In celebration of National Day and Malaysia Day, fusion band Naungan has released its rendition of Ella’s iconic anthem, Standing In The Eyes Of The World.
The video – produced by Rockstars Production and available on YouTube – highlights the group’s unique blend of traditional instruments, creating a sound that feels both familiar and refreshingly different.
It also highlights children as the central theme as they are the ones "who will carry the dreams of our nation", the band says.
Naungan comprises Lum Yi Mann on gu zheng, Alex Tan on ruan, Vickneswaran Ramakrishnan on tabla, Asri Sharizan on jidur and rebana as well as Yong How Yean on seruling and dizi. The group also features Pravinraj Premkumar on sitar.
“Our vision is always to promote unity through diversity,” Lum told StarLifestyle.
“With this rendition, and the voices of children as the heartbeat of tomorrow, we hope to remind Malaysians that peace and harmony are the greatest gifts we can pass on.”
On YouTube, the band shared that the song is “a reminder of how far we’ve come, and the hope of how far we can go together. May this song continue to unite us, across races, cultures and generations. For them. For us. For Malaysia.”
Earlier this year, Naungan brought its multicultural sounds to the prestigious Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) 2025, marking another milestone in its journey of celebrating Malaysia’s rich musical heritage.
Naungan is a band that celebrates unity through diversity. Photo: Handout
