*PREMA YIN* Prema Yin has been singing since she was in primary school, entertaining crowds at weddings, private functions and

having a go at age group singing competitions.

At present she is pursuing her studies but as music is her first love she is trying to juggle her time and focus between both.

She took part in the National level singing competition organized by NTV 7, Who Will Win Malaysian Topstar and emerged as the winner in 2004.

Wanting to gain more experience and to further improve herself, Prema Yin hit the pub scene, performing with such

well known personalities as Jerry Felix, Simon Justin, Richard Gomez, Collin Jensen, Albert Sirimal, Ronny Felix,

Vijay David and others. She also performed with Jaclyn Victor for a national level TV show and has also performed a

number of times on TV.

In 2006 she was invited to audition for the Aseana Percussion Unit and has been a member of this very popular group

for the past 3 years. Performing in various local pub scenes: Bangkok Jazz, Groove Junction, Waikiki etc

Festivals such as Penang Jazz Festival, Sunrise Jazz Fest, Sarawak Rainforest Festival as well as overseas(China for the Zhu Jia Jia Water Village Festival, Singapore Arts Festival).

Her major influences have been from blues rock, r&b, melancholic, soul and funk. She has been inspired by the work of great musicians notably Aerosmith, Stevie Wonder, Sarah Maclachlan, Chaka Khan, Erykah Badu, Shania Twain etc

She has great feel and her songs are charged with raw emotions.

Prema Yin is not only an accomplished singer but she is also one of the rare breed of singer/song writer and has been composing her own songs since she was 14.

Her songs are created from her past experiences, random thoughts, imagination and life itself. And now, after 5 years of

her venturing into the music scene, she has finally decided to record her own songs which she hopes to share with

music lovers.

Not only that, she has had the opportunity to perform on stage with Colbie Caillat(famous for her song, ‖Bubbly‖) and

the great John Ford Coley.

In January 2009, she had two nominations for the Voize Independent Music Awards (VIMA) for Best Female Vocalist

(Overall) and Best Rock Vocalist, which she bagged the Bronze Award, being the only female nominated amongst a

category dominated by men. In 2010, she received four nominations, Best Rock Vocalist, Best Female Vocalist (Overall), Most Mindblowing Video Clip and Best Pop Song, where she received the Gold Award for ―Eyo Eyo‖.

Prema Yin is also being nominated for the Asian Voize Independent Music Awards (AVIMA2010) which is dubbed to

be the biggest independent music award in the world. Nominations include Best Pop Song and Best Female

Vocalist(Overall).

In 2010, Prema Yin received 4 nominations for the Anugerah Industri Muzik(AIM Awards) for Best New Artiste, Best

Engineered Album, Best Music Video and Best Musical Arrangement in a Song for Eyo Eyo. The AIMs is the biggest Malaysian music awards, equivalent to the American Grammys which will aired on May 2nd, 2010.

Her first ever EP, which she worked with Greg Henderson was recently launched on 19th August 2009 at Mist Club, Bangsar.

“The Album” ―The completion of the Album took about a year. It was a great feeling to finally do my own thing and now that it‘s

finished I am very satisfied with the results. It is the outcome of all my hard work, passion and drive for this love of

mine since I was a child. Working with Greg Henderson was an eye opener for me. No words can express how this

experience has built me as a musician and as a person. And for that, I hope to continue developing this, my love for music.‖

Produced/Arranged and Mixed by Greg Henderson.

1) Eyo Eyo

Composer: Prema Yin

Lyricist: TINTA

―This song was written because I loved latin music, and what could be better than combining latin and rock

together, two of my favorite style of music? Plus, have fun doing it! ;) I must say, I am satisfied with the

outcome, and thanks to TINTA‘s lovely lyrics, it gave the song the edge it needed. It has the attitude and fun

all merged in one. Something that I can definitely relate too! YEAH!‖

2) Ain’t Got Tears(feat Moots!)

Composer: Prema Yin

Lyricist: Prema Yin/Moots! (Pop Shuvit)

―This song went through several changes, as I wrote it when i was 17. I wasn't sure what type of sound i

wanted for it, but i knew that i wanted it to be dance-able, in your face, fun and of course still have it's

edge.Meeting Greg was really the best move i made as he managed to bring out the essence of the song and

give it the kick it really needed.‖

3) These Are The Days

Composer/Lyricist: Prema Yin

A song written for a special someone. A"Thank You" note for always being there for me, accepting me as i

am and supporting me through the tough times.

4) Bleed

Composer/Lyricist : Prema Yin

―Bleed was created when i was going through a tough time in my life. I felt overwhelming stress from every

angle and somehow or rather i just picked up the guitar, started strumming some chords and next thing i

knew, in half an hour i wrote the song(minus the lyrics of course). All i knew was that the word Bleed was

constantly running through my head when i was humming the chorus melody hence the decision for its title.‖

5) Higher Love

Composer: Prema Yin

Lyricist: Prema Yin/Rajjiv

During the Yamaha Asiabeat band competition in 2006, we(referring to my previous band "Broken View")

managed to qualify for the KL finals. However, we needed to play an original song. So, i just got down to it.

With three chords given by my then ex- guitarist for the verse, i wrote the whole song. I was really

determined to win! Unfortunately, we didn't make it to the state finals, and my current drummer's ex

band(International Groove Collective - which i ironically joined later on) did! They bagged 2nd place.

Nonetheless, still felt the love for this song, hence why it's in my first ever EP. Yeah!

“The Band- MON9” Moe:

He was quite active in the beginning 90's in the German underground music scene with several bands

as well as performing on a regular basis with a 40 piece Big Band playing drums and percussions.

After finding his way to Malaysia and a 10 year hiatus he joined a jamming band which compromised

of Ash Nair and former DVS Bassist Mel Yap. The jamming stopped after Ash emerged as one of

finalists for Malaysian Idol Season 2 and Mel Yap returned to his home country Canada.

Subsequently formed the International Groove Collective with Nazim on guitars and KayBee on

Bass. Joined by MC Haroon on vocals shortly after the quartet was gigging for a few months before

they decided to part ways with MC Haroon and hired Prema Yin as Vocalist. IGC was also dissolved

after another few months. After hearing Prema Yin's own compositions, he pushed forward to record

and perform the songs.

Besides this Moe also appeared as sessionist for Artists/Bands such as Pop Shuvit, Dragon Red,

Reshmonu, Ash Nair and many more.

Moe also had Cameo appearances in a local indie Movie such as "Red Street Diner" and Ash Nair's

video Clip for "Crazy".

Nish:

Berklee Graduate in 2007 as classically trained Pianist is now venturing into new grounds with Prema

Yin. Rock is a new ballgame for her that she is mastering with ease and adding on the extra "nish"

touch. Sessioning for many other big artists is another proof for her abilities. Nish also has her own

Band (The Thing One) where she features regularly other great singer such as Najwa and others.

Zaim:

Bassist Zaim is a very well know name in the local scene for years now. Performing for almost 10

years now, the autodidact has taught himself how to play the bass. This allowed him to create his

very own and unique style. As one of the members of Curtis Blues Review they received many great

reviews in the past and present for their distinct sound that's heavily contributed by Zaim's Bass

work! Known for his unique percussive style, Zaim played alongside veteran Malaysian local greats

such as Ahmad Loqman @ Abang Lorg, Simon Justin and Jerry Felix as well as more recent faces

like Ash Nair, Faizal Tahir and Prema Yin. Zaim also made an appearance on Vince Chong's video as

bassist in "Percayalah Sayang".

Isaac:

The youngest of the bunch, Isaac has been actively playing music since his childhood.

Previously playing in a couple of bands in the underground scene before joining Prema Yin.

Isaac's eclectic guitar sounds and his superb skills made him stand out compared to many other young

and talented guitarist!

A true musician and artist, he claims that Music is his passion and pride.

Having entered numerous competitions with his previous Band Borange, they have bagged acclaim

and awards.

Isaac's defined sound and playing gives the Live shows the extra spice and feel!

“Exposure”

Some television appearances:

Ntv7 Who Will Win Malaysian Topstar(2004)

Stars of Diwali (2004)

Anugerah Seri Angkasa (2004)

Yesterday Once More (2008)

Fresh New Day (2008)

8TV Quickie(2008)

8TV Quickie Merdeka Special(2009)

TV3 Malaysia Hari Ini (2009)

TV3 Melodi (2009)

NTV7 – 1, 2 Jus!(2009) – alongside Vince(AF1),Hannah Lo etc.

