Sheila Majid

Shaheila binti Abdul Majid, known professionally as Sheila Majid, was born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on January 3, 1965. Her musical journey began early, learning piano at age four. Her vocal talent was discovered at 17 during a friend’s gathering at the Raintree Club in Kuala Lumpur. This led to a recording contract offer in 1982 from Roslan Aziz. After signing, it took three years for her to release her debut album, “Dimensi Baru,” in 1985. The album, featuring the single “Pengemis Muda,” quickly achieved gold status.

Her second album, “Emosi” (1986), was a turning point, introducing a fusion of jazz and R&B that was distinct in Malaysian music at the time. This album expanded musical variations within Malaysia and was well-received in Indonesia, gaining significant popularity. The single “Sinaran” from “Emosi” topped the charts on Radio Sapporo station in Tokyo and was listed on Radio Osaka’s Carta Top 40, marking the first Malay song to achieve such international recognition. In 1987, she became the first non-Indonesian artist to win the BASF Award (now Anugerah Musik Indonesia) for Best Female R&B Artist, an unprecedented achievement.

Sheila Majid’s career continued to flourish with appearances at international events, including the Tokyo Music Festival in 1989. Her album “Warna” received a platinum award in 1988, and she was voted the New Straits Times’ readers’ choice star for four consecutive years from 1987 to 1990. In 1996, she became the first Malaysian artist to perform a solo at London’s West End in the Royalty Theatre. Her album “Ku Mohon” earned her four awards, including Best Pop Album and Song of the Year, at the Anugerah Industri Muzik (AIM) 2000. Her album “Cinta Kita” and its lead single “Kerinduan,” a collaboration with Indonesian musicians, reached number one in Indonesia.