YUNA

Biography

Yunalis binti Mat Zara'ai, known professionally as Yuna, was born on November 14, 1986, in Alor Setar, Kedah, Malaysia, to Perakian Malay parents of Buginese descent. She began writing songs at age 14 and taught herself guitar, performing publicly for the first time at 19 while attending law school at MARA Technological University, from which she graduated with a bachelor's degree in legal studies. Her early career gained traction through acoustic shows across Malaysia starting in 2006 and a strong MySpace following that amassed over one million plays, leading to her self-titled debut EP in 2008, which earned five Anugerah Industri Muzik nominations and wins for Best New Artist and Best Song for 'Deeper Conversation.'

Yuna's international breakthrough came after signing with The Fader Label in 2011, releasing the Decorate EP featuring the viral hit 'Rocket.' Her self-titled full-length debut in 2012 included 'Live Your Life' produced by Pharrell Williams, followed by Nocturnal in 2013 with singles like 'Falling' and collaborations such as 'Crush' with Usher, peaking at number 3 on the US Billboard Adult R&B chart. Subsequent albums include Chapters (2016, produced in part by DJ Premier), Rouge (2019), and Y5 (2022). Her musical style blends Malaysian pop, indie folk, R&B, and adult alternative with jazz-inflected vocals, drawing from influences like Feist, Coldplay, and Bob Dylan, while incorporating Malay and English lyrics.

Yuna's legacy includes being the first Malaysian artist to achieve major international success, ranking as Malaysia's second most popular female singer from 2010-2015, and expanding into directing music videos and serving as a tourism ambassador alongside Siti Nurhaliza.

Fun Facts

• Yuna auditioned for the first season of Malaysia's One in a Million talent show in 2006, inspired by American Idol, reaching the top 40 before elimination.
• While building her music career, she opened IAMJETFUEL, a successful women's clothing boutique, and initially pursued law school as her planned profession.
• She made her directorial debut in 2018 with music videos for Malaysian duo Hani & Zue's 'Alone' and 'Aku dan Laguku.'
• Yuna performed at Lollapalooza in 2012 and appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in 2014, and sang at the 2015 AFC Asian Cup closing ceremony.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Pharrell Williams - producer and stylistic influence ('Live Your Life' single) [2012]
• DJ Premier - producer ('Places to Go' single on Chapters) [2016]

Key Collaborators

• Usher - vocal feature on breakout single ('Crush') [2012]
• Pa’an - guitarist in early band (self-titled EP (2008), Decorate EP) [2008-2011]
• Efry Arwis - bassist in early band (self-titled EP (2008), Decorate EP) [2008-2011]
• Adib Azfar - drummer in early band (self-titled EP (2008), Decorate EP) [2008-2011]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia