It is rare, but sometimes the stars align so well that you can’t help but chalk it up to destiny.
Daiyan Trisha’s recent run is certainly one of them.
Picture this: Her mother, the prolific author Dr Samsiah Mohd Nor, published the novel Anom Suraya some 30 years ago. Daiyan grew up to become an actress with her own claim to fame.
When the novel was slated for a TV adaptation, it was none other than Daiyan herself who stepped into the titular role.
Not only that, she put on her singer-songwriter hat for the TV series too, creating the original soundtrack Jangan Lupa Jaga Dirimu (Don’t forget to look after yourself).
Even the floral motif surrounding Anom eventually found its way into one of Daiyan’s latest ventures: Butterfly.
The slow bar-slash-florist offers a curated menu that took inspiration from the show, giving fans a taste of what was to come.
What may appear as chaos for an observer is actually her own brand of balance, one that she built brick by brick throughout her entire career.
“I feel like I float very well in the ecosystem of my life,” the singer says.
Planting a new seed
In her line of work, flowers have always meant celebration. Light bites and coffee, on the other hand, are always at the scene where new beginnings take root.
Her love for human connection has led her to create Butterfly, a venue that can handle both occasions.
Design-wise, it is a reflection of who Daiyan is at the core of her being: a dreamer.
Mood lighting and dark wood tones tint the space with an air of meaningful quiet.
Curated floral arrangements – ready for your purchase – on every tabletop surface turn the corner lot space into a vibrant garden.
“You just come here and romanticise life,” she says contentedly.
As of press time, the slow bar has been open for business for seven months.
Already, Daiyan dreams of branching out with other concepts. “I just see so much potential in expansion, because you need flowers everywhere. It can complement any service.”
She lists a few, including opening up the location for venue rental.
For now, she’s basking in the joy she sees in happy customers.
“Coming here can be a form of escapism, and it makes me happy that I could provide that for people,” she says.
While she may not always be present at Butterfly, she’s tapped in to the goings-on through social media.
“I lurk there a lot. Whoever’s posted Butterfly online, just know that I’ve seen it,” she laughs.
Reaping what she (and her mother) sows
When word got out that Daiyan is to be Anom Suraya, it was pure kismet.
“It’s something like one in a million,” she remarks, acknowledging the coincidence.
The mother-daughter duo had an intimate celebration with family, but it was straight to the grind afterwards.
Applauding her mother’s creative rigour, the actress shares that her mother has been kept busy with scripting. Occasionally, she would receive uncensored notes from the author.
“I’ve been getting a lot of scoops straight from the source,” she admits.
This in turn helped her shape Anom into her truest form.
At the same time, Daiyan also noticed the parallels between the character and her mother. Both left their hometowns for a break in the city. Becoming Anom gave her a peek into her mother’s psyche.
“As you grow older, you kind of understand why your mum behaves a certain way. And then when you consider the environment that she was brought up in... You empathise a lot,” she says thoughtfully.
Now that we’re living in a post-Anom Suraya world, what’s next? Well, according to the actress, it could mean more Anom Suraya.
Dr Samsiah is currently working on a sequel, and judging by how director Osman Ali has been responding online, it could only be a matter of time before we will see Daiyan’s second act as the titular character.
“I like Anom a lot – she’s such a sweetheart,” she shares.
Flourishing henceforth
Despite her intense schedule, Daiyan is not known for letting up. She has this kind of tireless work ethic. “Work is what I wanted to do,” she says.
When you stack writing, acting, singing, running your own business and the intensity of being an online personality, how does one magically put their best foot forward for all these occasions? Daiyan chalks it up to her laser focus.
“Move like water,” she urges. By that, she meant being malleable to the situation.
Be what the moment needs you to be. It’s how she finds herself to thrive in this kind of environment.
“At the end of the day, it fuels me to keep on going.”
As she recounts the connections that tied all the facets of her life together, she can’t help but ooze gratitude.
“I always thank God for giving me this life, everything around and in it.”
As much as we’re all dazzled by her star quality, we wondered who Daiyan is when she steps out of the limelight.
”Ultimately, I’m just a girl who likes to do what she wants to do.”
And lucky for her, the hand she is dealt with is exactly that.
