SANDAKAN: After 25 years in music, Shila Amzah is looking forward rather than back as she prepares to bring familiar songs into a more intimate and jazz-influenced setting at Sepilok Jazz 2026 this weekend.
“I do not want my 25th year to feel like I am looking backwards, I want it to feel like another beginning,” she told the Daily Express.
Shila said curiosity continues to drive her after a quarter-century in the industry, with different musicians and arrangements allowing her to discover new sides of songs she has performed many times.
She said sincerity has remained at the heart of her career since she began singing as a child, despite performing across different countries, languages and musical styles.
“Technique, language and musical styles can change, but people can always feel whether you are being genuine.”Her approach to performing has also evolved, with the singer now placing greater emphasis on storytelling, subtlety and the overall journey of a show rather than simply delivering the biggest vocal moments.
“A memorable performance is not necessarily about singing the biggest note, it is about creating a connection,” she said.
That approach will shape her headline appearance at the fifth edition of Sepilok Jazz, where the rainforest setting immediately caught her interest.
Shila said the festival’s combination of music, tourism, conservation and young musicians gives the event an identity beyond entertainment.
For her Sepilok set, she plans to give the songs more space by allowing the musicians and arrangements to breathe while exploring softer textures and dynamics.
Some familiar songs could feature different harmonies, grooves and more intimate arrangements while retaining melodies audiences recognise.
“There will definitely be some surprises,” she said, adding that a familiar ballad could take on a bossa-nova rhythm or a dramatic song could become more intimate and jazzier.
Shila said the setting also offers a contrast to her large arena concerts, which are usually built around extensive production, lighting, screens, choreography and tightly structured musical rundowns.
“Instead of trying to make the performance bigger, I want to bring the audience closer,” she said.
She expects the rainforest itself to influence the performance, with the surrounding trees, night air and natural sounds encouraging moments where the music is allowed to breathe.
Shila also welcomed Sepilok Jazz’s conservation focus, saying music could help audiences connect with the importance of protecting Malaysia’s ecosystems and wildlife without making the message feel like a lecture.
She also advised young musicians involved in the festival not to rush into becoming someone else, but instead to develop their craft and discover what only they can bring to music.
Looking at the wider Malaysian music scene, Shila said local artists are becoming increasingly confident about being Malaysian while thinking internationally, with the country’s cultures, languages and musical traditions forming part of that strength.
She hopes audiences leave her Sepilok performance feeling connected to the music, one another and the environment, saying people may not remember every song or note but often remember how an evening made them feel.
Sepilok Jazz 2026 will be staged at the Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC) in Sepilok, here, this Friday and Saturday (Sept 4 and 5), with performances starting at 6pm.
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