PETALING JAYA: Award-winning Lyia Meta is an international singer-songwriter and musician who made a name for herself in Malaysia’s live-music circuit more than two decades ago. But it all began in the quiet of her hometown in Melaka.
“I began writing songs as a child while learning the guitar. I would write down my thoughts on life’s experiences,” she tells FMT. She began performing gigs in her teens, and by her mid-20s had already gained considerable experience as a live performer.
Hailing from a musical and artistic family, Lyia was always destined for bright lights and grand stages. She released her first EP, “This is Lyia”, in 2016, and her music has since won, or has been nominated for, international prizes. Among them are the Josie Music Awards in Tennessee, the Texas Sounds International Country Music Awards, and the International Music Video Awards in the United Kingdom.
And one might also be surprised to learn that one of her tracks was included in early Grammy balloting – “Slumber”, a soft-rock metal song, no less. (Check out her list of awards here.)
The songstress, who is based in Kuala Lumpur, is an onstage force to be reckoned with. She has held residencies at popular KL venues such as the Royal Lake Club, Tropicana Club, Royal Commonwealth Club and Raintree Club, not to mention more than 25 gastropubs scattered across the Klang Valley.
She has also held countless private gigs at some of the most prestigious hotels and venues in Malaysia.
“The most memorable show I sang at was an event with dignitaries and ministers, including past and present prime ministers of Malaysia, in attendance,” she shares.
Her deep and brassy vocals are an uncommon delight. As soon as Lyia vocalises, one is reminded of the late Nina Simone or Amy Winehouse, who embodied the contralto singing style to perfection.
“For a long time, I would shy away from discussing my tone and range with people,” Lyia explains. But she has since learnt to embrace her powerful voice and today enjoys observing listeners as they try to understand her sound.
“There are people who cannot accept my voice. A man once accused me of lip-syncing while I was performing on stage. He even jumped up and wrestled the microphone from me, only to realise he was wrong. The look on his face was priceless!”
Such is her appeal that her songs have been played on radio stations in the UK, United States and Australia.
A big factor behind her global airtime is largely owing to how versatile Lyia is as a singer and musician. Over the years, she has expanded her repertoire to include multiple genres, including jazz, blues, reggae, rock, and – as in the case of “Slumber” – even metal.
She credits this to her wide musical influences, the likes of Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Nat King Cole, and the king of rock ‘n’ roll himself, Elvis Presley.
“I’ve had my blues songs played alongside some of my blues idols such as Muddy Waters, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Albert King and John Lee Hooker,” she says. “It’s very humbling that a radio station would put your music on the same playlists with such legends.”
Throughout her journey, there has been a constant force working behind the scenes – her husband Zack Meta. Prior to exchanging their vows, the duo would show off their combined talents onstage. In more recent years Zack has helped produce and direct Lyia’s music, although they still perform together.
“Zack has been instrumental” – no pun intended – “in elevating me beyond being a live-circuit performer,” she says. “He is the repertoire manager and generally steers the ship as co-producer of my music.”
The chemistry between husband and wife is a key component of her most recent EP, “15013”, which features six songs that beautifully capture her voice in all its glory.
The album was almost entirely produced in the US by Bob McGilpin in Nashville alongside songwriter Denise Dimin from Los Angeles. The vocals, however, were recorded in Petaling Jaya.
Apart from one track, “Leaving Was The Last Thing on My Mind”, Lyia co-produced the songs, working alongside her American collaborators to “create a tapestry of emotions, interweaving words and melody”.
“15013” gets its name from the time differences between Los Angeles (15 hours), Nashville (13 hours), and Malaysia (0 hours), with the latter forming “the nucleus”, as Lyia puts it.
She doesn’t have a favourite track on the EP, though she says “there’s something about the song ‘Daylight’ that makes me reminisce about a time I’ve lost”.
Truly, it is a pensive track that encapsulates the feelings of Malaysians at the moment as the pandemic rages on. But she hopes listeners will find some joy in her songs.
“Music is crucial in keeping everyone’s spirits up because it releases endorphins in the brain. It uplifts the spirit and suppresses anxiety,” she says.
Like many musicians, the pandemic has taken its toll on Lyia’s plans and income. She continues to dabble in fine art – another talent she has been blessed with – and hopes to perform at the 8th Texas Sounds Music Awards in October, although the current situation has cast uncertainty on whether this will be virtually or in person.
Regardless, her melodies in “15013” are a hopeful reminder that all will be well again – if not now, surely someday, because “the daylight changes everything around”.
For more on Lyia’s repertoire, visit her Facebook and Instagram profiles. Also check out her discography on Spotify.
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