Malaysian Female Rapper Zamaera No Longer Wants To Be A Big Fish In A Small Pond
Malaysia’s rap queenpin opens up about her journey, struggles, and how she is thriving in her era.
Zamaera (full name Sharifah Zamaera binti Syed Zafilen Al Edroshas) is a game-changing crown jewel of Malaysian hip-hop. After breaking out with rapper and producer Joe Flizzow’s Kartel Records and impressing in the 2016 Red Bull Blend rap cypher competition, the fledgling singer and MC swiftly became a pioneering female force in the Malaysian scene. Renowned for her versatile flow and evocative lyricism, the 28-year-old rose to stardom on the strength of hit singles such as Helly Kelly and Get Munni and an acclaimed debut EP titled Z, before flourishing as an independent artist.
Along the way, she has also been featured in campaigns by Gucci and H&M, collaborated on the single Kill My Vibe with young New Jersey rapper Samad Savage, and founded a groundbreaking all-female music festival called Queendom. Fresh off the release of her latest single Big Fish, Zamaera talks about her journey thus far and what the future has in store.
Tell us about your latest single Big Fish.
"I made it with a fantastic producer called Daaliah. I met him at a party in 2019, and we already knew we were going to work together someday. Last year, I went to his place to catch up, and maybe if we feel like it, we’ll make a song. So in true Malaysian fashion, we chatted for six hours and only worked on the song for the last 30 minutes.
Malaysian DJ and producer Daaliah (pictured), who collaborated with Zamaera on Big Fish, is noted for his eclectic bounce and rhythm that meld genres such as house, baile, trap and R&B into one.
But it all stemmed from our conversations where I expressed how I felt like a big fish in a small pond in Malaysia, and I’ve reached my ceiling in terms of how far I can grow creatively. After that convo, we went into his comfy home studio, and he said he only had half an hour because he had to go out, so I immediately started writing the chorus while he made the beat from a piano sample. Right after, we figured out the melody, and it came together so quickly. As for the rap, I had written it a long time ago already, and I knew instantly it fit the UK garage vibe we were going for. UKG was the perfect tempo for me to sing and rap, so I felt very comfortable doing it. As a bonus, I got to pull out my British accent as well.
If anything, Big Fish shows that I don't need to stay in hip-hop or one genre for the rest of my life, I can do much more."
Zamaera is no stranger to the entertainment industry in Malaysia, having dabbled in it since she was nine.
Take us back to your origins as an artist.
"I was actually a TV host before, and I’ve been in the entertainment industry since I was nine – so it’s been 20 years now. I’ve always loved entertaining people, whether through performing or making silly jokes, so I knew I had this free-spiritedness. Honestly, it began in school when I joined competitive storytelling, which catalysed my desire to write my own narratives, which then translated into my lyricism and musicianship. It became my storytelling outlet, but I never dreamed of being a musician when I was younger, even though I was so into music."
What kind of music were you into?
"Celine Dion and Britney Spears! I used to watch Channel V and MTV all the time, so I memorised every Celine song, learned all of Britney’s dance steps. Maybe that’s how I got the idea to be this singer and performer onstage! Then, as I grew older, my parents introduced me to all types of music through those bootleg compilation CDs that you would burn, you know? So, there would be Missy Elliot on track one, Malaysian band Spider on track two, The Police on track three, and so on. I drew inspiration from a variety of artists. I loved Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill especially because they expressed their own poetry through rhythm. As I learned recently, that’s what rap stood for: rhythm and poetry."
Your own breakout moment in rhythm and poetry was your participation in 2016’s Red Bull Blend. What do you remember of that rap competition?
"I have such vivid memories. I was the only girl who joined. It wasn’t weird at the time because there were so few women in the scene during that period, and even fewer in cyphers. Despite that, I didn’t feel too nervous or anxious because I already knew many of the guys there, like the judges Jin Hackman and Aman Ra. I went up against my big bro Ashtin in the last round, who I hung out with in the studio all the time. As you know, I finished second, and I kid you not, I repeated that memory of my finals freestyle all the time - constantly replaying it, thinking 'I should’ve rapped this' or 'I should’ve rapped that'.
That struck a chord in me and made me realise how much I loved rap, not just singing. I probably pigeonholed myself as a rapper for too long after that, and I’ve broken free to become more now… but I resonated so much with hip-hop at the time, which is crazy for a little Asian girl from Subang Jaya."
Over the following couple of years, 2017 to 2018, your hip-hop career blew up. What was that period like for you?
"I was surprised at first. I had put out hip-hop before with Kartel. But I released Helly Kelly on my own in 2017, which kind of kickstarted all this. I have to credit Kidd Santhe’s grime beat because I had never rapped to anything like that before, so it was very different and fresh. When I shot the music video in my hometown, I remember just being excited to release a great track that was so uniquely me. Never did I once think it would blow up the way it did. Fun fact, I was in Singapore when I uploaded it, hanging out at Greendoor Studios with (Singapore rapper and producer) Akeem Jahat. I have to tell you, when I started seeing the notifications and comments flood in, I was like 'oh my God!'
I was thrilled, but candidly, maybe I let the praise get to my head. I believed in my own hype until I got out of Malaysia and realised that I was in a tiny bubble. You feel that you’re so great, and then you get out there and realize that there are bigger audiences and better performers outside your little corner. That was humbling. For example, I was just at Greentea Peng’s concert in Bali yesterday, and she’s such an inspiration! While it did feel amazing to have my work validated, I grasped that there’s so much more I could accomplish."
And you have accomplished a lot since then, with your EP Z on Malaysian label Lakefront Records, and even more as an independent artist. If you don’t mind us asking though, what caused the friction between you and Lakefront Records that made you break away?
