Latest news with #M.Nasir
New Straits Times
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: Karyawan: Stop exploiting artistes for ratings and monetary gain
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Artistes' Association (Karyawan) has urged the public not to be alarmed by a series of fake videos containing "negative news" about artistes, including prominent figures such as Datuk M. Nasir and Datuk David Arumugam. Its president, Datuk Freddie Fernandez, said that these videos were created by irresponsible parties who falsely depicted these artistes as seriously ill or impoverished. He said: "None of these claims are true. This is a very worrying trend on social media. The people who created such videos are sick, fabricating stories about respected and popular artistes just to gain views and make money." Fernandez added that the videos employed fake voices and images generated by AI technology. "More worryingly, there is also content that, at first glance, appears to be shocking news about artistes, but when clicked, it redirects viewers to pages selling various products." Fernandez highlighted that the names and images of the artistes were used without their permission, violating their privacy and human rights. "This is a most immoral, fraudulent exploitation of artistes' rights. It can create public confusion and panic, besides damaging the reputation of artistes." Fernandez said that Karyawan has called on the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission to monitor and block fake content, as well as prosecute those responsible. "Platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook need to be more strict in monitoring content uploaded on their platforms," he said. "We encourage the public to report fake videos. This will lead to the immediate suspension or blocking of the culprits' channels. It is our responsibility to ensure that our digital space is healthier and free from scams." Fernandez urged all artistes to defend the dignity of their peers. "And to all Malaysians, do not easily believe everything that goes viral, for a lot of it could be fake news. Let's work together to put a stop to malicious individuals who slander artistes."
The Star
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Govt will continue to intensify efforts to support local artistes, says Anwar
KUALA LUMPUR: The Madani government will continue to intensify efforts to support local artistes in producing high-quality, outstanding works, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. The Prime Minister said this commitment was among the matters discussed during a meeting with legendary artiste Datuk M. Nasir at his office in Putrajaya on Friday (May 2). "Yesterday, I received a visit from renowned artiste Datuk M. Nasir in Putrajaya. During the meeting, we discussed the creative industry, and local arts and culture," he said in a Facebook post Saturday (May 3). The Prime Minister also encouraged Nasir to remain creative in contributing to the local music industry. Nasir, whose real name is Mohd Nasir Mohamed, 67, is known for his intellectual and spiritual-themed works and is regarded as one of the most influential figures in the development of Malaysian music and creative arts. In addition to being a singer and composer, he is also recognised as an actor, lyricist and art director who has played a major role in shaping cultural identity within the local entertainment scene. — Bernama
New Straits Times
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: M. Nasir's magical Raya music
WHEN music maestro Datuk M. Nasir is on the big stage, he never disappoints to give fans a great time. This was exactly what he did recently, serenading 1,500 of them in Zepp KL with 20 mostly Hari Raya gems, and showing that he was very much a 'party animal' despite hitting 67. Nasir kept his fans singing, dancing and swaying along to his beats, like a modern-day version of Merlin throughout his 8pm show. TWO HOURS Nasir's two-hour Raya extravaganza was the 'Dato M N46IR Cipta' show. In this non-stop show, which mainly featured Hari Raya gems over the ages, Nasir unveiled a treasure trove of songs he had penned for other artistes throughout his illustrious career. Nasir, dressed stylishly in a brown Baju Melayu, appeared on the dot with 10 musicians and three backing vocalists. He kicked off his concert with the power-packed 'Raya Yang Sempurna', a hit for rock legend Datuk Awie, and followed this up with 'Hari Raya Hari Bahagia', whose original singers included his late wife Junainah Johari. "Happy Raya and thank you all. Was it jammed?" asked Nasir. "Let's go for nostalgic songs tonight. It's simply great to see you all in baju Melayu. "This is a very special concert, so let us make it a culture, let us have it annually!" Nasir's fans sang along heartily to the celebratory 'Hati Emas' and 'Raikan Cinta'. The latter was very percussive and got the audiences dancing at their seats. 'Sentuhan Di Hari Raya' was a hit for another rock legend Datuk Amy of Search. "It's been years since I sang this song. Amy made it popular, so looks like I've got to compete with him," said Nasir with a smile. Nasir paid tribute to Tan Sri P. Ramlee and Ahmad Jaafar with his sixth song, 'Suara Takbir'. His rendition of the Ramlee gem was melodious and poignant with strong accordion and drum sounds. TRIBUTE His seventh song was 'Lebaran Bonda', a "tribute to all mums" and his composition for Datuk Hattan with a zapin sound. Song number eight was an Indonesian hit popular in Johor and Singapore most recently sung by Gigi. Titled 'Selamat Hari Lebaran', it was easily recognised for its Arabic sound and chorus, and Nasir got everyone singing along to its catchy tune. Nasir then invited a 20-something lass known only as Puteri up stage. They sang a heartwarming duet 'Halaman Asmara', made popular by Awie and Ziana Zain, and the maestro praised the starlet for her