QR Code Link : Type : article Subject : General Works History General and Old World Main Author : Adil Johan Title : Intimacies of Sudirman: A Voice for Malaysian Inclusivity and Diversity

Place of Production : Proceedings from the XX Biennial Conference of IASPM Year of Publication : 2021 Web Link : Click to view web link PDF Full Text : Login required to access this item.

Abstract :

As a singer, songwriter and national arts icon, Sudirman Arshad (1954-1992) remains a prominent voice of Malaysian popular music that has eluded academic study and recognition by the state. At the height of his career in 1989, he won the title of ‘Asia’s No. 1 Performer’ in the Asian Popular Music Awards held in London. As an icon of national unity he sang and recorded a range of hit songs appealing across ethnic and class divisions. This public appeal culminated in a free concert he organised in Chow Kit Road, Kuala Lumpur, attended by 100,000 people in 1986. Tellingly, his performance of non-Malay songs (in Tamil or Cantonese), in recognition of the nation’s ethnic minorities, would begin with short proclamations about the importance of recognising cultural diversity in fostering national unity. This article argues for a culturally intimate approach to studying Sudirman’s impact over time on the Malaysian public in consideration of the discourses surrounding his music, performance and iconicity.

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