A VETERAN of two reality shows – Akademi Fantasia season 7 and Indonesia’s D’Academy – Zizi Kirana is riding the wave with her latest single Tentu which was released under the Joox Originals Super Producer project.
Tentu (Zizi also has co-composer credits) was ranked number 13 among all Bahasa Malaysia tracks within just two days of its release.
This year has been a challenging one in particular for many, and in Zizi’s case, she also had to deal with the death of close friend Sandra Dianne in September.
“This year has been a challenging one because of the pandemic, and what we all have been facing saddens me.
“These intense emotions have inspired me to express myself, and I was able to channel [my feelings] into my creativity to bring some joy through the release of the new song.”
Tentu was produced by Faizal Tahir, a giant in the local entertainment scene.
“This was the first time I worked with Faizal Tahir. Faizal is very professional when it comes to work, and I feel he is very good in guiding artistes like me into achieving something outside the box. His ideas are really good, and he is always happy to share his knowledge.
“During the production of Tentu, two of the producers, AJ & Gnello, were in Sabah. Somean, the other composer, managed to fly into KL before the CMCO.
“We finished the song within two weeks. During the production stage, Somean and I had a meeting with Faizal in the studio where he shared his feedback to give the song more ‘oomph’. It felt good having someone you admire giving you advice.”
Zizi, 35, said that some of her projects have been postponed due to the pandemic.
“My team and I had planned to collaborate with an up-and-coming Indonesian rapper, however, the pandemic has put things into perspective, and I am grateful for the time and space that allowed my creativity to flourish in a different manner.
“Positive thinking is the way to go, especially in times like these.”
Being a former reality show contestant, we asked Zizi what was the most important thing she learned from the experience.
Calling it an “incredible journey!”
Zizi added: “I’ve learned to keep going and to not lose hope, because I believe one’s time will come. You just need to keep believing and keep moving forward! Why do I say this? I waited 11 years to finally have the chance to compete in the semifinal Muzik Muzik as a solo singer.
“Being in competitions taught me a lot, not just about technique, but also about life. Indonesia’s D’Academy purely highlighted dangdut – a genre that is so close to Indonesians. It was a chance for me to learn a brand new genre, and I had fun doing it.
“ I didn’t know I could [do it] till I tried. This contest gave me great exposure in Indonesia, and I am truly blessed for being able to represent my beloved country.”
Zizi was previously a part of two groups, Fabulous Cats and Nukilan. When asked if she sees herself joining another group, or if she is happy flying solo, she said: “I have been having a great time expressing my individual creativity and going solo at this moment. But I am open to collaboration with other artistes across all genres.”
She is open to trying new things such as acting, if the right offer comes her way. But for now, she sees herself as a singer and a TV host.
Zizi is confident that the entertainment industry will recover after the pandemic. “It will take time. We must be optimistic that we can get through this together.”
To her fans, Zizi said: “Thank you for embracing Tentu. We are all in this together, we will rise and come out of this stronger.”
