Sebenarnya | Won |
| Anugerah Industri Muzik Anugerah Industri Muzik Anugerah Industri Muzik , is Malaysia's music award-giving ceremony. It is the Malaysia's equivalent of Grammy.-Best Album:-Best Song:... (Best Song) |
2009 | Dan Sebenarnya | Won |
| Shout! Awards 2010 Shout! Awards The Shout! Awards is an entertainment award show created to celebrate the Malaysian entertainment scene which is said has rapidly developed. The award recognizes people of music, television, film and radio industry as well as the entertainment industry as a whole.There are 16 award categories... (Popstar Award) |
2010 | - | Won |
| Shout! Awards 2010 Shout! Awards The Shout! Awards is an entertainment award show created to celebrate the Malaysian entertainment scene which is said has rapidly developed. The award recognizes people of music, television, film and radio industry as well as the entertainment industry as a whole.There are 16 award categories... (Breakout Award:Best New Act) |
2010 | - | Won |
| Shout! Awards 2010 Shout! Awards The Shout! Awards is an entertainment award show created to celebrate the Malaysian entertainment scene which is said has rapidly developed. The award recognizes people of music, television, film and radio industry as well as the entertainment industry as a whole.There are 16 award categories... (Ultimate Shout!Award) |
2010 | - | Won |
| Anugerah Bintang Popular Berita Harian(Popular Singer:Female) | 2010 | - | Won |
| Anugerah Industri Muzik(Best Vocal : Female) | 2011 | Penakut | Won |
| Anugerah Industri Muzik (Kembara Award) | 2011 | - | Won |
External links
- Yuna's Official Site
- Yuna's Official Facebook
- Yuna's Official Twitter
- Yuna's Official Youtube Account
- Yuna's Official Myspace
- Yuna's Official Tumblr
- Yuna's Official Fashion Blog
- Yuna's Official LookBook
- Yuna's Boutique(IAMJETFUELshop)Official Site
- KMSY(Kipas Susah Mati Yuna)'s Facebook
- Yuna FC(Yuna Fan Club)'s Facebook