performance. Nasir also introduced the oldest recorded Raya song, 'Selamat Hari Raya' by Al-Jawaher. A spiritual tune with a Middle Eastern flavour, it invoked memories of Hari Raya celebrations in the early 20th century. Best of all, the screen behind Nasir heralded stylish computer-generated graphics of ketupat, lamps, mosques, and Raya greetings in Middle Eastern-style fonts. DETOUR Nasir took a detour from festive songs to deliver three of his poignant pop tunes — 'Suatu Masa', 'Salam Dunia' and 'Sahabat Gua'. Fans sang along to the choruses and many began waving their hands, clapping and taking photos of the maestro with their handphone cameras. "How is everybody doing?" asked Nasir, teasing his guests with a song that they knew well. Everybody knew that it was a signal for 'Satu Hari Di Hari Raya', and they were right. This hearty song saw Nasir aim his microphone at the crowd, and fans did a great job singing the entire chorus. "Thank you, ladies and gentlemen!" said Nasir, who soon belted out his catchy hit 'Apokalips'. Nasir returned to Raya songs, starting with Sepahtu's 'Raya Sedondon', a light-hearted fusion of tradition and modernity, the boisterous 'Esok Hari Raya' which Dr Sam made popular, and the most iconic Raya song Puan Sri Saloma's 'Selamat Hari Raya'. "It's been a wonderful concert, and I hope to see all of you next year too," said Nasir, who proved a magnanimous and chatty host throughout the show. "I plan to re-record all these classic Raya songs live, and hopefully, more Malaysians will get to appreciate these national treasures." STYLISH As he ended the concert with his hit from 'Puteri Gunung Ledang' titled 'Kepadamu Kekasih', Nasir said: "These songs evoke a sense of nostalgia during the festive season."
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
M. Nasir's Luncai Emas to honour century of Malay music with ‘100 best songs' collection, featuring first-ever recording from 1903 (VIDEO)
KUALA LUMPUR, March 1 — To preserve Malay music heritage, Luncai Emas, the brainchild record company of Malaysia's music maestro Datuk M. Nasir, will release a collection of the 100 best Malay songs from the past century. Titled Projek 100 Lagu 100 Tahun, the collection will feature 100 of the most significant Malay songs from the 1900s to the 2000s, reimagined by top local artists in a contemporary style while retaining their core values. The initiative was spearheaded by Prof Emeritus Datuk Seri Mohamad Mustafa Ishak, the former vice-chancellor of Universiti Utara Malaysia, along with Luncai Emas' composer, Mohd Azhar Abu Bakar — popularly known as Azmeer. The collection will be released in four volumes, with each volume containing 25 songs. Apart from audio and visual formats, it will also include a coffee table book detailing the backstory of each song, its creation, and its cultural impact. The 'Projek 100 Lagu 100 Tahun' is set to include the best Malay songs from the 1900s to 2000. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin Among the iconic tracks in the first volume is Ulek Mayang, originally performed in the 1970s by Terengganu-born singer Wan Salmah Wan Sulaiman. The song will be given a fresh rendition by singer Kaka Azraff and hijab-wearing rapper Bunga. M. Nasir himself will also be featured in the collection, performing Nuri Terbang Malam, originally sung by Qasim. The track was released as the first single from the compilation early last month. The song is believed to be the first Malay-language track ever recorded on vinyl, dating back to 1903 when it was produced by a UK recording company called the Gramophone Company. 'The song Nuri Terbang Malam, its rhythm and melody was before the Western sound influences. The shape of its sounds are different, it has Arabic and Indian elements to it. 'Western influences came after and that's when we start seeing Western elements in Malay music which is present until to this day,' M. Nasir said. Lah Ahmad, a member of the popular local vocal group VE, will also be featured in the collection, performing a new version of Penantian, originally sung by the 1980s group Harmoni and composed by the late legendary vocalist Zubir Ali. The song gained recognition in 1981 for its poetic elements, and Lah Ahmad's rendition is set to be released on digital platforms on February 28. Other classic songs included in the first volume are Madah Berhelah by Ziana Zain, Kenangan Lalu by Flybaits, Wajahmu Di Mana-Mana by Azlina Aziz, and Getaran Jiwa by the late Tan Sri P. Ramlee. '[The project] can also be seen as a reintroduction of all of these legendary songs to the younger generation. 'We consider ourselves as art activists, and we are not doing this solely for commercial purposes but instead, we are creating a space for conversations and discussions on our own heritage,' M. Nasir said. The award-winning singer, often referred to as Sifu or 'master' in the local music industry, also expressed admiration for Malay songs of the past, noting that they offered greater variety and quality despite limited technological advancements. 'Even with just moderate technological advancement in music at that time, we could produce quality works. We used to have all kinds of songs — about love, life, kings and rulers, fishermen and even tragedies. 'But now, it's not to say that we don't have it, but composers are not offering them to singers any more as most composers nowadays would rather stick to current popular music,' he said. M. Nasir, known for his evergreen hits such as Apokalips, Mustika, and Keroncong Untuk Ana, also observed that modern local singers tend to focus too much on a single genre or commercially driven music. 'Take ballads for example — when we see an artist perform all of their songs [from one genre], it becomes boring, because it all sounds the same. 'But that is how it is now, so if there's anybody bold enough to change this, please do, but only if they are brave enough,' he said.
