Tag: Malaysia

LYIA META – EP Review: “You Think About Me”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews13 Comments

As I stated in my previous review, so many artists and bands I follow and have previously written about are releasing new music at a dizzying pace, and I’m doing my best to keep up with as much of it as I possibly can. One of my favorites who I always try to make time for is Malaysian singer-songwriter Lyia Meta, an immensely talented, gracious and lovely recording artist with a powerhouse singing voice. I generally prefer female voices in the deeper ranges, and Lyia’s rich, soulful and smoky vocal style fits the bill quite nicely.

Based in Kuala Lumpur, Lyia’s a multi-faceted artist in a literal sense. She can sing just about anything, and in fact, has recorded songs in a wide range of genres including blues, jazz, pop, country, rock and even metal, bringing her international recognition and acclaim. She’s been nominated for, and won, numerous awards, including Best Overall Female Act at the Voice Independent Music Awards (VIMA) in May 2016, the 2018 Josie World Music Artist Award and 2019 Artist of the Year (multi Genre), Best Music Video for her song “Daylight” at the ACCORD CINE FEST in August 2021, and most recently this past October, 2021 Texas Sound International Country Music Awards for Vocalist of the Year and Virtual Entertainer Of The Year. On top of all that, she’s also a highly accomplished visual artist with several exhibits to her credit. You can check out some of her phenomenal work on her WordPress blog. (She even did a wonderful pencil drawing of me in 2019 as a thank you for my support of her and other indie artists’ music, which was a both a tremendous surprise and an honor.)

A prolific artist, Lyia has released three EPs and more than a dozen singles over the past six years, beginning with her debut EP This is Lyia in 2016. I first learned about her in early 2018 when she reached out to me about her fantastic single “Without Walls”, which I instantly loved and wrote a review of. I’ve written about her numerous times since, most recently last April when I reviewed her soulful track “This One’s For You”. (You can also find some of my other reviews under “Related” at the end of this post.)

Photo by Khahin Meta

Her latest release and third EP, You Think About Me, which dropped January 31st, sees Lyia revealing a sassier, more playful side, with five delicious tracks exploring various aspects of romantic love. While she’s written many of her own songs, Lyia also collaborates with other songwriters and musicians from time to time, not only to broaden her own musical horizons, but also to support other songwriters. The songs for You Think About Me were co-written and co-produced by Lyia and Nashville-based musician and producer Bob McGilpin, who also produced and played several instruments on “This One’s For You”. Like a lot of long-distance collaborations these days, the two recorded the EP remotely, with Bob recording the music, as well as engineering, mixing and mastering the tracks, at his studio in Nashville, while Lyia recorded her vocals in Kuala Lumpur. 

You Think About Me has a retro R&B feel, with generous helpings of soul, funk and jazz to spice things up. Kicking things off is “Uptown Tonight“, a delightfully upbeat song with an infectious R&B groove, bolstered by a lively blend of exuberant trumpets and jazzy sax. Lyia sings her praises of going out for a night on the town with her man, dressed in their finest clothes and livin’ large, while also expressing gratitude for their good fortune: “I never thought I’d live a life like this. If it’s a dream, don’t wake me up, cause I don’t want to miss going uptown.“

On the soulful “Black High Heels“, Lyia croons of her sexy moves and the spell she casts on her man when she presents in her black high heels: “You can tell by the way I walk, I’m a woman of class and style. I got a swing in my step and a sway in my hip that just drives you wild. You can try but you can’t conceal. Cause I know how to make you feel. Knock you out when I walk out in my black high heels.” I love the song’s sultry groove, with McGilpin’s smooth Wurlitzer, cool sax and funky bass accentuating the torrid vibes. Then there’s Lyia’s sensuous smoky vocals, nicely punctuated by a well-placed sassy little yelp in the final chorus.

“You Think About Me the Way I Think About You” is a sweet, uptempo love song with a bit of an Americana/pop feel, thanks to it’s toe-tapping melody and McGilpin’s pleasing organ riffs. To my ears, it sounds like a song Cher could have sung back in the 70s. The endearing video, filmed in sepia tones, shows Lyia singing to her husband Zack, nicely capturing the lighthearted feel of the song.