Frekuensi Urban (2010)

Homegrown (2010)

Radio Coverage:

Prema Yin‘s 1st single, ―Eyo Eyo‖ has been played in countless radio stations regionally and internationally:

1) N-Joy Radio (One of Germany‘s biggest radio stations)

2) Hitz.FM

3) Hot.FM

4) Era.FM

5) X-fresh.FM

6) Fly.FM

7) Traxx.FM

8) Capital.FM

9) BFM

Some of the people she has performed/worked with:

1) Colbie Caillat- International Artist

2) John Ford Coley- International Artist

3) Aseana Percussion Unit- Percussion band that has performed internationally.

4) Jaclyn Victor- Malaysian Idol winner

5) Moots! (Pop Shuvit)- Well acclaimed band nationally and internationally from Malaysia

6) Greg Henderson- AIM/ARIA award winner

7) Zainal Abidin- Well acclaimed singer in Malaysia/Hit songs include ―Hijau‖

8) Simon Justin- Songwriter of hit song ―Belaian Jiwa‖

9) Jerry Felix- Malaysia‘s Guiness Book of Records

10) Juwita Suwito- Malaysian Singer/One In a Million Vocal Coach

11) Ash Nair- Malaysian Singer/Malaysian Idol 2

12) Transient Vortex- Drum and Bass

13) Faizal Tahir- One In A Million/AIM winner

14) Hazami- Well acclaimed singer in Malaysia/Previously her vocal trainer/Famous hits, ―Musim Sonata Salju‖

15) Luke Mason – Composer/Musical Director of FAME studios

16) Paul Morrison- Producer of WASP studios

17) Rudy – HITZ FM DJ

18) Juzliza Adlizan – Vocal teacher

19) Syafinaz Selamat – Vocal trainer

20) Samuel Dass – Malaysia‘s sitar extraordinaire.

21) Farah, Akma etc – Some of the Akademi Fantasia contestants.

22) S.U.P.A – Music producers from Purple Houz Productions

23) Sasi The Don – Malaysia‘s Reggae Ambassador

“Experiences” Performed in the pub scene for 4 years.

Performing nationally and internationally with a percussion band called ―Aseana Percussion Unit‖

Performed in various corporate events (eg: MIGF, Milellia, QuestNet, V, DiGi etc)

Performed on national TV(eg: Anugerah Sri Angkasa, Stars of Diwali 2005,Yesterday Once More, Fresh New Day)

Radio Interviews (Hitz.FM, Fly.FM, and Capital FM)

Versatile as she has played in various events/clubs/gigs- from big concerts to small intimate rooms.

Done backing vocals for well known artists internationally and nationally

Has sessioned for many well known musicians/producers.

Performed recently for one of Malaysia‘s biggest festivals, Urbanscarpes 2009 on the ‖X Lawn‖ Stage – alongside big

names.

(eg: Pop Shuvit, Yuna, Pure Vibracion etc)

Performed for the Voize Independent Music Awards 2010(VIMA2010) where she bagged the gold award for Best Pop

Song for ―Eyo Eyo‖ and received great reviews from the media.

“Gallery”

VIMA 2010

Prema Yin was recently nominated for FOUR categories in the Voize

Independent Music Awards 2010. The categories include Best Rock

Vocalist, Best Female Vocalist (Overall), Most Mindblowing Video Clip

and Best Pop Song in which she bagged the Gold Award.

Prema Yin‘s performance for the night received great reviews from the

press, well renowned musicians and peers. To quote a few;

―Best performance by 700 miles‖ – Jamie Wilson

―That was insane!‖ – Rahul (One Buck Short)

―Wow!‖ – Cliff (Crush! Lead Vocalist)

―Prema Yin dazzled the crowd with a highly-polished performance of her song ―Eyo

Eyo‖ – The Sun (19/1/10)

―Prema Yin‘s performance of Eyo Eyo (Best Pop Song) winner epitomized the ideals of a

rock chick‖ – Sunday People, News Strait Times

Prema Yin, sporting lovely new pink accented bob cut, wowed the crowd with her

massively energetic and super polished performance of Eyo Eyo. Winner of Best Pop

Song, this rocker chick delivered something that can only be honed by years and years of

perfecting her performance. There was even some slithering on the floor, making it the

most hardcore performance of the night – Rachel Chan, Voize.my Staff Writer

“No.1 on MET10 Hitz.FM”

First single, ―Bleed‖ reaching the #1 on Merdeka Day (31/08/2008)

―Eyo Eyo‖ (English) reached #1 on (14/03/2010)

“N-Joy Radio, Germany”

Prema Yin‘s ―Eyo Eyo‖ was played on N-Joy Radio, one of Germany‘s

biggest radio stations to date.

“PUMA”

Prema Yin was endorsed by PUMA in year 2009.

Other celebrities include Jay Menon, Xandria Ooi, Fauziah Latiff etc.

“Press Clippings + Magazines” The Star: Metro

Saturday April 26, 2008

Contest winner on the right track

By THO XIN YI

Name: Prema Yin Ranee

Age: 21 Occupation: Student/Singer/Songwriter

THE NTV7‘s Who Will Win 2004 winner Prema Yin Ranee is seeing her dream of recording her own album come true.

―I‘ve always wanted to record my music but I never took the initiative to actually do it simply because I was still caught up in the creative process.

―My boyfriend, who is also my drummer, insisted that I meet Greg Henderson to produce my tracks. We clicked

instantly and I personally feel that Greg did an awesome job!‖ said the accounting student at Sunway University College.

―He taught me a lot of things along the way and pushed me to bring out the best that I can be during every recording

session. We have completed five tracks now,‖ she said.

As for the future, Prema is looking forward to playing more gigs, hopefully in places outside the country.

―I've always enjoyed gigging because it is my comfort zone. It's the only place where I can let loose my alter ego.

―I also plan to get my songs aired on radio and shoot a music video,‖ said the 21-year-old of Chinese and Indian

parentage.

What do you like about KL?

Food! The variety!

What do you dislike about KL?

The jams and the potholes!

Prema: ‘I’ve always wanted to record my music’

What is your favourite food?

Besides my mum‘s cooking, I would have to say anything sweet and spicy. I am currently obsessed with Old Town Kopitiam. Its Ximut Milk Tea and Nasi Rendang Chicken are my current favourites!

What do you do to relax?

Just staying at home hanging out with loved ones, watching anime and playing video games. Thank God for PS2!

What is your favourite place to hang out in KL?

You would probably see me frequently at Old Town Kopitiam in Sri Petaling or Hartamas. Other than that, I‘d probably be hanging out around Laundry Bar, The Curve, etc

All The R-AGE!

Thursday May 22, 2008

Hear ye!

BY YAM PHUI YEE

―…Singer/songwriter Prema Yin Ranee relies on social network sites like Facebook and MySpace, Channel [V]‘s AMP

website and word of mouth to tell people about her gigs. The accountancy student is the winner of NTV7's Who Will Win singing competition in 2004.

"You need quite a bit of work and time for the online publicity: write-ups, maintenance, uploading the music ... but it's worth it because you get instant exposure and feedback," she says.

For upcoming singers like her, social networking sites have made garnering publicity of their works much easier.

Prema sends out gig updates and communicates with fans and critiques alike with ease - which adds a personal touch

that will probably get people to attend her shows because they feel like they know her. In time, the networking helps

her get invitations to perform in other events.

"In the past it was quite tough to do promotions because access to information was restricted; either not everyone had

Internet or you had to hope that the organisers put your name on the flyers or announce you as an act prior to the event. Now things are much easier. You can promote yourself as much as you want.

"I believe in Malaysia, networking is one of the most important ways to get yourself gigs. Most of the bands put their stuff online or on air and then wait till they get a call.

"This only happens when you are ‗there‘, but as a newcomer you have to go around and talk to the organisers, club owners, promoters, etc.," Prema says.

Take initiative, be creative and be nice to people if you want people to turn up at your event.

In June, Prema will be singing in a friend‘s event called Rock on Rave, and she is spreading the word around and inviting friends on her Facebook to the event.

"Part of our duty as a band is that we make sure that as many people as possible are coming to watch. You don't wanna play in front of an empty house, right?" asks Prema, 21…‖

New Straits Times:

Johor Buzz

Lighting up the weekends

Rizalman Hammim

FANS of acoustic music should head over to the lounge on the ground floor of the Grand BlueWave Hotel, Johor

Baru.

The hotel is organising the "Lights" acoustic music series featuring singers and

musicians who are heating up the local acoustic circuit.

