Latest news with #Hazama
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: Stiff competition, solid collaborations in AIM24
KLUANG-born singer Haziq Rosebi got the nickname "Datuk Ahmad Jais Junior" when he won fourth place in 'Akademi Fantasia' Season 4. He may have been in the race for Anugerah Industri Muzik (AIM) when he first joined showbiz, but for the first time, he is a front-runner for Best Traditional Song. At the recent unveiling of AIM 24's top five nominees at Primiera Hotel, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Kuala Lumpur, Haziq said that he was "so happy" to be back at the annual music awards. His traditional song, 'Pujuk', is his first duet with fellow Johorean singer Shima Ramli or Baby Shima, and he describes the pairing as "opposites attract". TRENDY "I'm a rather traditional person, while Shima is free-spirited and trendy," he said. "But we got along great recording this song, and working with her has encouraged me to sing with artistes who excel in other genres. "I always believe that we must step out of our comfort zone." Haziq's fellow AF graduate Amir Masdi of Season 13 is up for Best Male Vocals for his song, 'Sengaja'. "I've been nominated for various music awards over the last five years, but this is my first AIM nod. "Competition is stiff and in my category alone, I'm up against Akim Ahmad, Hafiz Suip and Hazama Azmi who are all from the same reality show." VETERAN Veteran singer Noraniza Idris is delighted to be back in AIM, and this time her nod is a traditional duet with Hazama titled 'Penawar Kita'. "I'm a firm believer in collaborations between old and new, and I'm glad to have recorded this fantastic song with a very promising male vocalist, Hazama," she said. Super singer Aina Abdul hopes to finally strike gold in AIM 24 having been nominated repeatedly over the last five years. "Together with Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza, Dayang Nurfaizah and Ernie Zakri, I've got among the highest number of nominations. "It's not going to be easy with such strong competition, but may the best get the top prizes," she said, adding that her priority was to keep healthy for her big day. GENTING AIM 24, which is supported by the Communications Ministry and organised by the Recording Industry Association of Malaysia (RIM), will be held at 8.30pm on Sept 13 at the Arena of Stars in Resorts World Genting. RIM chairman and AIM24 organising chairman Rosmin Hashim announced that a total of 130 finalists were shortlisted for the 26 categories. "The selection of the five finalists in each category were made by a panel of professional jurors, with the scoring fully audited by certified audit firm Mazars. The judging process was administered by an independent body, Macomm Management Services Sdn Bhd," he said. The Best Album winner will receive RM200,000 while the Best New Artiste, Best Ethnic Song, Best Nasyid Song, Best Traditional Song, Best Unity Song, Best Local English Song, Best Local Chinese Song, Best Local Indian Song, Best Song and Best Music Video will each receive RM50,000. Winners of 11 selected categories stand to receive a share of RM700,000 in Creative Content Funds from the Ministry of Communications via MyCreative Ventures (MyCV). Rosmin said that earlier this year, RIM received a total of 682 nominations covering recordings released during the eligibility period of July 1, 2022 to Dec 31, 2024. "The first phase of judging for the Best Song Recording and Best Album Recording categories took place at Timeless Studio on July 14 and 15, followed by the remaining categories at Hotel Majestic Kuala Lumpur from July 21 to 23. "The Best Song judging was held at Timeless Studio on July 29," he said. PANEL The judging panel comprises highly qualified local music industry professionals, including composers, lyricists, musicians, singers, producers, arrangers, vocal coaches and video directors. The judging panel is headed by well-known music director Datuk Mokhzani Ismail. The event will be broadcast live on TV2 of Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM). Rosmin said: "Six categories will be announced during the Pre-Awards Ceremony on Sept 12 — namely Best Single/Album Cover, Best Album Recording, Best Song Recording, Best Musical Arrangement in a Song, Most Streamed Song and Most Viewed Official Music Video on YouTube. "The remaining 24 major categories will be announced during the awards show." The Best Pop Song category received the highest number of nominees at 72, while the Best Music Video category received the second highest number at 70. JURY Rosmin said: "Most importantly, the jury members who have been nominated will not judge the categories they are in." The press conference was also attended by RTM director-general Datuk Suhaimi Sulaiman and Communications Ministry senior principal assistant secretary Noreen Iszani Yusak and some of the artistes, composers and lyricists nominated for awards. AIM began in 1993 with 'Dekat Padamu' by Ning Baizura winning Best Album and 'Satu' by Tan Sri SM Salim and Datuk Zainal Abidin winning Best Song.