Lyia’s powerful vocals really shine on the soulful “A Real Man Can“, where she fervently sings of the things that are most important in a romantic partner, which is a true and meaningful love she can depend upon: “I’ve been told ‘I love you’ more times than just a few. But it doesn’t mean a thing if their heart’s not in it too. I need more than just the words to keep it real. It’s got to come from a deeper place, a place only they can feel. I want the kind of man that puts his woman first. I want the kind of man who holds her when she hurts.” McGilpin’s warm piano and strings, gentle guitar notes and smooth sax create a captivating backdrop for Lyia’s beautiful, emotive vocals.

The EP closes on a high note with the rousing “You Always Come Home to Me“, featuring a catchy head-bopping groove and more of McGilpin’s wonderfully exuberant brass section of trumpet and jazzy sax. Lyia joyfully sings of how badly she misses her man when he’s away, but confident he’ll always be true to her because she keeps him happy in the love department: “But I don’t worry about where you are, or where you might be. Yeah, you always come home to me. Cause I’m not the jealous kind, but I keep my man satisfied.“

You Think About Me is a great little EP that showcases Lyia’s amazing and versatile vocal gifts, as well as Bob McGilpin’s masterful musicianship, arrangement and production skills. Together, they’ve crafted a wonderful collection of songs that make for a fun and enjoyable listen.

Lyia was originally scheduled to attend the Texas Sound International Country Music Awards 2021 event in Jefferson, Texas last October, both to accept her awards and also to promote Malaysia as an ‘attractive destination’ for Americans at two seminars to be given by her and Zack during the music festival. Unfortunately, she was unable to obtain financial support from the Malaysian government to make the trip. The good people of Jefferson raised $5,000 in cash and in-kind contributions, but it wasn’t enough. So, Preston Taylor, Vice President of East Texas Performing Arts Inc, insisted Lyia do a pre-recorded show in Malaysia that would be aired at the event. Here’s a video of their performance:

Connect with Lyia: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream her music on Spotify / Soundcloud / Apple Music / Reverbnation
Purchase on iTunes / Amazon

LYIA META – Single Review: “This One’s For You”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews7 Comments

One of my favorite female vocalists is Malaysian singer-songwriter Lyia Meta, who I’ve featured numerous times on this blog over the past three years. (You can read some of my previous reviews listed under “Related” at the end of this post.) Based in Kuala Lumpur, Lyia is an exceptionally talented, gracious and strikingly beautiful woman, with a dazzling powerhouse voice to match. I honestly believe she could sing just about anything! She’s also a highly accomplished visual artist, and you can check out some of her phenomenal work on her WordPress blog. 

With her deep, soulful and smoky vocal style, combined with a masterful ability to cover multiple genres ranging from blues, rock and metal to pop and country with ease, she’s become an international music star, winning numerous awards over the past several years, including the 2018 Josie World Music Artist Award, and 2019 Artist of the Year (multi Genre), both of which were presented to her in Nashville, Tennessee. More recently, she’s been nominated for a Texas Sounds International Country Music Award 2021, and her hard rock song “We Are Lords” has been nominated for a Munich Music Video Award, is a finalist for Best Original Song in the UK International Music Video Awards, and made the first ballot for consideration of a Grammy for Metal Performance by The Recording Academy. And on April 18th, Lyia participated in the Ladies Who Rock For A Cause Virtual Music Festival, whose goal was to raise awareness and funds for ataxia, an incurable and rare neurological disease.

Photo by Khahin Meta

A prolific artist, Lyia released six singles in 2020, and has already dropped two this year, the latest of which is “This One’s For You“. While she often writes her own songs, she also collaborates with other songwriters and musicians from time to time, not only to broaden her own musical horizons, but also to support other songwriters. “This One’s For You” was written by Los Angeles-based songwriter Denise Dimin, and produced by Nashville-based Bob McGilpin, who also played guitar, bass, piano and drums.

