Suzie the Limbang songstress

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SPRINGBOARD: Suzie holding the recently released debut CD which she hopes to be her stepping stone in the industry.

SPRINGBOARD: Suzie holding the recently released debut CD which she hopes to be her stepping stone in the industry.

KUCHING: Suzie Kay, the latest rising Iban singer, is a late bloomer in the industry but she is already intending to leave a lasting impression on music enthusiasts in the state.

Unlike most Iban artistes, she hails from the northernmost division of Limbang and only made Kuching her home base since 2004 when moving here to further her studies and to work.

Even as she released her debut album in February, personal tragedy struck earlier as her family’s longhouse in Kampung Tanah Merah, Medamit was gutted by fire on Dec 31.

Having just taken a bold decision to go singing full time last year, the tragedy could have brought her down but she persevered, and was motivated by family and friends to excel in the singing career.

“When I perform, I will think of my longhouse and my intention to earn income for the family. It was a 43-door longhouse, one of the longest Iban settlements in Limbang.

“Fortunately, there was no loss of lives, although my family lost a lot of possessions including prized ones which were passed down from generation to generation. We lived there since 1991, it is always close to my heart and I am proud to say I have contributed to the rebuilding especially my family’s ‘bilek’ (house),” she said during a recent interview.

The eldest among two siblings said she studied at schools in Medamit before pursuing her studies in computer science at a college in Kuching.

She then worked in a bank during which she was always asked to sing during company functions and that was when she attracted the interest of a producer from a local recording company.

“I then decided to go full time singing. I am grateful that I get show offers regularly, three times a month on average.

“Just two Saturdays ago, I performed in front of a big crowd at an entertainment outlet called Terabai, where I sang seven songs from my album and three English songs including ‘When You Tell Me That You Love Me’ made popular by Diana Ross,” she said.

She was also grateful for the chance given by Sarawak Lawn Tennis Association to perform at a recent welcoming dinner of an international youth tournament, where she got to perform in front of visitors from outside the country.

“I normally perform at private parties and functions among the Dayak community. So to me, performing in front of foreigners is a new challenge as I better myself and stamp my mark in the industry,” she said.

She singled out Diana Ross, Celine Dion and Toni Braxton as her favourite international artistes, and the Malaysian singer she admired is Datuk Siti Nurhaliza

“I am more into ballads and love songs, which make up most of the songs in my debut album.

“I am very happy to have released my first Iban album, which I see as my stepping stone to go further in this career and probably record a Malay or English album one day,” she said.

Copies of her debut album ‘Bala Nuan Nyadi Penanggur’ (Your Family Are Our Obstacle) are on sale at most record stores.

A song off the album titled ‘Nuan Nadai Agi’ (You Are No Longer Here) is played regularly on the airwaves.

Fans can catch her perform during the Sarawak Dayak National Union (SDNU) dinner at the Song community hall this Saturday.