TURNING INTO A SWAN

NEW singer Dayang Nurfaezah has cast a disturbing spell on the media and those who have heard her sing. If you have not heard of Dayang Nurfaezah's name, then you have probably missed last year's Anugerah Industri Muzik (AIM) 2000 awards during which Dayang impressed those present at the Putra World Trade Centre hall with her amazingly high-pitched vocals when she sang Hakikat Cinta.

A day later, she became a household name and many were comparing her with the likes of Ruth Sahanaya, Sheila Majid and Ning Baizura, and even a few black singers.

Her name will soon be better known outside the Malay market. Try listening to her second album, Seandainya Masih Ada Cinta, released by her record company Broadway Entertainment (M) Sdn Bhd, and chances are you will fall in love with her voice.

It's no wonder Dayang had an elaborate ceremony to launch her album release recently. And this could only mean one thing: The singer spells good fortune and will soon be a treasured ``property'' of the record company. In any case, expectation is running high and Dayang's new album seems to have what it takes to strike gold even though piracy is rampant.

According to Mohd Arzmy, the artiste and repertoire director of EMI: ``A sale of 20,000 units at this point is good enough for a new singer like Dayang.''

This aside, the grand reception given to Dayang by her record company that evening also marked the signing ceremony with EMI which gained the distribution rights.

Dayang, who is from Kuching, first cut her album two years ago titled Hakikat Cinta. The album was released accompanied by some grumbling due to some internal problems with the distributor, one of the big labels. Broadway Entertainment eventually stopped dealing with the distributor.

For this reason too, only 4,000 units of the album found its way to the market. According to Boon Tan, the producer and managing director of Broadway Entertainment, the company plans to distribute Dayang's debut album again sometime this year. This time around, however, several new songs will be included.

``The album was not properly promoted. As such, a lot of good songs did not get airplay. We hope to release it again because it is such a good album,'' explained Boon.

For her second album, Dayang had sought the help of Boon Tan to produce the album while the co-producers include Ajai, Syde ENV and Freddie Khaw. During the album launch which was held at Planet Hollywood recently, Dayang enthralled those present with her rendition of four songs - Untuk Sementara, Sedingin Mana Cintamu, Seandainya Masih Ada Cinta and an English number, Walk Away.

The singer, who prefers singing R&B songs, showed off her versatility when she switched from upbeat pop to easy-listening tunes much to the delight of those present.

It was heartening to hear how well Dayang modulated and exploited her vocal range. There were a unanimous vote of approval as Dayang concluded her last song.

Looking every inch the professional singer that evening, Dayang obviously had had a makeover.

And her deliberate attempt to look glamorously chic is also a good sign that the 20-year-old singer has learned a thing or two about sporting a good image. Thanks to her manager, Madelyn Pang, who did a wonderful job in the transformation.

Gone is the ``ugly duckling'' tag which Dayang humbly admitted to the media. ``I'm quite used to people calling me this,'' she once said. Even the spiky hairdo tinted with all those garish colours had disappeared, and so did the improper wardrobe.

``I am still looking for the right image. I hope this one will do for now,'' said the affable singer showing off her furry-looking turtle-necked attire.

Seandainya Masih Ada Cinta is a commendable effort put together by a team of versatile composers.

The selection of songs was done thoroughly and took almost six months while the recording was done at several studios, namely Azure Waves Studio and Broadway Studio in Petaling Jaya and Musica Studios in Indonesia.

Among the potential hits are the title track which is written by Ajai, Walk Away by Lady D and Lenakan by Indonesian songwriter Aubrey Suwito.

For Dayang, cutting the album was quite an experience.

``Each time I record a number, I have this habit of wanting to sing it again and again. I am quite a perfectionist, I think. That's why I often get disappointed if I feel I have not given my best effort,'' explained the RTM 1997 Golden Teen Search champ.

In Walk Away Dayang proved that she is equally at ease singing in English. Her potent rendition of I Believe I Can Fly (by R. Kelly) in her first album spurred Boon Tan to include one English number on this album.

The singer who was first discovered by composer Adnan Abu Hassan, the same person who uncovered gems like Fauziah Latiff, Siti Nurhaliza and Liza Hanim, considers herself very lucky for getting support from her peers.

``Encouraging words from seasoned singers really helped me find my way around. It's sure nice getting tips from them especially when you are so green,'' Dayang said.

But what really made her feel at home right away among her new-found celebrity friends is her modesty.

``I am a plain girl who has simple needs in life. I only know I have always wanted to be a singer and God has been kind to me in realising this dream for me. What happens next, I leave it to Him,'' said the singer whose real name is Dayang Nurfaezah Awang Dowty.

Modesty and the fact that her family back home in Kuching is not too bothered about all the sudden attention that Dayang is getting right now make her feel nothing much has changed ``except that I now have a new album.''

For now, Dayang is praying real hard that her album will do well and that popularity will not change her.

``I'd hate to wake up one day and find that I am so caught up in my new busy life that I have very little time for friends and family. Now, that would worry me.''

Worry should not be Dayang's main concern now because her new album is just the beginning of more exciting things to come. Industry observers will be keeping an eye out for her.

BY ZIEMAN - PUBLISHED 20/2/2001