The song is sublime, with a retro adult contemporary feel similar to some of the great torch songs of the 50s and early 60s by such artists as Ella Fitzgerald, Julie London, Nat “King” Cole and Frank Sinatra. Bob McGilpin’s musical arrangement is brilliant, and I love his tinkling piano keys and guitar notes that give the track a cool jazzy vibe. Lyia’s smoky vocals are smooth and lovely, perfectly complementing the track’s mellow arrangement. But they’re emotive and heartfelt too, conveying a sad resignation as she sings the bittersweet lyrics addressed to the woman who’s now with the man she once claimed. 

This one's for you
You're the one who has taken my place
You won, guess I should bow out with grace
Be happy with my pride

My hat is off to you
You did what I just never could
Though you know I always thought that I would
God knows I've tried

If you think you'll make him happy
Go on, you got the best
Give him good times
Give him love
And for me, there's nothing left

I raise my glass to you
You succeeded where I always failed
Guess things are good, but oh what the hell
I guess you're satisfied

Thanks to you, I'm free
I do what I please
Right now, I'm just not sure what that means
Sometimes it hurts so much inside

I didn't think this could happen
It's all a big mistake
You've got him now
You've got his love
And who is to blame

Cause if you think you'll make him happy
Go on, you've got the best
Give him good times
Give him love
And for me, there is nothing left

The official video shows Lyia in her element at a recording session at Big A Productions in Kuala Lumpur.

Connect with Lyia: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream her music on Spotify / Soundcloud / Apple Music / Reverbnation
Purchase on iTunes / Amazon

AISHIA – Single Review: “Oceans Roar”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews4 Comments

Aishia

Aishia is a lovely and talented young singer-songwriter who’s also gracious and kind, a rare commodity in an industry filled with oversize egos. Born in raised in Mumbai, India and now based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, she began studying Indian classical music when she was just five years old, but later developed an interest in western music and started taking lessons from a renowned vocal teacher in Malaysia. Building on her natural vocal gifts, her lessons have paid off well, as she has developed a rich and captivating vocal style.

When she was 11, she became obsessed with the music of Taylor Swift, and started writing her own songs. She recalls “I realised that she wrote and performed [her own songs], and therefore I ventured to do the same. I wrote about everything from my daily life to fantastically fictional tales about love and heartbreak. Most of these old songs will never be published, but they did help me become the songwriter that I am today.” Now 19, she is currently studying music production and sound engineering from Point Blank Music School, London.

In January 2019, Aishia released her enchanting debut single “Aura of Gold (The First Meeting)” (you can read my review here), then followed that March with her similarly-titled album Aura of Gold. Co-written and produced by Malaysian composer and music producer Zameer, the album is a stunning experimental concept work. The two wanted to create a cinematic environment through which its music could successfully tell the story of two people who fall in love, but eventually have to part ways due to events beyond their control. In April of this year, Aishia released her single “Turning Waters”, then followed with “Girl in Violet Clothes” in June. Now she returns with her latest single “Oceans Roar“, a sultry track that explores the feeling of being head-over-heels in love. Once again, the song was produced by her frequent collaborator Zameer.

Together, the two have created a steamy love song that’s a perfect tune for summer. Over a languid, pulsating dance beat evoking the fever of strong sexual attraction, Zameer layers a mix of techno and deep House synths that add to the song’s sensuous vibe. He even includes whoosh sounds to help us imagine waves crashing on a beach. Aishia has a beautiful, emotive singing voice, and here she summons her seductive vocal powers to express the intense romantic ardor described in her lyrical love letter. It’s a wonderful song.

I could find a hundred ways
To tell you how I feel today
Makeup’s on that vintage face
Cycles, hot summer days
I like it when it doesn’t rain
Will you tell me all you want to say?