Lights, which is being held on weekends this month, hopes to expose the city to

the new breed of Malaysian singer-songwriters.

Among the singers that have performed in the series were Otam, Paolo Delfino,

Zalila Lee, Reza Salleh and Rendra.

A veteran in the Kuala Lumpur music scene, Reza has garnered quite a

following for his smooth baritone vocals.

Citing Nirvana, Rage Against the Machine and the vocal styles of African-

American singers as his influences, Reza has also released an EP entitled

Smoke City and is currently working on an LP.

Rendra's involvement in music began when he was a five-year-old living in

New Zealand where he wrote the song Never Talk to Strangers, after an

unfortunate encounter with mean Kiwi kids.

Describing himself as a songwriter first, singer second and guitarist third,

Rendra's music is best described as folk rock. To date, he has recorded over 20

songs.

Two singers who will perform this week are Prema Yin and KokoKaina.

Having started singing when she was in primary school, Prema is a regular in

the Kuala Lumpur pub scene and has performed with artistes like Jaclyn Victor, Jerry Felix, Simon Justin, Richard Gomez, Collin Jensen and Albert Sirimal.

PREMA YIN: The singer-songwriter

has performed with artistes like Jaclyn

Victor, Jerry Felix, Simon Justin,

Richard Gomez, Collin Jensen and

Albert Sirimal.

VOIZE Interview:

VOIZE interviews Prema Yin and her band, Moe, Steph, Isaac, and Zaim in conjunction with their nomination for the

VIMA 2008 Awards. Prema Yin has been nominated for the Best Rock Vocalist and Best Female Vocalist (Over All) categories.

1. You sing in many styles of music. What is your favourite genre of music?

(Prema) The thing is I love music in general. Being in many different bands with different

types of sound, help me appreciate the uniqueness of every different genre.

However, I have always had a soft spot for blues rock+funk+soul, and having been

inspired by many great musicians like Aerosmith, Erykah Badu, Sarah Mclachlan,

help me develop my own thing

2.What are you studying right now? (Prema)

Currently waiting to complete my thesis for accountancy, I am very stoked to get my

butt down to produce my own music. Plus, getting the opportunity to learn from

Luke Mason is making that dream become more a reality now.

3. Do you guys compose, play, and produce all of Prema's songs? How long has Prema Yin the band been

around? How is it different from Prema Yin the vocalist? (BAND) The band: The materials are Prema‘s, but we work on the arrangements based on the occasion, like for example during

the Penang Jazz Fest, we jazzed it up. So at the end of the day, the end product is a cumulative effort based on Prema‘s

material. February 28, 2008 was the first time we jammed together. By being in a band, there is more dynamics, and the

exchange of ideas which makes it more fun.

4. Who are your favourite music makers? (Question for all) Moe: First and foremost, Red Hot Chili Peppers! And due to the fact that I am the oldest, I like a lot of older stuff,

namely ―Thriller‖, produced by Quincy Jones. Mad mad stuff!

Steph: Hiromi!

Isaac: Dan Estrin(Hoobastank), Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine), and pretty much any blues guitarist.

Zaim: Stuart Zender (Jamiroquai), Victor Wooten, Marcus Miller, Steve Harris(Iron Maiden) and M. Nasir.

Prema: Locally it‘s POP SHUVIT! They make some killer tunes! And I am proud to say that Moots! has actually

rapped in one of my tracks, Ain‘t Got Tears. Woot!

5. You are inspired by past experiences, thoughts, and imagination in composing your songs. What are the most

influential experiences and thoughts that dominate your mind at this current moment? (Question to Prema as

composer) Songs that I write are very personal. It‘s like pages in my diary. Songwriting to me is very healing. People who have

met me will realize that I am a pretty reserved person, so it is a great outlet. However, some time I write songs not

purely based on my own emotions, but what others are going through. Like just recently, I wrote a song about the

troubles in our world, poverty, abuse etc. So yeah, songs are a great way to connect with others, as I believe.

6. You've been shortlisted for Best Female Vocalist (Over All) for the VIMAs (Voice Independent Music

Awards) 2008. What are your feelings about this? What do you plan to do if you win? (Prema). Getting nominated for the VIMA‘s has definitely made 2008 a really memorable year for me. And to know that I am

the only female vocalist in the Rock Category is really a big honor for me. At the end of the day, I feel like I‘ve

achieved so much just by being amongst other great musicians. As a singer and composer, it has inspired me even more

to write more good music and to keep heading towards the direction that I want in music.

Love for singing and Puma

Submitted by azdee on Sun, 12/04/2009 - 5:34am

UP and coming singer Prema Yin has been singing

since she was a kid, entertaining crowds at wedding and private functions.

Her drive and willingness to compete and pitch

herself against other budding singers stems from the

fact that she has been having a go at age group

singing competitions since she was a youngster.

At present, she is studying to complete her tertiary

education, but as music is her first love, she is

carefully allocating time for both her studies and her singing career.

Prema got the attention of the Malaysian public when she emerged as the winner in the national level singing competition, Who Will Win Malaysian Topstar, organised by Media Prima's NTV 7 channel, in 2005.

Wanting to gain more experience and to further improve

herself, Prema decided to hit the pub scene, performing with

personalities such as Jerry Felix, Simon Justin, Richard

Gomez, Collin Jensen, Albert Sirimal, Ronny Felix and Vijay David.

A notable achievement was when she performed with popular singer Jaclyn Victor for a national level TV show.

In 2006, she was invited to audition for the Aseana

Percussion Unit after a chance encounter with the group's vocalist at a gig.

As expected, Prema aced the audition and has been a member of this popular group for the past three years, continuing to build on her experience and performance repertoire.

Performing on stage is a synch for Prema, having performed at a few events and shows like the Sunrise Jazz Fest and

Sarawak Rainforest Festival, as well as overseas in China, at the Zhu Jia Jia Water Village Festival, and in neighbouring Singapore at the Singapore Arts Festival.

She lists major influences for her music coming from blues rock, R&B, melancholic, soul and funk.

She has been inspired by the work of musicians like Aerosmith, Stevie Wonder, Sarah Maclachlan, Chaka Khan,

Erykah Badu and Shania Twain.

Prema is not only a talented, accomplished singer, but she also writes and composes her own songs, something that she

has been doing since she was 14.

"The inspiration for composing and writing songs comes from my diary, past experiences, random thoughts, imagination and my life itself," she said.

"My songs are personal to me and the lyrics are expressive. It shows a different side of me as actually I am quite a reserved person."

After five years in the music scene, Prema has decided to record

her own songs after much persuasion, urging and support from her boyfriend and family.

"My boyfriend and my family have been very supportive and they

pushed me to do it because it is something I love to do and I am very lucky to have them behind me," she said.

She is currently working hard on finishing her EP with Australian

producer Greg Henderson. Her EP is slated to be released sometime in the middle of this year.

During her free or spare time, Prema likes to play games on her PlayStation 2, watch movies, and go online and surf through her favourite websites like Facebook.

Clothing is one of her interests and her favourite brand is Puma.

"I've always loved Puma apparel, from the shoes, watches, bags, caps to its clothing line. I am simple and don't wear complicating or complicated clothes," she said.

"I like to wear comfortable and sporty clothes and this is one of

the reasons why I love Puma. Puma shoes are another must for me as I feel that they are cool and classy."

Prema's mode of transportation is a Perodua Kelisa, her first car which she bought on her own.

She has driven the Kelisa for the past four years and it is of

sentimental value to her as it reminds her of what she has done for herself.

Her dream car is the popular Mini Cooper S, which her mom likes as well.

New Strait Times – Urbanscapes 2009, KL Pac

June 28, 2009

CLEO Magazine (November 2008)

Music - Gigs : Event Time Out: On The Up http://www.timeoutkl.com/music/events/Time-Out-

On-The-Up-December

We‘re back yet again with four more local acts. The last one for the year but certainly there‘s more to come in 2009. If

you have not been to one of Time Out KL‘s music showcases, this you should give a go. The night‘s line up includes

guitar and violin duo, The Snow Symphony, pop jazz band, Rumi, alternative rock band, A Mantle In The Sea and

blues rock vocalist, Prema Yin.

We had a small chat with the lovely Prema Yin recently, so here's Prema, up close and personal:

Who is Prema Yin? Prema Yin is actually my name. Part of being a mix of Indian and Chinese I

suppose. And no, Yin is not my mum‘s surname.

