Interview with Yudi Yap: A Humanistic Vocalist and Songwriter on Music, Life, and Cultural Expression

Abstract

Yudi Yap, renowned as a charismatic vocalist, has been a time-honored household name in the Malaysian music scene, with a performing career spanning over a quarter of a century. Initially trained in Fine Arts, Yudi embarked on her musical journey during her student days with “Pertubuhan Muzik KITA” (激荡工作坊)”. In the 1990s, she served as the lead vocalist of the acclaimed trio “Alternative Music House” (另类音乐人) and also co-organized two editions of the influen-tial campus songwriting competition, the “Halo Songwriting Contest” (海螺新韵奖). Since the early 2000s, Yudi has ac-tively revived and interpreted classic songs from the Golden Era, earning widespread acclaim in performing arts circles, including performances in numerous Chinese and English musicals. She has spearheaded over ten nostalgic concert productions, including “Scent of Rose. Scent of Love” (玫瑰爱情香), “Good Old Tunes” (好老歌), “Lin Dai – The Star of Stars” (林黛。绝代星海女皇), and “Modern Nanyang” (摩登南洋). In 2013, her concert “Kopisusu” (咖啡酥酥), deep-ly infused with Nanyang local flavor, resonated strongly with audiences, receiving eight nominations at the prestigious 11th Boh Cameronian Arts Awards, where Yudi won both “Best Solo Performance” and “Best Group Performance.” “Kopisusu” was also invited by the National Arts Council of Singapore as the opening performance for their annual “Silver Arts Festival” in 2014. Collaborating with the acclaimed art-ist Ah Niu, Yudi co-wrote numerous popular songs including “Peach Blossoms” (桃花朵朵开), “Lai Lai Song” (来来歌), and “The Swinging Hemline” (裙摆摇摇). Her original com-position, “Strolling Underneath the Moonlight” (漫步月光下), won the Top 10 Songs of the Year at the Malaysia PWH Music Awards. Additionally, her song “Fa Hua” (髪花), the theme song for the TV drama “The Iron Lady” (女头家), re-ceived the Best Theme Song Award at the inaugural Golden Television Awards. Her classic track from the Alternative Music House era, “Mind Your Heart. Love Your Soul” (你要小心保护你的心), remains an iconic representation of her artistic identity. In 1992, representing Malaysia, Yudi partic-ipated in the “Sumitomo One World College Pop Festival” in Tokyo, winning the “Best Voice Award.” Starting in 2012, Yudi played a key role in the musical “Princess Wen Cheng The Light of Snowland” (文成公主-雪域上的光芒), performing at Singapore’s Esplanade Theatre in 2013 and tour-ing in Xi’an, Busan, and Kuala Lumpur. Yudi has also been actively involved as a judge on numerous Malaysian TV mu-sic competitions, including NTV7’s “Who Will Win,” 8TV’s “Super Voice,” and Astro Classic Golden Melody Singing Contest over multiple seasons. Beyond singing, Yudi con-tributes as a writer, having authored music columns such as “Zhong Sheng Xuan Hua” (众声喧哗) in Sin Chew Daily (星洲日报), art columns in “New Tide” (新潮) magazine, and music articles in “Feng” (丰) magazine, frequently invit-ed to publish pieces across various media outlets. From her early days with the “Pertubuhan Muzik KITA” to her classic performances, Yudi has released five solo albums including “Mind Your Heart. Love Your Soul” (你要小心保护你的心), “Shades of Passion” (情调), “Kopisusu” (咖啡酥酥), “Jalan Jalan” (惹兰), and “Then and Now” (那时•今日), as well as eight collaborative albums.