Music is an integral part of our being. Whether it’s through soulful ballads, groovy beats, or upbeat pop tracks, it’s hard to imagine a world without it.
Sarah Alia was introduced to the magical world of music at the young age of 4, and this laid the foundations of her musical journey.
Due to her eclectic taste in music, Sarah was affectionately known as the ‘jukebox’ of her family, a term coined by her mother.
By the age of 10, Sarah participated in Juara Mic Junior, a Malay children’s singing competition, emerging victorious at the end of it. Throughout the three-month competition, she demonstrated her talents as a multifaceted artist in a series of singing, dancing, and acting challenges.
Credit: Mediacorp
Over a year after her win on Juara Mic Junior, Sarah officially introduced herself to the world with her debut single titled ‘Henti’ (Stop). Using her dulcet tones, she adds a sense of sweetness to the catchy track.
In an interview with Hear65, Sarah shared the inspiration behind her latest single ‘Henti’, how she got into singing, and discussed her future aspirations as an artist.
You began singing at the age of 4. Tell us how your passion and love for it began.
When I was two years old, I often heard music on the radio and television. I remember the first time I saw Sia singing in her ‘Chandelier’ music video. Her voice sounded beautiful and comforting. It was the first time I tried following the dance while watching a music video. By the age of 4, I felt a sensation within me to sing that same song with my voice. That’s when I fell in love with singing.
Credit: Muhammad Iruan
"My mom even called me a "jukebox" because there are many songs that I will sing."
What songs did you listen to when you first got into music?
I listen and sing along to many songs with varying genres from English to Malay. I often gravitate towards singers like Ellie Goulding, Dayang Nurfaizah, Taylor Swift, BLACKPINK, Camila Cabello and Ariana Grande. My mom even called me a "jukebox" because there are many songs that I will sing.
Tell us more about your first single ‘Henti’. What were your inspirations for the track? What made you decide to go for a pop and upbeat record?
The song ‘Henti’ is based on my experience in my age group where it’s about betrayal between friends that causes trust to be broken. But, depending on the listeners’ age group and their experiences, it could also be related to the love and loss of a relationship. I have always loved pop and upbeat records as I find them energetic, and you can dance along to them. However, at the same time, I love ballads too as there are emotions to the songs.
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"The song ‘Henti’ is based on my experience in my age group where it’s about betrayal between friends that causes trust to be broken."
How do you find the process of recording your song in a studio? Did you face any challenges when transitioning from live music to studio recordings?
It was fun and exciting as I learned to create my very own runs and riffs. Also, I can learn from my mistakes and have a re-take for it. I did not face as many challenges. I find that singing in a studio is much more organised and often well-planned. Singing live, however, is much more challenging as you really need to be very prepared and well-rehearsed before performing at a live show. At the same time, if you make mistakes during live performances, you need to be able to quickly recover from them.
A belated congratulations on your win for Juara Mic Junior last year! How do you feel about your accomplishment?
I feel very blessed and beyond happy with the win as it has created paths for me in both singing and acting. I am always thankful and feel blessed to be part of the Juara Mic Junior family. Even though it was last year, it felt like it was just a few days ago. I really miss and will definitely treasure all the memories.
"Juara Mic Junior has guided, taught, and infused me with the skills and confidence of not just an artist, but also a person."
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How have your learnings from Juara Mic Junior helped you in your journey as an artist so far?
Juara Mic Junior has guided, taught, and infused me with the skills and confidence of not just an artist, but also a person. With these skills and confidence, I can perform my role well and continue learning to keep on improving.
Tell us about your experience with meeting one of your biggest inspirations, Aina Abdul. How did you end up meeting her? Did she give you any advice?
Wow, this is the best thing that has happened to me. I can still remember it. It happened on 29 October 2022, after attending the briefing for Juara Mic Junior. I was on the way home with my mom when I saw a big car stopping at Mediacorp's entrance. I then saw her (Aina Abdul) coming out of the car. I ran to her to greet her and told her that I really love her, quickly asking my mom to take a photo of us.
The advice that she gave me was to keep on singing. I also went to her concert this year to watch her sing, and I am truly amazed and inspired by her.
Credit: Muhammad Iruan
Let’s steer away from singing for a bit. You love dancing as well. In your Spotify bio, you wrote that your love for K-pop inspired you to incorporate dancing into your performances. Is dancing something that comes naturally to you? Are there any particular dancers you see as inspirations?
Dancing is something that I really enjoy too. It can be any type of dance, especially K-pop. Currently in school, I am also part of the Malay dance [CCA]. I really enjoy shows where dancing is required. I can quickly pick up the steps during practice and perform them for the actual show. For me, Lisa from BLACKPINK is my inspiration to be a dancer.
Credit: Muhammad Iruan
Acting is also another one of your interests. You delivered a compelling acting performance for your skit on the topic ‘Don’t Judge a Book by its Cover’ during the finale of Juara Mic Junior. Do you have any long-term plans to pursue acting alongside singing?
Acting is something that I need as part of my growth and development plan. It will play a part in helping me improve my performance during music shows or music video clips. I do have a long-term plan for acting, but I am taking a step-by-step approach to it. So far, I have acted in a small role in Mencari Marina, and main character roles in Kelab JMJ Season 3 and JMJ Berhari Raya.
What kind of artist do you hope to be in the future?
I really aspire to be the next Aina Abdul, I know it’s not easy to be like her as I understand the hardships and challenges that she [encountered] before becoming who she is now. That’s why I truly love and admire her. I really hope that I too can get through such challenges and be like her one day.
I also hope that in the future, I can not only sing but act as well. I wish to be a new addition to our Singapore entertainment industry.
Credit: Muhammad Iruan
"I also hope that in the future, I can not only sing but act as well. I wish to be a new addition to our Singapore entertainment industry."
Stream 'Henti' here:
This interview has been edited for clarity.
