The Kedah-born singer-songwriter is excited to welcome Malaysian music lovers to her Yunaverse, her live homecoming concert to be held at the Mega Star Arena in Kuala Lumpur here at the end of October.
Speaking in a Zoom interview, Yuna told FMT Lifestyle that she could not wait to entertain her local fans again, after such a long time.
“I’m really excited to just perform both my new and older songs! As you know, I have five English and four Malay albums,” she said, adding that it was tough picking which songs to perform.
“Not to give away too much, but it’ll be a fun show. I really want people to stand up and dance, that’s the most important thing! I hope everyone just has fun, and just come along on this journey with me through my Yunaverse,” said Yuna, who is currently based in Los Angeles, California.
The concert is presented by LOL Asia, MSC and NASTY INC. It will also feature AI.Z, an alias established by Yuna and fellow Malaysian singer-songwriter Aizat Amdan for their English collaboration.
Yuna, 36, has also collaborated with many world-renowned artists, including Usher, Epik High, Jay Park, Tyler, The Creator and more.
Fans can enjoy her distinct music stylings, which she once famously described as “Mary Poppins meets Coldplay”, as she performs many of her beloved hits, including “Risk It All”, “Crush”, “Menanti”, “Masih Sunyi” and “Forevermore”.
Out of her many songs, does she have a favourite? Yuna revealed she had a special place in her heart for “Decorate”, the title track of her first Malaysian studio album from 2010.
“It’s hard to pick, they’re all like my babies! But I really enjoy performing ‘Decorate’ live. Writing it was very natural to me, I wrote it in Malaysia before I moved to Los Angeles. I love it, every time I sing it, it feels like a new experience, like I’m singing it for the first time,” said Yuna.
Many of Yuna’s songs have been featured on the soundtracks of popular films and TV shows, such as “Arrow”, “The Croods”, “Pretty Little Liars” and “Being Mary Jane”.
“I’m a little older, I’m a millennial; so, there was a time when having a song on “Grey’s Anatomy”, that meant you were on! I had that already, so that was a really cool experience for me,” Yuna said with a laugh.
The singer-songwriter said she was a fan of the critically-acclaimed 2022 American drama series “The Bear”, and would love to be featured on its soundtrack.
As most fans would probably know, part of Yuna’s rise to prominence was due to social media. Her music garnered wide attention after it was uploaded to Myspace, resulting in a record deal.
Yuna said, however, that today’s music landscape, which is highly reliant on social media platforms, could sometimes be difficult to navigate. This was especially so as she considered herself a private person.
To better connect with her fans, she had created a subscription-based online fan club, which she dubbed ‘Yunationals.’
“When I make videos or record myself in the studio, I share it there, and you can watch it. That’s a good way for me to have an organic connection with the fans. It’s my way of being a rebel! I love the fans I have on there, they’re super supportive. And that’s how Yuna is functioning in the social media world of 2023!” she laughed.
Her advice to budding musicians? Keep creating music, using whatever tools one has at their disposal. Yuna shared a quote she resonated with: “An ambition without a schedule is just a dream.”
“Start today. Don’t wait for anyone’s approval. Don’t listen to anyone who doesn’t believe you: they’re not living your life. Use whatever you have now, whatever social media platforms you have,” Yuna concluded.
“Be yourself, and most importantly, have fun. You never know where your journey is going to take you!”
Yunaverse
Date: Oct 22, Sunday @ 8.30pm
Venue: Mega Star Arena, Kuala Lumpur
Tickets can be purchased here.
Follow Yuna on her website, and check out her music on Spotify.
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