Glittering wings of light
Starting to take flight
But you know that I’ll be by your side

Cause oceans roar, with your tones
You’re the one I adore
Oceans roar, oceans roar

Found out what I wanted to say
I’ll write it, on a piece of slate
Chalk marks, painted on your chest
Ice creams, frozen popsicles
Come with me to eternal grace
I’ll show you, how beautiful you taste

Connect with Aishia:  Facebook / Instagram / Twitter
Stream her music: Spotify / Soundcloud / iTunes 
Purchase:  Google Play / Amazon

LYIA META – Single Review: “Now I Know the Reason Why”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn ReviewsLeave a comment

lyia meta2

One of my favorite female vocalists is Malaysian singer-songwriter Lyia Meta, who I’ve featured a number of times on this blog over the past two and a half years. (You can read my previous reviews listed under “Related” at the end of this post.) Based in Kuala Lumpur, Lyia is an astonishingly talented, gracious and lovely woman, with a dazzling powerhouse voice to match. (She’s also a highly accomplished visual artist, and last year did a wonderful pencil drawing of me, which was very flattering to say the least!)

With her deep, smoky and resonant vocal style, and masterful ability to cover multiple genres ranging from blues and hard rock to pop and country with ease, she’s become an international music star, winning numerous music awards over the past several years, including the 2018 Josie World Music Artist Award, which was presented to her in Nashville, Tennessee. More recently, her song “All of My Love” has been nominated for an International Portuguese Music Awards People’s Choice Award in two categories.

While Lyia often writes her own songs, she also collaborates with other songwriters and musicians from time to time, not only to broaden her own musical horizons, but also to support other songwriters. With that in mind, for her latest single “Now I Know the Reason Why” she collaborated with songwriters Mike Jones and Jerry Jake Howard, Sr. The song was inspired by a true story and written from first hand experience, and although it’s not Lyia’s own story, the powerful lyrics strongly resonated with her. The song was produced by R. Gary Farmer, who also played organ and keyboards. Session musicians Michael Headrick played steel and lead guitar, Chips Roland played bass and Al Samples played drums.

“Now I Know the Reason Why” is a beautiful, blues-soaked country song about the sorrow and pain that comes from losing someone you love to another. The bittersweet lyrics are from the point of view of a woman seeing the man she loves marry another woman. It’s the kind of heartbreaking torch song Patsy Cline could have sung back in her day, and Lyia’s marvelous heart-wrenching and bluesy vocal performance makes us believe she’s lived every word of it. Listening to her sing, it’s easy to think she’s from Nashville rather than Kuala Lumpur. The instrumentals and music arrangement are superb, and I especially love the terrific organ, piano and steel guitar that give the track its wonderful country flavor. It’s a great song.

I saw my baby with her yesterday
Oh how it hurts, it was his wedding day
I saw my love walk down the aisle
I heard the words they had to say
I heard them say ’til death do us part’
Every word was hurting my heart
And I saw the way he kissed her
And how he held her so tight

I saw the way he held her hand in his
And lord, all I could do was cry
Because I’m losing the one who loves me
And now I know the reason why

I saw the way he kissed her
And I saw the look in her eyes
And then I heard them say ‘I do’
And all I could do was cry

I saw my love walk down the aisle with his new love
And then I watched them drive away
Lord I lost my true love on that day
And now I know, yes now I know the reason why

Connect with Lyia: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream her music on Spotify / Soundcloud / Apple Music / Reverbnation
Purchase on iTunes / Amazon / Google Play

LYIA META – Single Review: “Deserving of Love”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews2 Comments

lyia meta2

One of my favorite female vocalists is Malaysian singer-songwriter Lyia Meta. Based in Kuala Lumpur, Lyia is a lovely woman both inside and out, with a dazzling powerhouse voice. With her deep, resonant vocal style and ability to cover multiple genres ranging from blues and rock to pop and country with ease, she’s become an international star, winning numerous music awards over the past several years. I first featured her in early 2018 when I reviewed her gorgeous single “Without Walls”, then again this past January when I wrote about her pop-rock anthem “All of My Love”. Lyia now returns with a dramatic new single “Deserving of Love“, her first foray into metal rock.

