"I GREW up listening to her songs," gushed Datuk Wan Aishah Wan Ariffin of the late songbird Datuk Sharifah Aini.
"Like many, I love her unique voice and she was my idol.
"I've always admired her voice and had the privilege of sharing the stage several times with her.
"I remember the first time I met her. We performed on the same stage at one event and I was just this awestruck fan!" said the 59-year-old singer.
"Just imagine, I was this newcomer to the industry and here was a music icon who complimented my song.
"Sharifah Aini knew my song! She knew of my existence. I was simply speechless."
This was in the early 1990s when Aishah's 'Janji Manismu' became a hit after winning TV3's fifth edition of Anugerah Juara Lagu in 1990.
Aishah recounts another moment when Sharifah Aini likened her to Whitney Houston.
"She said when I sang, it sounded as if Whitney was singing in Malay!"
Different note
Aishah, who recently released a new single, has revisited and re-recorded classic tunes for her new project.
"I was looking at the new trends where people appreciate old songs, and it's also been a while since I last recorded a classic tune. So I thought, 'Why not?'," she says with glee.
She approached Sony Music and after a few meetings, they agreed.
After deciding to re-record classic tunes, it was an obvious choice as to whose song she would pick to perform for her latest single.
For the special project with her old record label, Sony Music, she chose Sharifah Aini's hit track, 'Di Pinggir Kayangan'.
"This song means a lot to me as it reminds me of my idol."
"It is a love song that exudes a positive and happy vibe, with a classic melodious Malay tune."
This new version comes with notable differences from the original.
"There are differences in the musical arrangement," she said of the new rendition re-arranged by music arranger Mas Dewangga.
"Of course, my rendition will be different from the one performed by Sharifah Aini," said Aishah, adding that she recorded the song in half a key higher than the tone recorded by Sharifah Aini.
"This is to suit my vocal range," said Aishah, who hoped that the track will be well received by fans.
Classic trek
With this project, Aishah also aims to introduce young listeners to classic Malay songs.
On her hopes for this project, she expresses her desire for the song to find a place in the hearts of listeners.
"Songs like 'Di Pinggir Kayangan' should be reintroduced to the new generation.
"Appreciating old songs is essential for making progress in creating new music."
For her next track, Aishah will be releasing a classic song sung by one of her other favourite singers, the late Toh Puan Setia Datin Rafeah Buang. She has chosen 'Disebut Jangan, Dikenang Jangan'.
"Initially, I wanted to do a full-length cover album of classic songs. But we agreed to start with two first."
If the project moves on to a full album, among the songs she'll cover will be one of Sharifah Aini's classics, 'Burung Pungguk'.
'Di Pinggir Kayangan' is available on iTunes, Apple Music, Deezer, KKBox, Spotify, YouTube and YouTube Music.