KUALA LUMPUR, April 29 — After more than four decades in the local music industry, celebrated Malaysian singer Datuk Aishah is set to stage a major solo concert titled ‘Aishah 40 Chapters Of Love’, scheduled to take place at Megastar Arena here on July 4.

The special concert, organised by Vox Nation Live, not only marks Aishah’s journey as a singer since the 1980s but also carries deep personal significance for the singer, who rarely performs in large-scale concerts.

“I’m an artiste who rarely holds concerts, so this means a great deal to me. My journey hasn’t been a straight path… it’s like I’ve been on a roller-coaster. There have been highs and lows, but I believe that if we have the determination to improve ourselves, we will always rise again,” Aishah, whose full name is Wan Aishah Wan Ariffin, said at a press conference here yesterday.

The Janji Manismu singer said the concert will also bring together people from different phases of her life over her 40-year career.

“This concert is not just about the songs but about everyone who has touched my life. The music will connect everyone who comes,” she said, adding that Ara Johari will appear as a guest artiste.

Aishah, 61, acknowledged that she needs to work harder in preparing for the concert, especially after facing criticism over her vocal ability.

“Perhaps in the past I didn’t work as hard as I do now. I am now older, and I am also aware of my true capabilities… I must work to reach that level.

“Now I train for about three hours every day, watch my diet and maintain my stamina. At this age, performing for nearly three hours is no easy feat, especially since many of my songs are in high keys,” she said, adding that she will perform more than 20 songs at her upcoming concert.

The former contestant of Gegar Vaganza Season Four and 10 has also sought guidance from a vocal coach to refine her singing technique, and now views criticism as an opportunity for growth.

“In the past, I didn’t understand why sometimes my singing worked and sometimes it didn’t. Now that I’ve learned, I finally understand,” she said, adding that changes in the voice are a natural part of the aging process.

Aishah also said that when her concert ticket sales opened on April 17, there were technical issues that caused confusion among her fans. She did not rule out the possibility of sabotage.

“When that happened, I cried at first because we worked so hard. After that, I thought about the next steps to take (to resolve the issue),” she said.

According to the Negeri Sembilan-born singer, the problem occurred when the purchasing system allowed tickets to be placed in carts without payment, making them appear sold out to other users.

“Some people said they waited for hours and couldn’t get in, while others thought the tickets were sold out. It turned out the tickets were sitting in carts, preventing others from buying them,” she explained.

Following the incident, the organisers decided to switch to a different ticketing platform to ensure a smoother purchasing process.

“We hope those who previously saw it as sold out will try again on the new platform,” she said.

Tickets for the concert, priced between RM168 and RM788, are now available via www.ticketmelon.com/voxnationlive/aishah40 — Bernama