The rock queen fulfils her dream to perform acoustically at the Ella Unplugged in KL concert at Istana Budaya.
FOR as long as there’s been rock ‘n’ roll, there have been women who rock it too. Sure, they may not be as plentiful as their male counterparts but they’ve made just as great an impact.
Just like rock queen Ella Aminuddin, who is still rocking the music industry even after a lengthy career of 32 years and counting. Safe to say, she is still very much a huge influence.
There are no Malaysian artistes quite like Ella. Her stage presence and husky voice still win the hearts of many, only now she does it with her hijab on since she donned it in 2016.
Ella may be a celebrated rock star but never did she let her fame and success get to her head.
After countless successful concerts and albums, she remains soft-spoken and happy-go-lucky, and even acknowledges people around her, regardless of status.
But what makes her still so lovable is her youthful spirit and how she constantly pokes fun at herself. There is no question that her affable personality is what truly makes people feel welcome around her.
GOING ACOUSTIC
The 52-year-old has long kept a dream to perform acoustically on stage and she will soon get to realise it at her three-day concert in Istana Budaya.
Aptly titled Ella Unplugged in Kuala Lumpur, it will be held from March 29.
“To perform acoustically is something I have always wanted to do. It’s not going to be easy as a lot of work needs to be done for the music arrangements but I am working hard to produce something different for fans,” she says.
Fans will be in for a treat as she will showcase a different side as a singer. Preparation for the concert is well under way, including getting her stamina on track.
“I am keeping fit by doing exercise routines and eating a healthy diet.
“The only issue is to select the most suitable songs for my repertoire. It is crucial that I pick the right ones.
“And since this is an acoustic concert, I will probably slot in a few songs like Kabus and Sirna which are rarely performed in my previous concerts.”
KEEPING TRADITIONAL MUSIC ALIVE
Keeping her promise to deliver something different, Ella, whose full name is Nor Zila Aminuddin, is planning to perform at least four to five Malay traditional songs as well.
She recorded traditional number Jauh Di Mata three years ago.
She reveals that, over the last few years, she has done a lot of research into traditional Malay music.
“I have always enjoyed listening t these songs. They are beautiful and pleasant to my ears,” she says.
However, the decision to include traditional numbers at the concert did not come easy for Ella.
It has kept her up at night just thinking about it.
“I vacillated a bit on the idea because it will be a first for me. But I’ve finally decided to go for it.
“I came up with the idea to include a traditional segment as my small contribution to help keep the music alive.
“I am still in the midst of finalising the traditional songs to perform, but one song that I want to sing is Tak Seindah Wajah by the late Tan Sri S.M. Salim.”
Going traditional and acoustic for the concert may have Ella feeling all excited, but what about fans who are expecting to watch her rock to some of her biggest hits?
“Fans want to see me perform my rock hits, but there will be something new.
“Maybe people question my decision to sing traditional songs now, but all I can say now is that they will only understand why when they watch the concert.”
Ella will sing 20 of her best hits in the 90-minute concert held on three nights.
NOT AT ALL WORRIED
Another big concert is set to take place in March a Datuk Siti Nurhaliza will be performing at Axiata Arena on March 16 as part of her Asian tour.
While it comes as an exciting period for fans of both the legendary singers,tickets for the oncerts can be a little costly.
Does it worry Ella that there is another big concert happening in the same month as hers?
“I don’t see that as a problem. In fact, it’s a good thing as it proves that our local music industry is flourishing.
“The more concerts, the merrier! But if you ask me whether I’m worried fans will show up or not – the answer is ‘no’. Siti and I perform different genres,” Ella says with a smile.
She adds: “There are many more things I still want to achieve in my career. I don’t think I will be slowing down anytime soon.”
Tickets for Ella Unplugged in Kuala Lumpur can be purchased via www.proticket.com.my.
A portion of the proceeds from the ticket sales will be channelled to the Malaysia Autism Foundation.
RISE AND RISE OF MALAYSIA’S ROCK QUEEN
Long before Ella made a name for herself as Malaysia’s rock queen, she started her career by singing at local night clubs and lounges.
It was 1985 when she was approached by a group called The Boys who made her the frontwoman for the band. Eventually they became Ella & The Boys.
Ella rose to stardom and was recognised as Malaysia’s rock queen by fans as well as the media.
However, around 1988, Ella and The Boys parted ways. Ella embarked on a solo career and she became the hitmaker behind songs such as Tiada Tangis Lagi and Puteri Kota.
Ella’s influence in the music industry grew stronger by the day with her succession of hits and albums.
Her fan base spread even to Indonesia after she released a duet album with singer Deddy Dores.
Ella also became the first local singer to record an album in the United States. Called Ella USA, it was released in 1994.
She continued to make headlines when she was chosen to sing the theme song for the Commonwealth Sports game in 1998, titled Standing In The Eyes Of The World, when Malaysia was the host country.
Besides achieving success in music, Ella also showcased her acting skills in her first movie called Bayangan Maut (1999), directed by Datuk Yusof Haslam.
Her other films include Pemburu Bayang (1992) and Hanya Kawan (1997).
To detail the list of awards and achievements received by Ella would take pages but one award worth mentioning is The BrandLaureate Icon Celebrity Award she received last year. The award was in recognition of her accomplishments in building her brand as the iconic female rock idol in the region.
Despite her glittering career, Ella was careful not to let the spotlight shine too much on her personal life (other than sharing news of her marriage to pilot Azhar Husaini Ghazali). The two have been married since 2012.
Due to their age gap — Ella was 46 when she wed Azhar who was in his 30s — their marriage was heavily discussed in the media.
However, the couple are still happily married to this day. Azhar has has a strong passion for music too, and he often joins Ella on stage for duet performances.
At 52, Ella shares that her secret to looking young is by maintaining a healthy diet and sticking to her exercise routines.