| Yuna | |
|---|---|
Anugerah Juara Lagu 24 rehearsal |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Yunalis Mat Zara'ai |
| Also known as | Yuna Zarai |
| Born | November 14, 1986 Alor Setar, Kedah, Malaysia |
| Origin | Kedah, Malaysia |
| Genres | Pop, Acoustic, Folk Rock, Alternative, Jazz |
| Occupations | Singer, Songwriter, Bussinesswoman |
| Years active | 2008 – present |
| Labels | Fader Label Indie-Pop Yuna Room Records |
| Website | YunaMusic.com |
| Members | |
| Yuna - Vocals, Guitars Farhan Fadzlishah - Guitars Efry Arwis - Bass Adil Ali - Drums |
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Yunalis Zarai (born November 14, 1986 in Alor Setar, Kedah, Malaysia) or commercially known as Yuna, a Malaysian singer-songwriter.[1]
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.
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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 was eventually discovered in the US by the Indie-Pop record label and management company. They flew out to Malaysia to convince her to sign with them and then preceded to get her a deal with the Fader Label, a record label based in New York, in February 2011.[2] She released her debut US EP, Decorate, in the United States in March the same year.[3]
While being active in the music scene, Yuna was also a law student at Universiti Teknologi MARA 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.
Yuna started out as a solo Myspace artist in 2006, singing in both English and Bahasa Malaysia. Her music influences include Feist, The Cardigans, 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".[4] In 2008,she released her self titled EP which become a massive hit in Malaysia most notably the single 'Deeper Conversation'[5]
Yuna was nominated for MTV Iggy Best Band 2011.[6] She performed at the historic MTV Studios at Times Square New York singing Decorate, Come As You Are and a new song Live Your Life produced by Pharrell Williams of N.E.R.D.
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.
| Awards | Year | Nominated Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anugerah Juara Lagu | 2010 | Dan Sebenarnya | 1st Runner Up |
| Anugerah Bintang Popular (Popular New Artist: Female) | 2010 | - | Won |
| Anugerah Industri Muzik(Best New Artist) | 2010 | - | Won |
| Anugerah Industri Muzik(Best Local English Song) | 2010 | Deeper Conversation | Won |
| Anugerah Industri Muzik(Best Pop Song) | 2010 | Dan Sebenarnya | Won |
| Anugerah Industri Muzik(Song Of The Year) | 2010 | Dan Sebenarnya | Won |
| Shout! Awards 2010 (Popstar Award) | 2010 | - | Won |
| Shout! Awards 2010 (Breakout Award) | 2010 | - | Won |
| Shout! Awards 2010(Ultimate Shout!Award) | 2010 | - | Won |
| Anugerah Bintang Popular Berita Harian(Popular Singer:Female) | 2011 | - | Won |
| Anugerah Industri Muzik(Best Vocal : Female) | 2011 | Penakut | Won |
| Anugerah Industri Muzik (Kembara Award) | 2011 | - | Won |
| Anugerah MACP ( Most Performed Malay Song) | 2011 | Dan Sebenarnya | Won |