PETALING JAYA, Aug 30 — Evergreen songstress Liza Hanim hopes to rebuild her singing career while keeping her family as top priority after returning from a 10-year hiatus.
Liza told Malay Mail she is delighted to be back pursuing her passion, and promises to bring more to those who have been supporting her all the while.
The 38-year-old will perform at the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra’s Semalam Di Malaya concert in conjunction with Malaysia Day on September 15 and September 16 at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas where she will sing yesteryear hits.
“Going back to the stage is like going home. I’m glad that I’m back. I missed singing. I missed it. I missed the excitement,” she said.
“Singing has always been my thing since I was a kid. I knew I wanted to sing. I knew that is what I would love to do.
“And I plan to stay and to come up with new songs. I am really grateful for my fans that have been patiently waiting for my return, and this is my way to thank them for their support.”
However, calling herself a homely person, the mother of four said that her family is still her top priority.
“I would love to leave a legacy not only in the music industry but also for my kids. They need to see their parents as their role model. It is important for them to have a solid foundation at home.
“I also need to be careful with what I do. Now with social media, it is so easy for my children to see it if I do something bad. I don’t want that. They need to look up to me as a mother.”
Having been detached for some time, Liza acknowledged that it is a digitalised music industry today, hence a new environment with a new set of challenges.
“The air in the industry is different now, as well as the marketing approach. I need to catch up.”
“[The extensive use of] social media also gives my fans the need to be closer to me now. It is a little bit tough to get used to,” she added.
Yet, as she weaved in and out of her professional career, Liza had a good management team by her side, which she is grateful for.
“They are the people that have been around throughout the evolution. With their help, I’m getting the hang of it.”
When asked how does she juggle her singing career, her family and her business at the same time, she said: “It is hard but doable. It is a matter of finding the right balance and discussing with everyone. I am glad that everyone understands the changes I’m going through, and that my family is my top priority.”
She added that the changes she saw in her children have been positive to her multitasking role, as they have grown more supportive of her.
“My children have been used to me being with them on weekends. Nowadays, I am seldom home on weekends, but, instead of saying ‘please don’t go’, they would now say ‘I’ll come along with you. I want to see you sing.’”
“So far, it’s working well. But, I need to work hard,” she said, laughing.
Liza was the star who rocked the music industry from the 1990s to 2000s, alongside other famous local singers such as Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza, with many award-winning songs including her all-time hits Gelaran Cinta di Jiwa and Gelisah Mimpi.
After releasing her album Imaginasiku in 2007, Liza receded into the background of the music industry to devote her time to her family and business.
She finally returned to stardom in 2017 when she hit the stage singing with Wings’ vocalist Awie at the Wings and Superfriends concert in April, and, later in the year, competed at reality singing competition TV show Gegar Vaganza Season 4, where she won the second place.
In February this year, she released a single in collaboration with composer Hafiz Hamidun and lyricist Fedtri Yahya, Mimpi, hoping for a timeless ballad to mark her comeback.
