The Malay Mail
By Dhiya Amalina Zahari January 15, 2009 Categories: Entertainment
Dance diva Melissa Indot bagged six nominations at Malaysia’s first ever independent awards, the inaugural Voice Independent Music Awards 2008 (VIMA) or indie awards organised by lifestyle and entertainment website Voize.my recently.Melissa describes her music as commercial radio-friendly music with melodic hooks and accessible lyrics.
“I write about all sorts of things, differing emotions and moods and thoughts and experiences,” she said. “In the same way, my songs often come out in different genres of music, be it pop, RnB, chillout, dance.”
Last May, Melissa won the 2008 Malaysian Music Industry Award (AIM 15) for best English album for her album Eclecticism.
“Eclecticism (album) not only describes my music, but it describes who Melissa Indot is. So, in this case, Eclecticism equals Melissa Indot.”
Born in Malaysia but raised in the UK, it has widened Melissa’s range of musical influences to include prominent artistes in the UK and the US.
”My musical influences are eclectic and range from Quincy Jones to Dionne Warwick to Nina Simone to Maroon 5 to Ne-Yo to Madonna to Zero 7 to Safe to the Fray to Jamiroquai to Timbaland to Moloko to The Killers to Amy Winehouse to Stevie Wonder to Bjork, Anoraak to Bag Raiders … it’s growing everyday!”Melissa explains that living in the UK has not changed the fact that she is Malaysian born but that it has exposed her to a plethoria of music that would not have been available to her in Malaysia and feels that it has impacted her music.
“I am grateful for the opportunity my parents gave me by sending me abroad to study. This exposure had a direct impact on the way I hear and write music and lyrics. With the internet today the global music scene is at your fingertips — it’s wonderful!
“All I hope is people feel and relate to my music. At its best, i hope that my music and lyrics move them in some way. All I’ve done is bring myself back from London, and together with my life experiences and musical exposure I’ve created my own brand of music, song writing and production. A great ambition of mine is to make it in the international music market so that I can fly the Malaysian flag, so-to-speak,” she added.
On her nominations in the first-ever Malaysian indie awards Melissa said she is extremely excited and honoured to be part of it. She believes that it is a great platform for Malaysian music to be heard and hopes that Malaysians will support it.
“It is moving in a very positive direction and people are more open to expression
“I urge all Malaysians to support local artistes. We can do it just as well as international artistes. We just need a larger platform to be heard and further support from the media. That’s what the VIMAs is doing.
“I take my hat off to the organisors of VIMA for having such great vision and unending passion for the Malaysian music scene.”
The beautiful singer added: “So all of you out there, get voting, buy original local artistes’ music, request for local artiste music videos on TV, request for local music on our radio stations.
“Without you out there, we cannot progress. We need you.”