So you’re a singer. How did that start? Like everyone else, being an ex-Amazonian warrior fighting battles, I got fed

up of the killing that I decided to do music instead. Make love, not war as I

strongly believe! Yeah I know, I‘m jabbering. Anyway, on a more serious

note, I started singing when I was very little, according to my mum, at the age

of three. Countless times of karaoke-ing sessions, and singing competitions,

and a lucky break during the NTV7 Malaysian Topstar 2005, I started

pursuing music more seriously. However I felt I wasn‘t ready to come out

with an album so I decided to hit the pub scene, gaining more experience as a singer and after three years I‘m finally on

the verge of completing my album. And I feel pretty darn good about it. Yeah!

Do you play any instruments? Yeah, I do. The guitar and the piano.

Are you thinking about learning a new instrument? Maybe when I‘ve improved my guitar and piano playing I would like to learn how to play the harmonica. It is so awesome.

So do you have a favourite song? Well, I have many, many favourite songs. I can‘t pick one. However, I‘m currently indulging in Chaka Khan‘s ‗My

Funny Valentine‘. Her feel, her tone, her range is amaaaaazing! She is a living legend.

What about a favourite from your own songs? I like them all! (Laughs) It‘s my baby man, how can I choose?

What inspires you to write your songs? My inspiration comes from things I‘ve experienced, things other people have experienced, random thoughts, and so

forth. I look at my songs as pages in my diary. It‘s about things I feel or go through in my life. The thing is, people who

have met me will realise that I‘m a pretty reserved person, so writing songs for me is a great outlet.

A little bird told us that you’re currently studying accountancy. What’s that about? It is choice I made during high school. I knew I liked accounts and numbers, so I decided to do that instead just to have

a degree at hand. Still, music is what I love best.

If you had to, which would you give up? Accountancy, hands down.

What’s next for Prema Yin? Shows, shows and shows! We (me and my band) will be playing for the ‗Fringe‘ at the Penang Jazz Festival this

December 5 and 6. It‘s a big honour for us to be playing there, and it is going to be a pretty interesting set as most of

my songs will be jazzed out. So we are looking forward to it. Other than that, I‘m looking forward to shooting a video

and further work on my album. Do check out my website, or myspace if you would like to find out more about me and

my band or contact us for shows.

- Brian Kwan

GALAXIE Magazine: May issue, 2009

The Malay Mail

Rising ROCK DARLING launches EP

Submitted by pekwan on Wednesday, August 19th, 2009

Jonathan Fernandez

Wednesday, August 19th, 2009 01:48:00

CHARM PERSONIFIED: Prema‘s stage antics boils down to her sheer lust for music which ignites every emotion in

her

She had a dream and now she's on the verge of living it. Malaysia's latest rock star, Prema Yin, will be launching her

debut EP album titled Eyo Eyo today at Mist Club in Bangsar. No longer a stranger to the local music scene since

winning the national level singing competition Who Will Win Malaysian Topstar in 2004, Prema has worked hard and

is now relishing the thought of reaping her just rewards.

The EP will feature Eyo Eyo as the single and four other bonus tracks - Bleed, Higher Love, There Are The Days and

Ain't Got Tears (featuring Pop Shuvit's Moots).

Ever the music afficionado, Prema proves she's an all-round talent as the album will not only be a showcase for her

hard-hitting vocals but she also composed all the tracks and was the lyrics architect for all the English songs.

"I've always wanted to record my music but I never took the initiative to actually do it simply because I was still caught up in the creative process," said Prema.

"My boyfriend, who is also my drummer, insisted that I meet Greg Henderson to produce my tracks. We clicked

instantly. He taught me a lot of things along the way and he pushed me to bring out my best during every recording session. Greg did an awesome job!"

Likening her songs to pages in her diary, Prema believes every music has its own identity and significant in its own way. And she intends to make herself heard, literally, with her songs which most people will be able to relate to.

"Songs that I write are very personal. Songwriting to me is very healing. People who have met me will realise that I'm a

pretty reserved person, so it is a great outlet.

"However, sometimes I write songs not purely based on my own emotions, but what others are going through.

Like just recently, I wrote a song about the troubles in our world - poverty, abuse, etc. So yeah, songs are a great way to

connect with others."

This petite lass has big ambitions, and an even bigger and impressive vocal range. With mike in hand and band right

behind, that's enough to set the tone as her own impersonation of Beyonce's on-stage character, Shasha Fierce comes roaring out.

Basically, when the spotlight is on her, this VIMA Awards second runner-up for Best Rock Vocalist never fails to rouse the crowd with her energetic spunk and vigorous showmanship.

Some say it's due to split personality. Perhaps, but for Prema, her stage antics boils down to her sheer lust for music which ignites every emotion in her.

"The thing is I love music in general. Being in many different bands with different types of sounds, helped me

appreciate the uniqueness of every genre. However, I always had a soft spot for blues, rock, funk, soul. And having

been inspired by many great musicians like Aerosmith, Erykah Badu and Sarah Mclachlan has helped develop my own

thing. So this album is not really a rock album. The songs consist of the essence of all types of genres. That is what makes it more special," she said.

Fans are in for a treat during the EP launch as Prema will be performing Eyo Eyo for the first time. She will also be

performing several other album tracks as well as some cover songs. Also for the first time, her first Eyo Eyo music

video will be premiered on a night of entertainment. And fear not, the EP will be retailed tonight at RM19.90.

14 Oktober 2009

Prema yang romantis

Oleh FAIZAL SAHARUNI

mfaizal@kosmo.com.my

"Lagu ini ditujukan kepada seseorang yang istimewa. Ia menjadi nota tanda terima kasih kerana selalu berada di

sisi saya, menerima diri ini seadanya dan menyokong tanpa henti tatkala saya berdepan dengan kesulitan" –

PREMA YIN

BAGI pendatang baru di gelanggang seni tanah air, Prema Yin, kelahiran album mini yang mengangkat judul Eyo Eyo

memperlihatkan signifikan tersendiri kepada empunya diri. Ini kerana segenap jiwanya sejak kecil begitu dekat dengan bidang muzik.

Selain mentafsirkan kehadiran album punya kepentingan untuk meluaskan kerjayanya yang masih baru berputik,

naskhah Eyo Eyo yang memuatkan sebanyak lima buah lagu itu turut menampilkan sebuah karya indah dan sangat

istimewa.

Lagu bertajuk These Are The Days yang mendapat sentuhan 100 peratus oleh Prema hakikatnya didedikasikan khusus

kepada insan tersayang atau lebih tepat dikatakan sebagai teman lelakinya.

Bayangkan apabila anak kelahiran Kuala Lumpur itu tanpa berselindung meluahkan isi hatinya menyelitkan lagu tersebut ke dalam album mininya.

Memetik nukilan hati Prema dalam lagu These Are The Days, berikut serangkap luahan ikhlasnya setelah diterjemah ke dalam bahasa Melayu.

"Lagu ini ditujukan kepada seseorang yang istimewa. Ia menjadi nota tanda terima kasih kerana selalu berada di sisi saya, menerima diri ini seadanya dan menyokong tanpa henti tatkala saya berdepan dengan kesulitan."

PREMA membuat persembahan semasa pelancaran albumnya di MIST Club di Kuala Lumpur baru-baru ini.

Alahai, romantis benar ungkapan yang dizahirkan Prema atau nama berdaftarnya Prema Yin Ranee itu terhadap

individu yang kini bersarang di hatinya.

Cuma untuk menghuraikan siapakah gerangan pemuda bertuah yang menjalinkan cinta dengannya itu, Prema mengaku tidak selesa untuk berkongsi kisah peribadinya dengan masyarakat di luar sana.

"Terus-terang, saya tidak mahu menjaja kisah cinta dengan orang lain. Cukuplah hal peribadi saya ini diketahui oleh ahli keluarga dan kenalan terdekat saja.

"Paling penting, saya sudah beritahu bahawa diri sudah berpunya lantas tiada apa lagi yang perlu disorokkan daripada pengetahuan para peminat.

"Walaupun sudah memiliki teman lelaki, namun saya tidak beranggapan perkara ini bakal menyekat perjalanan karier

seni saya untuk terus bersinar selepas ini.

"Cuma saya mohon agar karier yang baru hendak bermula ini tidak dilibatkan dengan cerita yang remeh-temeh

termasuk hal peribadi.

"Terus-terang, kehadiran saya dalam dunia nyanyian hanya ingin berkongsi bakat yang dimiliki dengan khalayak sekali

gus melebarkan sayap ke tahap lebih tinggi," katanya ketika ditemui pada majlis pelancaran album mininya di The Mist, Kuala Lumpur baru-baru ini.