About the song, Lyia told me “This is the first time I am doing/writing metal. As a multi-genre artist, I try not to limit myself, and because my heart/influence is rooted in rock and blues it seemed a natural sort of thing to gravitate toward this. As I started this adventure with [producer] Mike Hall, I must say I was a bundle of nerves throughout the entire process. Almost all my songs are written from a personal place. So this song is no different.”

“Deserving of Love” storms right out of the gate with an explosive mix of Mike Hall’s shredded guitar and Lyia’s raw, impassioned vocals. Soon enough, Mike delivers thunderous staccato riffs as Lyia demands to be heard and understood in her desperate longing to be loved.

Don’t cut me down
Cos’ I speak the words you need to hear
Don’t shut me out
Don’t cut me down

The dramatic soaring chorale vocals in the chorus have a chilling, almost Gothic feel that gives the track incredible power and depth. By this time, Mike’s shredding his guitar nearly to the breaking point as Lyia unleashes all of the raw emotion she can gather as she pleads:

Do you hear me?
Bare my soul I’m in need
Lay it there see me bleed
I’m so weary but I’m so deserving of love
So deserving of love
I’m deserving of love

“Deserving of Love” is a terrific song, and Lyia does quite an admirable job singing heavy metal. So play this one loud! As a side note, Lyia is also an accomplished visual artist, and designed the striking artwork for the single.

Connect with Lyia: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream her music on Spotify / Soundcloud / Apple Music / Reverbnation
Purchase on iTunes / Amazon

AISHIA – Single Review: “Aura of Gold (The First Meeting)”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews1 Comment

aishia

As EclecticMusicLover, I’m always thrilled when given the opportunity to write about artists from around the world. Today I’m featuring a second artist from Malaysia – the lovely and talented young singer-songwriter Aishia, who just released her beautiful debut single “Aura of Gold (The First Meeting)“. Born and raised in Mumbai, India, she now lives in Kuala Lumpur (like the Malaysian artist Lyia Meta who I featured earlier this month). Only 17 years old, Aishia has a golden voice, with maturity and vocal ability that seems far beyond her tender age.

She began writing songs at the age of 12 and started proper vocal training at 15, though she had performed in small events and gatherings in Kuala Lumpur, which helped her gain experience performing. Like most artists, Aishia loves music, and had this to say: “Music is a part of me; no matter where I go, I need to be able to create music. It’s who I am and something I love doing. I’m also always listening to as many different kinds of music I can get my hands on. It keeps me inspired and motivated to create new things.”  Some of her musical inspirations include such varied artists as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Ed Sheeran, Lana Del Rey, Taylor Swift, Estrella Morente, Stromae, Sofia Ellar, Henry Mancini and Michel Legrand.

“Aura of Gold” is the first single from her forthcoming debut album of the same name, scheduled for release in March. The album is an experimental concept album, co-written and produced by Malaysian composer and music producer Zameer. Her main aim in putting the concept album Aura of Gold together was to create an almost cinematic environment through which its music could successfully tell the story of two people who fall in love, but eventually have to part ways due to events beyond their control.  Zameer told me they used mostly orchestral instruments to create the organic sounds, with no modern synths or FX.

The enchanting song has a lush, sweeping soundscape of Indian and Middle Eastern influences, delivered by a rich array of instruments, including sitar, tabla, flute, violin and other Indian and Middle Eastern string and percussion instruments. The music evokes the mystery and romance of the legendary stories of Scheherazade and the Arabian Nights. Aishia’s clear, strong vocals are beautiful and captivating as she sings to a new lover: “You came with the fire of life in your eyes. Walking towards me like some heavenly sight. I recalled your face from those ancient times. Aura of gold, silvery lights.”

“Aura of Gold (The First Meeting)” is a gorgeous song, and a promising debut from this very talented young woman. She and Zameer have created something quite wonderful, and I cannot wait to hear the whole album.