The Star
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
I'm not a narcissist, sings Hazama
Compiled by DIYANA PFORDTEN, and R. ARAVINTHAN SINGER Hazama has launched his latest single, Aku Bukan Narsisis (I'm not a narcissist), which centres on narcissistic personality traits, Kosmo! reported. However, Hazama, whose full name is Hazama Ahmad Azmi, is uneasy with the term. 'I actually don't agree with the word narcissistic. To me, it's negative and I've never worked with, met or labelled anyone that way. 'Even if someone shows those traits, I just assume they're having a bad day. If we label them permanently, we don't give them a chance to change,' he said. Hazama said the theme was requested by Sony Music and composer Farouk Roman, so he went along with it despite his discomfort. Reflecting on his career since winning Akademi Fantasia (AF) Season 9, Hazama credited the three-month reality programme with teaching him the fundamentals of quality in performance and professionalism. 'I don't chase controversy. AF didn't teach us how to create drama; it taught us how to deliver good music,' he added, emphasising that lasting talent comes from substance, not sensationalism. > The Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) made the nation proud by winning 19 gold medals at the World Police and Fire Games 2025 (WPFG) in Birmingham, United States, Harian Metro reported. The contingent also bagged 17 silver and 10 bronze medals, placing Malaysia ninth overall in the prestigious international tournament. JBPM director-general Datuk Nor Hisham Mohammad praised the athletes' performance, citing their extraordinary discipline and fighting spirit. 'This achievement surpasses our target of 18 gold medals and breaks JBPM's previous record at the 2023 games in Winnipeg, Canada,' he said. Three gold medals were from the bodybuilding event, while seven golds were from tenpin bowling, six from golf and three from darts. Golf also contributed eight silver medals, followed by six from bowling, two from darts and one from the push pull and bench press event. Ten bronze medals were earned through bowling (six), golf (three) and darts (one). JBPM's bodybuilding team leader Snr Asst Supt Hasmadi Jusoh said the team had trained intensively for five months leading up to the games. 'We faced major challenges on the first day, especially competing against more experienced international athletes,' he said, crediting the team's success to their discipline and preparation for the tournament. > Motorists travelling along Jalan Felda Aring to Tasik Kenyir, Hulu Terengganu, were startled when a full-grown Malayan tiger was seen crossing the road in broad daylight, Harian Metro reported. In a video that has since gone viral, the tiger, estimated to weigh around 200kg, was spotted calmly emerging from the roadside before disappearing into the bushy slope across the road. (The above articles are compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with a >, it denotes a separate news item.)