PREMA pernah menjuarai pertandingan Who Will Win Malaysia Topstar.

Pantas mematikan perbualan tentang perkara yang membabitkan peribadi, wanita yang sarat sikap peramah itu mula

menyelak lembaran tentang album yang menjadi kepuasan terawal untuk dirinya.

"Album Eyo Eyo ini mengambil masa selama setahun untuk disiapkan dengan sepenuhnya. Paling menarik, ada di antara lagu yang terkandung dalam album ini dihasilkan sewaktu saya berusia 17 tahun.

"Saya mula menggubah lagu ketika berusia 14 tahun. Kini saya ada kira-kira 30 hingga 40 buah lagu dalam simpanan yang merupakan curahan ilham sendiri.

"Selain These Are The Days, album ini turut mengandungi lima buah lagu iaitu Eyo Eyo, Ain't Got Tears (bergandingan dengan Moots), Bleed dan Higher Love.

"Tidak dinafikan, saya cukup teruja apabila berpeluang untuk muncul dengan sebuah album mini yang mendapat

garapan sepenuhnya oleh saya sendiri.

"Saya tidak menggunakan khidmat komposer sedia ada di Malaysia kerana mahukan lagu-lagu yang saya cipta sebelum

ini dimasukkan ke dalam album mini saya terlebih dahulu.

"Wajarlah untuk saya buat keputusan ini ditambah saya menginginkan keserasian dengan muzik dan jiwa saya sebelum mendapatkan bantuan penggubah lagu lain.

"Album dengan jalur pop rock ini diibaratkan sebagai kejayaan hasil kerja keras saya selama ini yang begitu mencintai bidang nyanyian dan penggubahan lagu.

"Sekarang album Eyo Eyo sudah siap dan berada di depan mata. Lantaran itu, sudah pasti saya berpuas hati dengan karya permulaan ini untuk diketengahkan kepada orang ramai," ungkap Prema sambil melakar senyuman manis.

Enggan menoleh ke belakang

Berstatuskan anak seni, kini bakat menjadi taruhan utama Prema. Itulah yang dimahukan oleh graduan kursus Ijazah Sarjana Muda Perakaunan di Kolej Sunway, Petaling Jaya kira-kira dua tahun lalu. Ya, tidak ada sebarang penyesalan.

"Menjadi seorang penyanyi merupakan karier pilihan kerana saya sangat meminati muzik. Malah, saya pernah

menyertai program realiti televisyen seperti Who Will Win Malaysia Topstar (2004) dan One In A Million musim kedua

(OIAM2).

"Nasib menyebelahi apabila saya diumumkan sebagai juara Who Will Win Malaysia Topstar kira-kira lima tahun lepas

tetapi saya kurang bertuah kerana gagal menjadi 12 peserta terakhir OIAM2.

"Biarpun begitu, saya tidak pernah terfikir soal menang atau kalah ketika menyertai satu-satu pertandingan nyanyian.

"Bagi saya, semua ini bergantung kepada rezeki dan ilmu yang diperolehi. Bahkan untuk memperbaiki mutu vokal

sendiri, saya juga berguru dengan Juliza Adlizan, Hazami dan Syafinaz Selamat.

"Mengawal lontaran suara sangat penting kepada saya apatah lagi lagu-lagu yang saya dendangkan ini memerlukan saya bergerak dan menari mengikut irama yang dialunkan.

"Dengan ketiga-tiga guru ini, saya mempelajari banyak perkara yang berkaitan vokal. Sekarang saya sudah benar-benar bersedia untuk aktif menyanyi," terangnya.

Kagumi kumpulan Pop Shuvit

Tidak mampu menipu diri sendiri, anak kacukan Cina dan India itu terang-terangan memberitahu dia amat memuja dan menyanjungi kumpulan anak tempatan, Pop Shuvit.

Benar, siapa sahaja yang tidak mengenali grup hebat umpama Pop Shuvit. Bahkan ramai peminat terutama generasi

baru yang cukup menggilai kumpulan yang sudah membolos tembok kukuh negara Jepun sejak beberapa tahun lalu. Kenyataan itu tidak mampu disangkal lagi.

ALBUM Eyo Eyo menjadi taruhan Prema untuk mencipta nama dalam industri muzik tanah air.

Lantas puteri kepada pasangan suami isteri, Kali Kavandan dan Alicia Chiw itu berkata, dia bangga apabila berpeluang

menjalankan kolaborasi dengan salah seorang anggota kumpulan tersebut, Moots.

"Sejujurnya saya meminati semua jenis muzik. Tetapi apa yang diketengahkan oleh Pop Shuvit cukup sebati dengan jiwa saya.

"Paling membanggakan apabila saya lihat kumpulan ini bukan saja bergiat aktif di tanah air sendiri, malah berjaya mencipta populariti di Jepun dan mempunyai pengikut tersendiri.

"Kejayaan yang dikecapi oleh kumpulan Pop Shuvit membuatkan saya turut memasang angan-angan untuk sukses seperti mereka juga dengan meluaskan pengaruh ke luar negara.

"Sekadar mahu berkongsi berita gembira dengan orang ramai. Jika tiada aral melintang, saya akan ke negara Jerman tidak lama lagi kerana diundang mengadakan persembahan di sana.

"Sudah pastilah besar impian saya yang mengharapkan agar undangan nyanyian di negara orang ini nanti bakal menjadi landasan terbaik kepada diri.

"Tanpa sebarang keraguan, saya hendak membuktikan kebolehan dan bakat diri selain mengambil peluang

memperkenalkan pelbagai jalur muzik Malaysia ke persada seni antarabangsa.

"Dengan bakat nyanyian dan menggubah lagu yang saya miliki ini, saya berdoa agar mendapat tempat dan dikenali

ramai baik di dalam mahupun luar negara," ungkapnya.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009, 03.15 PM

ENTERTAINMENT: Eyo, where have you been, Prema Yin?

2009/08/25

RADIN SRI GHAZALI

RADIN SRI GHAZALI talks to Prema Yin to find out if she really is the next queen of rock.

THE quest to find the next queen of rock might be over soon, what with Prema Yin around.

The young artiste took centrestage and wowed the media with her amazing vocals — a cross between Joss Stone soul and Anastacia on Eyo Eyo — during her recent album launch.

The only question was: ―Where have you been all this while, Prema Yin?‖ ―I‘ve been

around,‖ she laughed.

―I wanted to gain as much knowledge as possible and perfect my music,‖ said the 23-year-old sister of national hockey players Logan and Keevan Raj.

She started writing songs when she was 14 and is, as they say, ―born to sing‖.

―I have always been musically inclined, compared to my siblings who were athletic. I failed miserably in sports,‖ she laughed.

Having completed her degree in accountancy, she decided to pursue music, performing in various clubs in Kuala Lumpur.

―I auditioned for One In A Million 2 and got booted out at the auditions. They said I was not the kind of singer they were looking for,‖ she said. She sang Alicia Keys‘ Why Don‘t You Call Me? But Prema persevered.

After two years, Prema is out with her debut EP, Eyo Eyo, a song she chose from a list of 30. ―It was tough! I am very

choosy. If it doesn‘t sound right, I‘ll dump it and start on a new track. It is essential for me to get the hook, chorus and

bridge right,‖ she explained.

The five songs that met her stringent standards are Ain‘t Got Tears, These Are The Days, Bleed, Higher Love and her

first Malay song, Eyo Eyo.

―I have been writing in English and I thought the time was right to compose in Malay,‖ she said.

This singer classifies her music as rock fused with pop, jazz and latin.

―I listened to the radio at an early age. That is the best medium to learn the basics of music. I am influenced by various

genres and they have made me the musician I am today,‖ she said. Eyo Eyo was produced by known music arranger Greg Henderson. Prema also got the chance to collaborate with her idol, Moots of Pop Shuvit, through Ain‘t Got Tears.

―I love Pop Shuvit. They have created a name for themselves and have taken Malaysian music internationally,‖ she said.

When it comes to her favourite local female singers, Prema, who may perform in Germany next month, said: ―I love

Jaclyn Victor. She is incredible. Juwita Suwito is another exceptional singer-songwriter, and Ning Baizura is simply phenomenal. And the list just goes on,‖ she laughed.

Friday September 18, 2009

Of Yin and Yang

By N. RAMA LOHAN

She’s paid her dues, cutting her teeth in the club circuit. Singer-

songwriter Prema Yin is now ready for the big time with her

album Eyo Eyo.

