#SHOWBIZ: Ella celebrates 'Ella USA' album's 30th anniversary with spectacular concert

New Straits Times

17-05-2025

GENTING HIGHLANDS: Malaysia's rock queen Ella has done it again. The evergreen singer, whose career has spanned four decades, cast her musical spell over more than 5,000 fans at her Ella USA 30th Anniversary concert at Resorts World Genting's Arena of Stars tonight.
Ella's two-hour concert was a celebration of her hugely successful 1994 album, Ella USA. She serenaded fans with 20 power-packed songs, including medleys featuring Permata Biru, Standing in the Eyes of the World, Pengemis Cinta, Kitalah Bintang, Sembilu, and Sepi Sekuntum Mawar Merah.
However, most of the songs were from Ella USA, including Gemilang, Rindu, Nuri, Ala Amerika, Penawar, Menanti, Mungkin, Itulah Saya, Permata Pemotong Permata, Risau, Esok Lusa Selamanya, and Aku Kau Dia.
The concert also marked Ella's reunion with legendary Japanese guitarist Kyoji Yamamoto, who has known her for three decades and also worked on her Ella USA album.
Ella, 59, said: "Yamamoto and I are still good friends and keep in touch. In fact, he was my guest musician at my 30th Anniversary Concert in 2016."
She added that recording the Ella USA album was a memorable milestone in her career, as she collaborated with top musicians from around the world.
"In fact, there were some experiences I will never forget, such as walking in the cold to the recording studio and experiencing an earthquake. Not only that, the entire recording process was done during the day," she said.
Ella, whose real name is Norzila Aminuddin, has been rocking since she was 18. Forty years on, she has hardly "aged" — physically, mentally, and, most of all, vocally.
Her last major concert, Jilid Akhir Ella Puteri Kota, was held at Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur, in 2023, where she celebrated 35 years in music with 35 songs.