Table of Contents
Singer Atilia Haron to perform in solo showcase to thank longtime fans
ATILIA Haron has heard the question for years: When is she making a comeback? Her answer is simple. She never went anywhere.
“People always ask me, ‘Atilia, when are you making a comeback?’ I have been here all along. I simply do many things. I teach yoga, act, host and sing,” she said.
Now, the singer is placing her music back at the centre with Atilia Haron In Concert, her first major solo showcase in years. The concert will be held on Sept 19 at 8pm at Robert’s Theatre, The Campus in Ampang, four days after she turns 52.
The timing carries a personal weight. Atilia has spent more than two decades building a career across jazz clubs, recording studios and live stages, yet she knows her work has not always occupied the mainstream.
She has released four albums and amassed a catalogue of more than 40 songs. Many listeners may also know her voice without realising it through jingles for brands and television channels.
“For people to recognise Atilia as Atilia was perhaps difficult. I was first seen as the daughter of the incredible Salamiah Hassan, and later known as a jingle singer. My voice was everywhere on radio and television advertisements. Through this concert, I hope people can hear my real voice.”
Fear before the stage
Atilia Haron booked the 520-seat venue after seeing it on Instagram, before the size of the undertaking caught up with her.
“I booked it immediately. Then I wondered how I was going to fill the venue with 520 people,” she said.
Her doubts began to ease after attending concerts by Malaysian acts and seeing local audiences turn out in force. She also drew confidence from the regulars who have followed her through years of club performances.
“I may not have many fans, but the ones I have are extremely loyal. They have supported me from the beginning, listened to my songs, attended my club shows and kept in touch with me on social media. This night is my way of thanking them.”
Some have supported the production financially. Atilia recalled a husband and wife who offered RM20,000 while asking for only seven tickets.
“They told me, ‘We do not care where we sit. We can even sit on the stage.’ I feel deeply honoured because they have attended my shows for years. The wife even comes with a walking stick. I want to give my best for people like them.”
Mounting the independently produced concert has brought practical concerns, including the venue, musicians, lighting, sound and arrangements for Indonesian guest act Sore Ze Band. Her mother’s response was characteristically direct: “Go ahead, Atilia, but do not lose money.”
Singing on her own terms
The concert will revisit Atilia Haron’s catalogue through new arrangements, medleys, fresh material and collaborations. Sore Ze Band’s involvement follows a musical friendship dating to 2010 and Atilia’s connection with its late frontman Ade Paloh.
Music director Fly Halizor said the arrangements would serve her storytelling instead of overwhelming it.
“Atilia does not need vocal acrobatics or unusually high notes. She is a singer we need to listen to because she tells a story and draws us into it. She has a place of her own.”
Atilia is also testing new ground with Ceritera Sang Arjuna & Bunga, a duet with singer-songwriter Razak A’ai. Written and composed by Razak and produced by AG Coco, the romantic track takes her beyond the jazzy R&B material most closely associated with her.
“When I recorded it, I thought, ‘This is a good song.’ It was different for me, but I fell in love with it,” she said.
At 52, she is more assured about the varied career that once made her difficult to categorise. The coming concert gathers the strands of a career that has never stopped.
“I used to feel hurt, but now I accept things as they are. Some people may find me too urban, but what you see is who I am. In front of the camera or behind it, I try to be the same person.”
Tickets are priced from RM168 to RM248.
READ MORE:
Mic Drop Comedy Tour 2026 brings Kumar and top Asian comedians to Malaysia