Connect with Aishia:  Facebook / Instagram / Twitter
Stream/purchase “Aura of Gold” on  Spotify / Soundcloud / iTunes 

LYIA META – Single Review: “All of My Love”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews4 Comments

lyia meta2

I’ve featured a number of international artists on this blog, and one of my favorites is Malaysian singer/songwriter Lyia Meta. Based in the beautiful capital city of Kuala Lumpur, Lyia is a stunning woman with a voice to match. With her deep, resonant vocal style, she’s become an international star, having won numerous music awards over the past three years, including the VIMA (Voice Independent Music Award, representing multiple countries in Southeast Asia) for Best Overall Female Act in 2016, the GLOBAL Music Award and Radio Wigwam (UK) Award for Best Female Artist in 2017, and the 2018 Josie World Music Artist Award, which was presented to her last September at the world’s largest independent awards show, in Tennessee. She also happens to be an amazingly talented visual artist!

In early 2018, Lyia released her enchanting single “Without Walls”, which I reviewed and liked so much it earned a spot on my Top 100 Songs of 2018. In December, she dropped her latest single “All of My Love“, a powerful pop/rock anthem written by award winning British singer/songwriter and producer Paul Michael Curtis. She usually writes her own songs, but said “All of My Love” really resonated with her when Paul pitched it to her. The song is the perfect vehicle for Lyia, as her commanding vocals hold their own against the soaring instrumentals.

The song has a throwback 80s feel, reminiscent of some of the pop-rock anthems of that period, but with an updated sound. The beautiful, sweeping instrumentals are marvelous, especially the piano and lush strings, and the hard rock guitar riffs add a nice bit of drama to the track. Lyia passionately sings of her longing for someone she still loves and can’t get over, despite the fact they’re no longer together. “But I’m still waiting, and I can’t let go. My heart is breaking and I want you to know. You’ve got all of my love, and all of my heart. I believed you when you said we’d never be apart.” It’s a great song, and so is the video, which features a dynamic mix of lovely and bittersweet visuals.

Connect with Lyia: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream her music on Spotify / Soundcloud / Apple Music / Reverbnation
Purchase on iTunes / Amazon

LYIA META – Single Review: “Without Walls”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews9 Comments

Without Walls cover art

I receive lots of submissions from artists and bands asking me to listen to their music or, hopefully, write a review of it. Most of the time the music is decent or better, and I rarely turn anyone down (which is why I’m always running behind schedule). But every so often, I’m immediately blown away the moment I hear their music. Such is the case with Malaysian singer/songwriter Lyia Meta, a lovely woman with a voice to match. Her rich, soulful vocal style is impressive, with a powerful arresting quality reminiscent of the legendary Shirley Bassey.

Lyia released her debut EP This is Lyia in 2016 to wide acclaim, garnering airplay on radio stations in Europe, as well as indie internet music radio stations in the UK, U.S., Germany and Australia, including Radio Wigwam (UK), Home of Rock Germany, LA Rocks Radio, Banks Radio Australia and many more. In August of 2017, she won the award for Best Female Artist from Radio Wigwam. In January of this year, she dropped a new single “Without Walls,” and it’s fantastic.

The track opens with soft, mysterious synths and Lyia pensively singing “I’m thinking of yesterday. She’ll find a way. And everything I remember, would stay. ‘Cause life without walls, feels like it’s love.” The music builds into a powerful soundscape of shimmering synths and a sensual, bass-driven dance beat, while Lyia’s smoldering vocals raise goosebumps as they soar to the heavens. Those moments of exuberance alternate with interludes of relative calm, where lovely synths with piano and strings dominate. She sings: “Forever in my mind, forever in my heart. Promises that came undone. We played it from the start. This life without walls. It feels like it’s love. We’re bending rules and skipping stones. Know your worth.” It’s a gorgeous song that I guarantee will have you on your feet dancing and hitting the replay button.

Lyia is also an accomplished visual artist. Check out her work on her art website.

Connect with Lyia: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream her music on Spotify / Soundcloud / Apple Music / Reverbnation
Purchase on iTunes / Amazon