Three decades on, Siti Nurhaliza's voice still captivates audiences

KUALA LUMPUR - Few singers are able to sustain their careers for three decades while continuing to command the love of their fans. Among the few is Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza Tarudin.

Her ‘Legacy 30 Siti Nurhaliza: Passion, Sincere and Love’ concert last Saturday night stood as a testament to her consistency, grace and sincerity in creating music, without ever compromising the artistic identity that has defined her legacy from the very beginning.

Held at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil here, the concert, which drew some 65,000 fans from Malaysia and abroad, revealed the journey of the ‘Biduanita Negara’ (National Songstress), as well as her courage in pursuing her dreams and becoming an inspiration to her legion of fans.

At 8.30pm sharp, the renowned singer emerged, perched on a crane nearly two storeys high. The gentle resonance of her voice quickly warmed up the stage, reinforced by dramatic visuals and an explosion of cheers from every corner.

Dressed in an elegant, shimmering grey gown, Siti Nurhaliza opened the night with ‘Purnama Merindu’, ‘Dialah Dihati’, ‘Wajah Kekasih’, ‘Jerat Percintaan’ and ‘Percayalah’, a selection of songs that successfully carried fans back to the golden era of the living legend, when her songs became the backdrop to countless stories of love, separation and hope.

Without breaking momentum, the mood shifted as Siti Nurhaliza transitioned into pop rock numbers ‘Satu Cinta Dua Jiwa’ and ‘Destinasi Cinta’, injecting a fresh burst of energy that instantly electrified the stadium and highlighted the strength and dynamism of her voice across genres.

The mother of two later appeared in a soft pink ensemble with an off-the-shoulder detached rosette train, opening her second set with a medley of hits including ‘Bicara Manis Menghiris Kalbu’, ‘Biarlah Rahsia’, ‘Demi Kasih Sayang’, ‘Kau Kekasihku’ and ‘Jaga Dia Untukku’, which were arranged more expressively and soulfully.

This segment underscored Siti Nurhaliza’s vocal versatility, particularly her ability to blend seamlessly with other singers while retaining her distinctive identity.

The first duet of the night was with her niece Umairah, performing the contemporary traditional song ‘Kaca dan Permata’ and the evergreen ‘Hati Kama’.

Siti Nurhaliza continued with a collaboration with Hafiz Suip, delivering ‘Pandang-Pandang Jeling-Jeling’ and ‘Muara Hati’ in polished vocal harmony, bringing together two singers who have in the past won the Best Vocalist award at ‘Anugerah Industri Muzik’ and ‘Anugerah Juara Lagu’.

The concert’s tone shifted again with the appearance of Noh Salleh, who introduced an alternative edge through ‘Kau Mawarku’ and ‘Bagaikan Sakti’, before the evening expanded into a regional collaboration with Indonesian singer Chakra Khan, who joined Siti Nurhaliza for ‘Seluruh Cinta’ and ‘Dirgahayu’.

In the third set, Siti Nurhaliza once again took to the crane to perform ‘Cintamu’, ‘Aku Cinta Padamu’, ‘Bukan Cinta Biasa’ and ‘Bersandar Cinta’, alongside ‘Bisikan Asmara’, ‘Engkau Bagaikan Permata’ and ‘Seindah Biasa’, as well as a medley of ‘Seribu Kemanisan’, ‘Kesilapanku Keegoaanmu’ and ‘Diari Hatimu’.

Some songs were delivered in their original arrangements, while others were refreshed with contemporary interpretations, reflecting her maturity in interpreting her own work.

The concert reached its climax with a traditional-themed closing set, as the stage came alive with cultural dancers from Istana Budaya. Siti Nurhaliza opened the final segment with contemporary traditional songs, ‘Kesuma’ and ‘Rencong’, from her album ‘Gema Bumantara’.

The segment also featured her iconic works such as ‘Joget Menanti Kasih’, ‘Balqis’, ‘Mahligai Permata’, ‘Ya Maulai’, ‘Cindai’ and ‘Nirmala’, with the audience rising to their feet, singing along and dancing to the rhythms.

These performances were dedicated as a tribute to the late Datuk Suhaimi Mohd Zain, or Pak Ngah, a pivotal figure who played a significant role in shaping the direction and identity of traditional music.

Over the three-hour performance, crafted by Aubrey Suwito together with a team of seasoned musicians and accompanied by the National Symphony Orchestra, the audience was also taken on a journey through Siti Nurhaliza’s artistic career via montage screenings - from her early breakthrough as the champion of ‘Bintang HMI’ produced by RTM in 1995, through the many successes and accolades she achieved, to her eventual conferment as ‘Biduanita Negara’. - BERNAMA