Malaysia’s hip-hop royalty, Zamaera, has teamed up with the rising talent of Kuala Lumpur, DJ/producer Daaliah, on her latest track ‘Big Fish’ via Zamaera’s own Mean Malaya Entertainment. In the electrifying single ‘Big Fish,’ Zamaera showcases her wide-ranging talent and versatility, drawing from a rich palette of musical influences, including hip-hop, pop, garage, and soul. Her style echoes the innovative work of music greats such as Little Simz, Jorja Smith, Tkay Maidza, and GloRilla.
She says: “This song came to life when Daaliah and I met up in July 2023 after not seeing each other for a while. He had just returned from his summer tour around Europe so there was much to catch up on and at one point I told him that I felt like ‘A big fish in a small pond’ because I felt that I have reached my ceiling as an artist in Malaysia. It is difficult to portray my most authentic self due to the conservativeness of the environment. I am a very open-minded bold and brazen individual and I truly believe that I will be able to flourish once I step out of this comfortable perimeter that I’m in which I call home. I love that I believe that ‘Big Fish’ is the introduction to my independent venture outside of my comfort bubble. Also we wrote the song in precisely 30 minutes because Daaliah had to leave for an event and we were in a time crunch. I guess the pressure of time really does help sometimes.”
On the video, Zamaera shares, “I’ve spent 11 years of my music career being defined as a hip hop artist. Sure I made hip hop music although I loved so many other genres and that was never reflected in my own repertoire. Even though I’ve been an independent artist for the past 3 years and could put whatever type of music out once I was no longer with a label, it just goes to show how strong a certain identity of ourselves can shape the decisions we make and thus, the music we produce. So ‘Big Fish’ is an ode to, stepping out of my bubble, charging beyond the society and industry norms in Malaysia and simply put, seeking discomfort in order to grow. I felt so much synergy working with Daaliah after he came home from his tour in Europe because we were both talking about expanding beyond our home country due to the limitations of creativity, openness and how people reciprocated towards the music we made. UKG was a perfect way for us to bridge the gap because it was the perfect vibe for me to bring my truest artistic self on a song, where I sing and rap, with a bit of my British twang and goofiness at the end quoting Bob The Builder as my outro.”
Point is, ‘Big Fish’ brings out my childlike enthusiasm and now more than ever, I am fearless in being unequivocally me.
Zamaera, a gifted storyteller, combines potent lyricism that channels the essence of Ms. Lauryn Hill with melodies that hark back to the soulful days of Erykah Badu’s ‘Mama’s Gun’ period. As a Southeast Asian powerhouse, she embodies a dynamic presence, effortlessly alternating between delivering dynamic rap verses and captivating vocal performances. A natural born entertainer from Malaysia, she has cultivated this passion since she was just nine years old.
From her early days as a television host to her teens, Zamaera made a bold transition to music, initially featuring alongside the renowned Joe Flizzow, Malaysia’s hip-hop heavyweight, in the track ‘Aku Tak Kenalmu.’ Her breakout as a solo artist came with her grime-influenced single “Helly Kelly” in 2017.
Zamaera’s industry journey has seen her sign with two record labels and create a landmark EP with The Matt Jones Orchestra in Chicago, melding classical touches with hip-hop beats. Through this, she has come to exemplify the boundless potential and adaptability of her music and artistry.
Since stepping out as an independent artist in 2021, Zamaera has dropped her mixtape album “Heart Break To Heal” and the cross-border hit “Kill My Vibe” featuring Samad Savage from New Jersey, besides hosting YO! MTV Raps Asia.
In a groundbreaking move, Zamaera organized Malaysia’s first-ever music festival dedicated to female artists, the ‘Queendom Fest,’ in December 2023. Aiming to counter the male-dominated live music scene, she established a support network for female talent in the creative industry. Her initiative was met with such success that Queendom Fest 2.0 is slated for 2024, continuing her mission to foster art and entrepreneurship among women.
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Big Fish is out now
