Yuna returns with first Malay single in 7 years

Photo: Handout

THE wait is over for fans of Yuna (pic) as the Los Angeles-based, Malaysian singer-songwriter returns with her first Malay single in seven years titled Menanti.

The 36-year-old herself is surprised at how long it has been since her she last released a Malay song.

"Gosh, I’ve lost track of time! As a music-maker, my inspiration comes in slowly and that’s something that can’t be forced upon," said Yuna in a press statement.

Menanti was conceived in 2021 but it wasn't until 2023 that the song was fully realised.

After spending 2020 and a better part of 2021 in Malaysia due to the pandemic, Yuna and her husband were finally able to return to LA in August of 2021.

"We went to a place called Joshua Tree (in California) to write some songs and that’s how Menanti first started.

"At that time, Menanti wasn’t wholly produced yet and just the melody. Fast forward to 2023, as I was going through some old files, I came across the melody and began writing the lyrics.

"At first I wanted to write something in English but what came out was in Malay," Yuna said of bringing the song to life.Yuna added that she wrote the song for her cousin who had passed away.

"My late cousin Amy was my bestie, and her untimely passing still saddens me. My world crumbles whenever I think about the fact that she is no longer around. So naturally, that sadness was poured into it," she said.

Menanti is the first song from a planned Malay EP which Yuna hopes to release soon. She teases that the album will be a "mixture of folk and R&B".

For now, the singer is looking forward to Hari Raya.

"Apart from producing the single and EP, I too want to focus on being with family and can't wait to celebrate Eid together," she said.