OF course I‘d like to be a rock star,‖ claims dainty Prema Yin, a singer-songwriter who, while only 23, has a CV that runs from here to Timbuktu.

The winner of Ntv7‘s Who Will Win series in 2004 (where she bagged RM50,000), Yin has

also played at countless music festivals (Penang Island Jazz Fest, Sunrise Jazz Fest, Sarawak

Rainforest Festival, China‘s Zhu Jia Jia Water Village Festival and the Singapore Arts

Festival, among others), shows and club gigs. Add to that singing for a variety of bands,

including the nation‘s most loved percussion troupe APU (Aseana Percussion Unit), Broken View, IGC (International

Groove Collective), and others.

Rising star: Prema Yin‘s debut single Eyo Eyo is a clear indication that she is a star in the making.

She‘s performed with local and foreign luminaries, including the likes of Jaclyn Victor, Colbie Caillat, John Ford

Coley, Jerry Felix, Simon Justin Leo, Richard Gomez, Albert Sirimal, Ronnie Felix, Vijay David and a host more.

Basically, even at her youthful age, Seremban-born Yin has been there, done that and bought the T-shirt. The one thing

that has eluded her though, is her own album. But with the release of Eyo Eyo, a single with four bonus tracks (isn‘t that an EP?), she can now check that box too.

So, is the release of this elusive album all it‘s cracked up to be, then?

―While making the album, obviously my focus was on the creative process, so I didn‘t really get to think about

anything else. But once the CD finally landed in my hands, I was overwhelmed with joy ... just thrilled that after all the

work I had put in over the years, the results were finally beginning to show,‖ enthuses the bubbly singer, saying that her

initial apprehensions were all finally laid to rest.

Yin is acutely modest about her talents, and insists that she took on numerous challenges, like grinding it out in the pub

circuit. The eventual production and release of Eyo Eyo is akin to a whale‘s gestation period, and Yin is quick to admit that.

―This album took forever to make and some of the songs date back to my teen years. Ain’t Got Tears was written when I was 16 ... but naturally it evolved, especially with the input of (producer) Greg Henderson.‖

The songs making up Eyo Eyo, include the title track, Ain’t Got Tears (which features Moots of Pop Shuvit), These Are

The Days, Bleed and Higher Love. Eyo Eyo, the only Malay song on the album, gallops with a bouncy acoustic guitar

track that rides the Latin wave, and Yin‘s sexy ad lib-ing and delivery style perhaps rightly earns this song first single

status.

Ain’t Got Tears is a driving rocker punctuated by Moots‘ rapping while the lilting melodies on These Are The Days – a

piano-driven ballad with lush string arrangements – sounds like it takes its cue from Mariah Carey. But it‘s on Bleed

and Higher Love that Yin truly bares her rock fangs, and the crunchy guitar arrangements on these ones are a sonic treat.

Yin looks to her immediate surroundings and her personal experiences to be inspired to write lyrics, and she‘s very

proud of the fact that Eyo Eyo apart, she wrote the whole record. ―It‘s much easier to write from your own experiences because you immediately have something you can relate to.‖

Contrary to popular belief, Eyo Eyo isn‘t a phrase inspired by the renowned Indian expression of concern, aiyoh. The

story for Eyo Eyo is in fact, funnier than that. ―As I was writing the song on the piano and singing the melody line, the

word that naturally came out was the chorus, which went Eyo Eyo. And since it kept resurfacing every time I worked

on the song, I just kept it,‖ giggles the younger sister of now retired national hockey players Keevan and Logan Raj, giving away her Indian lineage.

Yin isn‘t the first and certainly won‘t be last either to come up with cute (if not peculiar) choruses. Ashlee Simpson

stuttered along to L.O.V.E, Crash Test Dummies went Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm and Hanson‘s first single was called MMMBop. There you go.

After a few spins of Eyo Eyo, what‘s vividly apparent is an artiste on the cusp of big things to come. While her amiable

personality might suggest otherwise, on the record, Yin comes across as an artiste confident of her ability and comfortable in her own skin.

She credits much of that confidence to renowned producer Henderson. ―He enhanced the songs with his arrangement

ideas and gave them an edge. And he shared with me what‘s cool and what‘s not. His credentials aside, best of all, he

was so easy to work with ... he really brought out the best in me. I always felt comfortable sharing my ideas with him,‖ she says, professing her growth as a songwriter under his guidance.

Yin is proud of her craft, and like every good artiste, struggles to single out a favourite song on her album. ―It‘s like

choosing a child,‖ she complains, laughing. ―Actually, in total, I had about 11 songs, but I narrowed it down to these

because at the moment, I feel these are the best.‖ And like every good artiste striving for the best, she confesses this opinion might change in the future, especially with the benefit of hindsight.

Her vast experience in the music industry has put her in good stead, and she‘s utterly grateful for life‘s many blessings.

―Experience always makes you better. I learned a lot just from watching other musicians perform at festivals and such.

It‘s almost a sub-conscious thing where you pick up on things you like, and it opened up my mind to other musical

styles as well,‖ she says.

So it‘s no surprise then that the musical fare she serves up on Eyo Eyo (a rock record, she insists) is a blend of all she‘s

heard. ―I like music in general. When I was younger, I listened to all kinds of things. I first started listening to R&B,

then I moved on to old school blues rock, then to a more melancholic sound,‖ she says, acknowledging that all musicians go through a growing process.

When it came to her own music, though, she was determined to retain a rock vibe, with a few other styles thrown in for

good measure. ―I don‘t want to limit myself to just one thing,‖ professes the quintessential girl-next-door, who, music

apart, loves to play computer games.

The daughter of a dad who deals in logistics and a businesswoman mother, Yin is still quick to concede her first love is

rock. While Aerosmith‘s Steven Tyler is a long-time favourite (she loves Janie’s Got A Gun), she currently adores German rock band Guano Apes, particularly lead singer Sandra Nasic‘s vocal style.

And where does a Prema Yin record stand in today‘s musical climate? ―I can‘t say for sure, but I hope people will be

able to accept my music for what it is and the artiste that I am. Audience members have come up to me and singled out

songs that they like, at gigs that is, and they tend to be more mature listeners.‖ In a nutshell, Yin hopes the album

reaches out to everyone.

She‘s amiable and she‘s got the talent. Add good looks and experience, and Prema Yin looks to be an artiste simply

waiting to explode.

For more info, check out myspace.com/premayin.

Galaxie Magazine

October 1-16, 2009

Berita Harian 1 Oktober 2009

Harian Metro 24 Ogos 2009

ARKIB : 22/10/2009

Eyo Eyo popularkan Prema di Jerman

Oleh METRA SYAHRIL MOHAMED

metra.mohamed@utusan.com.my

MENJUARAI Who Will Win The Malaysian Topstar

pada 2004, laluan seni Prema Yin atau nama sebenarnya

Prema Yin Ranee bagaikan tidak disedari oleh sesiapa.

Tenggelam dan terus tenggelam di sebalik kemunculan

artis-artis baru, namun anak kelahiran Kuala Lumpur ini tidak patah semangat untuk terus mengejar cita-cita.

Namun, meski dikata orang bak 'tenggelam di lautan

sepi', Prema sebenarnya aktif menyanyi di kelab-kelab

malam, majlis-majlis keraian, persembahan korporat

serta beberapa festival muzik.

Kini, apa yang dinantikan sudah menjelma di depan mata

apabila album mini sulungnya yang memuatkan lima buah lagu telah berada di pasaran.

Berperanan sebagai 'pasport' untuknya terus

mengembangkan karier, album berjudul Eyo Eyo ini cukup istimewa buat Prema apabila kesemua lagu berkenaan adalah ciptaannya sendiri.

Antara lagu-lagu yang dimuatkan ialah Eyo Eyo, sebuah lagu berbahasa Melayu dan empat lagi lagu berbahasa Inggeris

iaitu Ain't Got Tears (bergandingan dengan Moots), These Are The Days, Bleed dan Higher Love.

Mengakui minat terhadap bidang nyanyian sejak di bangku sekolah, membanggakan, lagu berjudul Eyo Eyo telah

diputarkan di sebuah stesen radio di Hamburg, Jerman iaitu N-Joy Radio.

Bukan cakap kosong atau mereka-reka cerita, tetapi ia adalah hakikat sebenar bahawa lagu yang menggunakan lirik dalam bahasa Melayu itu sudah didengari oleh masyarakat di negara Eropah itu.

Menurut Prema, dia 'terbang' ke negara tersebut pada bulan lalu bersama pembantu peribadinya, Sabine Oezmen,

seorang rakyat Turki yang bermastautin di Jerman.