Sinar Daily
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Sinar Daily
Legoland Malaysia's splash carnival returns with more water, games, and surprises
Summer's heating up and so is Legoland Malaysia – because the iconic Splash Carnival is making a serious comeback for its third year and it's bringing the biggest waves yet. If you're looking for non-stop fun, beats that slap and water-soaked chaos with your besties, this is your sign to grab your crew and dive in. From July 3 to Aug 3, 2025, the Legoland Splash Carnival is throwing a five-week-long water-fueled fiesta that's basically the ultimate combo of beach party energy, epic live performances and splashy games you won't want to miss. This year's theme, 'Music Fiesta', is turning the water park into the it place for vibes – where music meets mayhem in the best way possible. Legoland Malaysia Resort Vice President Cs Lim said this year's carnival has been taken to the next level with expanded musical performances, activities and even more opportunities for families and friends to unwind and enjoy themselves. Legoland Splash Carnival is throwing a five-week-long water-fueled fiesta that's basically the ultimate combo of beach party energy. "This is our most exciting Splash Carnival yet, with more activities, more performers and more ways for families to create unforgettable memories. "We're proud to spotlight Malaysia's musical talent and bring back fan-favourite activities, all while introducing new surprises that make this year's carnival truly the biggest and best yet," she said in a statement. Here's what's going down: Every Saturday starting July 5, the Wave Pool transforms into your new favorite concert venue – featuring a fire lineup of Malaysian talent. Expect killer vocals from Hazama (yes, the Akademi Fantasia Season 9 champ), pop powerhouse Kaka Azraff and vibes galore from Aisyah Retno, Aziz Harun, Mimi Fly and rising star Nadeera. Basically, your weekend just got a whole lot cooler. Beyond the music, the Splash Carnival offers a lineup of interactive, water-filled fun for all ages. Visitors can embark on the Melody Quest, a musical treasure hunt to recover five missing instruments hidden around the park and unlock the start of the fiesta! There will be plenty of activities for families and friends to unwind and enjoy themselves. Not only that, visitors can also take a splashy shot at the Dunk Fest Fun, test their reflexes with Splash & Score or build and race their own Lego boats in the Boat Race. There's also the playful Water Limbo inside the Wave Pool and a high-energy Fitness Fiesta inspired by Aqua Zumba. Special highlights include the Drumbeat Splash-tacular (July 31 – Aug 3 only), a roaming percussion party that fills the park with rhythm and Beats on the Beach, a weekend-exclusive musical performance featuring Legoland's iconic mascots. Visitors can also groove along to DJ Surfer Splash Down in the heart of the Wave Pool and cheer on the vibrant Carnival Parade, complete with dancers, stilt walkers, mascots and drummers lighting up the weekends and public holidays. This year's theme, 'Music Fiesta', is turning the water park into the it place for vibes – where music meets mayhem in the best way possible. Want in? You can score your tickets now on Legoland Malaysia's official site. For the full experience, grab the Triple-Park Annual Pass – giving you year-long access to all the madness across the theme park, water park and sea life. Already a passholder? Good news: you can renew and save up to 30 per cent – and if your pass expired this year, you've still got until July 15, 2025 to bounce back with a 20 per cent discount. Just in for the vibes? No prob. Get a 1-Day Water Park Ticket and come make a splash for the day.
New Straits Times
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: Hazama to wait 10 years before staging solo concert
KUALA LUMPUR: Singer Hazama Azmi isn't rushing to hold a concert. Instead, he'd rather focus on producing more songs across various genres to build up his repertoire before considering a solo show. The 40-year-old artiste believes that more senior artistes like Misha Omar, Dayang Nurfaizah, or the band Spider are better qualified to stage solo concerts before he could even dream of doing so himself. "Of course, singers and bands such as Datuk Awie, Wings, Search, Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza, and Datuk M Nasir are on a completely different level, especially with their huge song catalogues," he said. "As for me, now is the time to gather my own songs so that when I do eventually hold a concert, I won't have to sing other people's material." Hazama also believes that people attend concerts for nostalgia, to hear songs they listened to when they were younger. "That's why KRU's recent concert was such a hit. People who grew up listening to them in the 1990s came to relive those memories with KRU," he explained. "We can listen to the same song on Spotify, but the nostalgia only truly comes alive at a concert. So, I'll wait another 10 years before I hold my own." Hazama shared these thoughts with reporters at a recent press conference held in Kuala Lumpur to promote his latest single, 'Aku Bukan Narsisis'. The song was composed and produced by Farouk Roman, with lyrics penned by Hazama and Zel Hadauan.