"No one’s ever asked me this in an interview, because people think they’re respecting my boundaries or something. But I’m very open to talking about it and creating awareness of these kinds of issues. So basically, I was signed to a development deal with the label, which consisted of vocal lessons, media training, rudiments… all the theory stuff I’ve never done before. I was meant to do that for two years before they would release my music. But about eight months in, they told me I was ready, which surprised me. They were going to send me to America and stuff.
What I learnt later, was that there were some underlying issues with another artist on Lakefront, a UK musician. I don’t know what transpired, but they weren’t able to release her album which put them in a tough spot. So they rushed to release my music early, and decided to take the marketing template meant for her and apply it to me – which is so crazy because I was up and coming and this other artist was a big-time veteran. Don’t get me wrong, the execution was great, they had me record Z with an orchestra, and we performed it in a cinema in Malaysia with surround sound. These were all great ideas. But I think there wasn’t much thought given to how to create a market for me, or how to create longevity.
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After my contract ended in 2019, it was meant to be renewed because they were supposed to put out my studio album, a 12-track LP. But then they said they couldn’t do it because their problem with the other artist created financial issues. I was like, 'Okay fine, you can let me go and I’ll just work on my own, no hard feelings.' But instead of an amicable resolution, they asked me to pay US$250,000, which is RM1 million, to get out of my contract! I was 24 and couldn’t believe this was happening. Right after that Covid-19 hit, and I was getting out of a relationship, so everything felt like it was spiralling for me personally."
Since becoming independent in 2021, Zamaera has released her mixtape album Heart Break To Heal and has also hosted for YO! MTV Raps Asia, among other gigs.
How did you move forward?
"The downtime during Covid-19 lockdowns helped me reflect on what I wanted to do and be as an artist and person. I refused to let this label dispute define my life. So I eventually managed to settle it through my American lawyer, and with some inside information. I can’t say what it was, but my dad was my spy. He was like, 'Let me see if I know somebody who knows somebody.' So thank God for my dad’s digging and my parents’ support. It was a stressful time, but I’m grateful for it because it allowed me to learn about that side of music. Now that I’m independent, I feel like that experience was necessary for me to grow and understand the right moves to make on the business end of things."
What’s been the most rewarding aspect of being an independent artist thus far?
"There are many, but number one is the ability to be 100 per cent creatively myself. When I was 17, I started with Kartel, and then it was Lakefront – so my whole career had been driven by labels until recently. It’s nice to be able to do things the way I want to do it, such as crafting the identity of my music. Another fulfilling aspect is the ability to turn my passion into my business, not someone else’s business. I’m not surviving; I’m thriving because I can forge my path, negotiate deals customized to me, and create longevity in my career."
Zamaera organised the inaugural all-female music festival in Malaysia in December 2023.
You’ve also used your success to help elevate others, as evidenced by Queendom. Did you achieve your goals with the festival, and what were the challenges?
"Gosh, that was my first big undertaking as an organiser. I have to give it up to all festival organisers out there; you guys are champions because it was not easy. I think I took on too many roles with my first festival and stretched myself too thin because I was performing too, so looking back, there are lots of things I could’ve done differently. I’m proud of what we did, but we did have some problems with the messaging of the festival and some unhappiness with vendors. Communicating with people and managing expectations was the biggest challenge.
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That said, the vast majority responded positively and saw the larger picture. Our goal was and is to give a platform to all these talented female artists in Malaysia who’ve never been given the opportunity to perform on the big stage before. Why aren’t people investing more in female artists in Malaysia? We’ve proven we can do it. Our biggest star till this day is Siti Nurhaliza, and look at Yuna’s global reach. There’s more where that came from in the independent scene, awesome girls who just started and are underseen. They just need a spotlight. I wanted to create a strong-knit, community-driven platform to encourage these aspiring female artists."
Speaking of, who are burgeoning Gen Z artists from Malaysia’s scene that we should be looking out for?
"I would say that the electronic music and nightlife scene is popping with young DJs and producers like Peot and Gasing, who are getting really big right now. Jovynn obviously, who’s like 21 and already a sensation. There’s a soul musician called Leon Sapphire, who’s really been impressing me as well. And I have to mention the amazing Itsjustsam, who won our Queendom Talent Search contest and got to perform at the festival."
"I’m not surviving; I’m thriving because I can forge my path, negotiate deals customized to me, and create longevity in my career."
As someone who’s been in the game for a while, what would be your advice to these artists on the come-up?
"First off, it’s so great to see all these wonderful younger artists taking the independent route and not relying on traditional mediums like radio or labels. Starting off independently is great because you get to develop yourself and your art organically. It helps you gain on-the-ground knowledge in terms of how much work it takes to put a piece of music out. It's not enough for you to just be talented and make a song; it's so much more. It's a super exciting learning process and crucial in teaching you how to be self-sufficient. You don’t necessarily need a manager either - being independent means being creative in more than just your music - you can be creative in how you market yourself too.
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That said, labels are not inherently bad; they can be a very good thing once you know what you want because they have infrastructure that can help propel you. I’m probably going to sign to another label in the future; I’m not opposed to that. Their job is to take your art and ensure that it's being heard and seen around the world, so that’s valuable. But it's better to learn to rely on yourself first before you rely on others."
What’s next for Zamaera in 2024?
"There are some details to sort out first, and I haven’t announced it yet… but I am planning on leaving Malaysia to make music overseas. I want to release my first-ever studio album this year and follow that up with a world tour. Of course, there will be another Queendom in 2024. We’re in the midst of planning the next one, and we’re going to take all we’ve learned to make it bigger and better. It's a lot… but if you want to be more, you gotta do more."