Prema berada di Jerman selama dua minggu dan berkesempatan menemui beberapa orang penting di stesen-stesen radio.

"Di N-Joy Radio, saya dan Sabine telah mempromosikan lagu-lagu yang dimuatkan dalam Eyo Eyo.

"Tanpa disangka, mereka memilih lagu Melayu dan bukannya Inggeris untuk diputarkan di radio tersebut.

"Eyo Eyo bagi mereka cukup unik. Mereka mengatakan tidak pernah mendengar lagu berbahasa Melayu,'' katanya pada sesi fotografi bersama Hits di studio Utusan, baru-baru ini.

MESKIpun masih baru, Prema mampu berbangga kerana lagu

berbahasa Melayu nyanyiannya iaitu Eyo Eyo telah diputarkan di stesen

radio N-Joy Radio di Jerman.

Eyo Eyo merupakan sebuah lagu berentak Latin yang digabungkan dengan irama rock manakala liriknya dicipta oleh Tinta.

Ujar Prema, N-Joy Radio merupakan stesen radio khusus untuk remaja dan respons yang diterima terhadap lagu Eyo Eyo cukup membanggakan.

Jelasnya, kejayaan Eyo Eyo menarik perhatian warga Jerman dan ia menjadi semangat untuknya mengembangkan

sayap ke luar negara.

Impian tersebut, katanya, memang ada pada setiap artis dan dia pasti berusaha untuk ke arah itu.

"Saya masih baru dan banyak lagi yang perlu dipelajari. Buat masa ini, saya amat meminati genre muzik rock.

"Irama rock membuatkan saya lebih puas ketika beraksi di pentas. Ia amat sebati dalam jiwa saya.

"Namun, satu hari nanti saya akan berubah kepada jazz dan sebagainya,'' katanya yang juga merupakan adik kepada bintang hoki terkenal tanah air iaitu Keevan dan Logan Raj.

Cerita tentang album

Menurut anak bongsu daripada lima beradik ini, Eyo Eyo mengikut perancangan awalnya hanya memuatkan lagu-lagu berbahasa Inggeris sahaja.

"Selepas itu saya berfikir, apa salahnya saya rakamkan lagu berbahasa Melayu. Saya rakyat Malaysia dan patut

berbangga dengan lagu tersebut.

"Eyo Eyo baru sahaja dilancarkan September lalu dan respons pendengar sangat baik. Ia mengambil masa setahun untuk disiapkan.

"Sebuah lagu berjudul Ain't Got Tears saya cipta sejak berusia 17 tahun lagi,'' ujarnya.

Kata Prema yang juga seorang akauntan di Mist Club, walaupun terpaksa memikirkan antara jadual kerja dan persembahan, dia rasa bertuah kerana majikannya di Mist Club amat memahami situasinya sebagai artis.

"Saya tidak ada masalah tentang jadual. Majikan pun bagi sokongan.

"Syukur juga kerana keluarga saya banyak menyokong dan membantu apa yang saya lakukan sekarang ini,'' jelas puteri kesayangan kepada pasangan suami isteri, Kali Kavandan dan Alicia Chiw ini.

Mengagumi Jaclyn Victor

Sementara itu, Prema ketika ditanya mengenai artis tempatan yang cukup dikagumi berkata, dia amat meminati Jaclyn Victor.

Katanya, Jaclyn yang dianggap seperti kakak mempunyai vokal yang cukup baik dan mantap.

"Saya pernah menyanyi bersamanya di atas pentas, beberapa tahun lalu.

"Vokalnya amat mengujakan. Dia adalah artis yang sangat saya kagumi dan hormati. Lagipun, Jaclyn seorang yang baik dan peramah,'' tambahnya.

All The R-age!

Stories by NASA MARIA ENTABAN, SHARMILA NAIR and IAN YEE

R.AGE revisited R.AGE catches up with some of the people featured way back when

Prema Yin, 23 Singer/model

In 2004, Prema Yin Ranee Kali Kavandan took home the top prize in Who Will Win: Malaysian

Top Star singing competition aired on ntv7.

A year later she talked to R.AGE about writing songs, coping with college work and having famous brothers (hockey players Logan Raj and Keevan Raj).

This year, she launched her first EP after years of paying her dues singing in clubs and playing indie gigs in the underground scene.

"The launch of my first EP and video clip for my Bahasa Malaysia single, Eyo Eyo recently was truly an amazing and

memorable day. Plus, the fact that my song, the Malay version of Eyo Eyo got played on N-Joy Radio, one of Germany's biggest radio station was simply overwhelming for me," says Prema.

At the moment, she is promoting the Bahasa Malaysia and English versions of Eyo Eyo and is prepping for shows in December, with her band MON9.

Television acting roles are also in the works for Prema, who is currently recording more music and working on new

material.

AIM-ing for the top AIM17 honours artistes old and new for their contribution to the Malaysian music scene Joe Lee Monday, March 29th, 2010 12:33:00

It's a bittersweet concoction for the 17th Anugerah Industri Muzik (AIM 17) this year.

The number of nominations is at an impressive high to reflect the renewed vigour in the music industry, and yet the quality hasn't quite spiked in comparison.

Then, there are the regulars who tediously dominate every year. However, the upstarts have registered their mark as well.

All in all - after signs of rejuvenation last year - with fresh sounds from the likes of Aizat, Meet Uncle Hussain, Malique and Hujan, this year may not provide any major surprises, but the trend continues for the new kings (and hopefully queens) of the scene getting their piece of the pie.

Persatuan Akademi Industri Muzik Malaysia (PAIMM) chairman Datuk Aziz Bakar sang praises of the achievements made by some over the past year with a healthy, and much welcomed increase in local music sales over the period.

"There is an increase of 34 per cent with a profit of RM101.8 million in comparison to the previous year which was only about RM76 million.

"Of that total, digital music sales which incorporates sales of ringback tones (RBT) and music downloads increased about 50 per cent to RM30.2 million. Physical album sales which include CDs, cassettes, VCDs and DVDs recorded an increase of 28 per cent to rake in RM71.6 million."

This embrace given to the sounds that shy away from the stale, musty staples of before needs to be given due credit for getting record-buyers excited once more.

And AIM has perhaps taken the cue to once again recognise the efforts of the younger - and in some cases not so young - less commercial-sounding set.

Take for example, Prema Yin's debut which notched four nominations. Or even the surprise inclusion of Stacy's first effort in Best Pop Album.

Disagree may not commercially be as big as their peers, but their song To Prevent The Earth From Moving With You spoke volumes to justify their five nominations in three categories.

The spotlight however, will undoubtedly be on Yuna as she racks up an impressive showing with her bilingual repertoire garnering four nominations across the board.

Not only is she up for Best New Artiste, she's also against the heavyweights in Best Vocal Performance In A Song - Female (Artiste), Best Pop Song for Dan Sebenarnya and Best Local English Song for Deeper Conversations.

Her versatility and talent aside, it will be an interesting day for punters come the result of Best Pop Song.

Undoubtedly the front-runners apart from Dan Sebenarnya, is Pete Teo and Amran Omar's Pergi performed by Aizat which won the recent Anugerah Juara Lagu, leaving Yuna in the bridesmaid's position.

The competition is fierce however, between the newcomers and more experienced names. Stacy, Yuna and Prema all face the big names in their categories.

However when it comes to the male categories, things take a 180-degree turn.

Jamal (left) is the only vet in the Best Male Performance in an Album category while XPDC have managed one nomination amidst the young 'uns (apart from the semi-vet Flop Poppy) when it comes to rocking it out.

The English categories will also have some major drama when it comes to the opening of the envelope.

The two biggest solo acts in Malaysian hip hop, Altimet and Malique, dominate the hip hop categories, even squaring off one-on-one for Best Hip Hop Song.

With a total of 925 nominations received this time around - 30 per cent more than last year - there are signs that exciting times are in

store for local music.

It doesn't matter that some names and titles appear to be no more than fillers in certain categories.

All that matters is the due recognition given to those who have helped spur interest, thus ensuring there is a tomorrow (at least) for the Malaysian music industry.

AIM 17 will air live over ntv7 on May 2 from the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC). Four episodes of Prelud AIM 17 will air every Thursday beginning April 8 at 8.30pm. The half-hour specials will honour Malaysia's leading artistes such as Datuk Siti Nurhaliza, M. Nasir, Datuk Sheila Majid as well as Amy and Search.

CATEGORIES PREMA YIN IS NOMINATED FOR:

Best New Artiste (Artiste)

Artiste

1. Azlan & The Typewriter

2. Bunkface

3. Prema Yin

4. Tomok

5. Yuna

Best Engineered Album (Engineer)

Engineer/Album/Artiste

1. Greg Henderson - Into... Akasha (Akasha)

2. Aubrey Suwito, Audi Mok, Sanjeevi, Azlan Abu Hassan, Man Wtb, Anton Morgan, Nick Lee, Cl Toh & Greg Henderson - Inspirasi (Ayu)

3. Alvin Koh, Jim Teh & Peter Chong - Dayang Live (Dayang Nurfaizah)

4. Zairi Ariffin - Inderawala (Hattan)

5. Greg Henderson/Murat Oezmen - Eyo Eyo (Prema Yin)

Best Muzik Video (Director)

Director/Music Video/Artiste

1. Krol - Fiqir- Fiqir (Ahli Fiqir)

3. The Commonist, Barney Chua - Haley (Disagree)

2. Razz Kazz - Osaka (Disagree)

4. Nam Ii Cho - Oh! Sizuka (Pop Shuvit)

5. Kerol - Eyo Eyo (Prema Yin)

Best Musical Arrangement In A Song (Arranger)

Arranger/Song/Artiste

1. Aubrey Suwito - Sebagai Teman (Datuk Siti Nurhaliza & Kris Dayanti)

2. Acis - Masih Jelas (Hafiz)

3. Aubrey Suwito - Sejak Hadirmu (Juwita Suwito)

4. Jenny Chin - Cinta Ada (Karen Kong/ Datuk Sheila Majid/Jaclyn Victor)

5. Greg Henderson - Eyo Eyo (Prema Yin)

Published on March 17, 2010

AIM 2010: Yuna and indie acts rule

By Noorsila Abd Majid

Finally, a big recognition for Malaysian independent acts. The Anugerah Industri Muzik (AIM 17), aimed at honouring the best and the most deserving, unveiled its list of nominees on Wednesday, headlined by the likes of Yuna, Prema Yin and Hujan. Yuna, an amazingly gifted folksy singer/songwriter, earned four nominations, including Best Female Vocal Performance for her hit single, Dan Sebenarnya. The 23-year-old is pitted against AIM biggie Datuk Siti Nurhaliza in that category. Future rock queen Prema Yin (who is the singing sister of national hockey players Logan and Keevan Raj) also has four nominations for her debut EP, Eyo Eyo, including Best New Artiste. The Best New Artiste is the hottest category this year with fierce competition among Yuna, Bunkface, Prema

Yin, Azlan & The Typewriter and Tomok (of One In A Million fame). As for Hujan, the indie rock band continued its domination in the Best Rock Song and Best Rock album categories for Mencari Konklusi. But do not underestimate Siti. Her cross-border collaboration with Indonesian pop diva, Kris Dayanti on CTKD has earned the Malaysian pop darling two nominations for Best Pop Album and Best Vocal Performance In A Song. The AIM awards will be handed out on May 2 at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC). It will be telecast live on NTV7 at 8.30pm.

(Prema Yin)

Monday March 22, 2010

Mixing it up

By SHAMALA VELU entertainment@thestar.com.my

Anugerah Industri Muzik’s 17th year rolls on with the event this time around

promising a good mix of usual suspects and new faces.

THE highly anticipated Anugerah Industri Muzik (AIM 17) awards ceremony will take place in

a couple of weeks, but there is already a lot of hype leading up to the prestigious awards

show.

For one, the big surprise came when the names of the nominees were announced and

recognition was given to independent acts and performers such as Tomok, Prema Yin, Hujan

and Yuna.

Yuna, a remarkable singer/songwriter who was also the first runner-up at Juara Lagu 24 in

January, earned four nominations, including Best Female Vocal Performance in a Song for

her hit single, Dan Sebenarnya.

(Back for more: Sam of group Bunkface during the 24th Anugerah Juara Lagu. The band is vying for the Best Rock Song and Best New Artiste honours at the upcoming Anugerah Industri Muzik awards show)

The 23-year-old is competing with AIM stalwart Datuk Siti Nurhaliza and other popular

artistes such as Dayang Nurfaizah, Jaclyn Victor and Juwita Suwito in the same category.

The petite lass is also aiming to clinch the Best Pop Song title this time and will be contesting

once again against Aizat Aman’s Pergi.

At the Juara Lagu 24 finals in January, Aizat’s Pergi emerged as the Juara Lagu champion.

He won the main trophy and RM35,000.

Yuna walked away as first runner-up with her song Dan Sebenarnya and took home

RM15,000 and a trophy for her efforts.

Fans will once again watch in earnest to see who will emerge the winner this time

around.This year, AIM 17 has 24 categories and eligible contestants must have their albums

and singles released between Jan 1 and Dec 31 last year.

Datuk Siti Nurhaliza also comes in as a strong contender with two nominations in the Best Pop Album category, Tahajjud Cinta and CTKD (with Indonesian pop singer Kris Dayanti). She is also vying for the Best Group Vocal Performance in a Song (Artiste) for her song Amarah.

Apart from big names such as Datuk Sheila Majid,

Noraniza Idris and Jaclyn Victor, this year’s finalists

comprise new faces such as Hazami, Aizat, Bunkface,

Yuna, Tomok, Stacy and Hujan.

Newcomer rock chick Prema Yin has four nominations for

her debut EP, Eyo Eyo, including Best New Artiste.

(Prema Yin has scored four nominations for her debut EP)

Bunkface is vying for The Best Rock Song (composer/lyricist) category for its song Situasi

and is up against Faizal Tahir’s Bencinta, which clinched the second runner-up spot at the

Juara Lagu 24 awards show. There’s also fierce competition from Azlan & The Typewriter

(Kelibat Si Penyair), Hujan (Mencari Konklusi) and Meet Uncle Hussain Feat Black (Drama

King) in this category.

Vince Chong is making a comeback with his song Buah Hati in the Best Vocal Performance

in a Song (Male) category.

As for Hujan, the indie rock band dominated the Best Rock Song and Best Rock album

categories with its song Mencari Konklusi.

This year, alternative rock is also big with Disagree (To Prevent The Earth From Moving With

You) and Seven Collar T-shirt (The Great Battle) battling it out to clinch the Best Local

English Album plaudits.

However, it was the Best New Artiste category that has generated the most interest. Artistes

contesting for this prestigious title are Yuna, Bunkface, Prema Yin, Azlan & The Typewriter

and Tomok (of One In A Million fame).

Also interesting in this year’s AIM is that hip hop is making a strong comeback with Ahli Fiqir,

Point Blanc, DJ Fuzz & Malique, Colabr8 and Altimet all basking in the limelight. Hip hop

albums in Malay and English are both given the chance to compete in the category of ‘Best

Hip Hop Album’. Last year, only two hip hop albums were nominated compared to an

impressive five songs and albums, respectively, this year.

Performers competing for the Best Hip Hop Song (Composer/Lyricist/Artiste) category include Chantek (Altimet/Altimet/Altimet), Syukur (Avex/Altimet/Altimet), Sayang-Sayang (DJ Fuzz/Altimet/Altimet, DJ Fuzz), Masih Hip Hop (DJ Fuzz & Malique/Daly, Altimet & Malique/DJ Fuzz & Malique, Feat Daly & Altimet) and Cerita Kedai Kopi (Malique, DJ Fuzz & Salam/Malique/DJ Fuzz & Malique Feat Salam)

In the Best Hip Hop Album (Producer / Artiste) category,

albums vying for the top prize are Irama Berima (Aj Pop

Shuvit, DJ Uno, Illegal Choy, Yasin, Syaheed & Ahli

Fiqir/Ahli Fikir); Jian (Altimet, Terrytyelee, Edsty, Qumran

Avex, B /Altimet); 1212 (Ariz, Dedeq, Don M/Colabr8); K.O.

The Mixtape (DJ Fuzz & Malique/DJ Fuzz & Malique); The

Turning Point (Point Blanc, Major R.E., Alvin Gold/Point

Blanc).

(Singer Yuna is contending in the Best New Artiste category)

Also, leading up to the 17th Anugerah Industri Muzik is the music show Prelude AIM17,

which begins on April 8 at 9pm on Ntv7. This half-hour show honours Malaysia’s leading

artistes such as Datuk Siti Nurhaliza, M. Nasir, jazz queen Datuk Sheila Majid and pioneer of

rock music, Amy and his band Search.

AIM 2010 will be held at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) on May 2 and will be telecast

live on Ntv7.

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