Forget `Hijau', it's a fresh Zainal

HE may have been missing from the public scene for about two years, but Zainal Abidin still had AHMAD NAZRUL CAMALXAMAN and a horde of fans spellbound that night.



IT is not the Zainal Abidin of Hijau these days. Rather, it is a different Zainal Abidin, a new artist with a fresh approach.

The former lead vocalist of the popular 80s band Headwind entertained his fans at Planet Hollywood, Kuala Lumpur last Sunday in conjunction with the release of his latest album, Puteri.

"I'm bringing out this album not as a comeback or the next Hijau," said the veteran.

"This time it's totally different. My approach to this latest album is as a new artist. A fresh approach. A matured approach."

Indeed, one can only do a comeback if one have left the music scene for a while. Although it was Zainal's first public outing after a two-year hiatus, he maintains that he never really left the music scene.

"I have been doing some private functions over the years, but I haven't been doing the club scene for a while. It is great to be back."

And the fans at the Planet Hollywood were glad that Zainal was back too.

Belting out hit tunes from his earlier ethnic-pop releases as well as songs from Puteri, Zainal proved once again that he is not a has-been.

Zainal, together with long-time collaborator Mac Chew on the keyboard, and other musicians and back-up singers, shattered the pre-performance quiet of Planet Hollywood with Senang-Senang, followed by Sabar, Bongkar and Kunang-Kunang.

Being able to sing is well and good but a true entertainer knows how to hold the audience's attention. Zainal did this effortlessly with his wit, jokes and anecdotes which were all greeted by roaring laughter.

Zainal also sang the song that he wrote for the Malaysian version of Tarzan, Kau Di Hatiku and a new piece from Puteri, Menari Dengan Mu.

Just as the audience was getting all warmed up, they were quite upset when Zainal announced he would sing his final song for the first set. Mac Chew, his fingers dancing gracefully on the keyboards, played out an introduction that quietened the audience, as if they were deep inconcentration, trying to figure out from which song it came from.

Then, as Zainal announced the name of his most famous song, Suraya, the audience just went wild. It was truly amazing to hear so much youth in such a matured voice in the Suraya that was sung that night as you relived your past.

The effect was fantastic.

Zainal came back after the break with a new number from Puteri, the melodious Gaia.

It was during the second verse of the next song, Orak Arek, that Zainal stopped performing and encouraged the audience to join with him in the chorus. And they did, vigorously.

While the evergreen environmental-conscious Hijau brought Zainal the recognition that he deserved in 1991, it has been difficult to handle that fame for each new number Zainal subsequently recorded was inevitably compared with that hit.

"Everything has to change as the world evolves. The taste in music, the audience, the artist themselves change, develop and mature," said Zainal.

"I do not want to be simply known as `Zainal Hijau'. To me, that was a brilliant past. Now we must look and move forward. In this album, I'm a new artist bringing forth new music."

Zainal managed to shock the crowd to silence once again when he sang Puteri, the title track of the new album. The audience were spellbound.

"It is totally different. It is unlike anything I've ever did. It's a combination of current music and the traditional."

Unlike his previous albums, Puteri is splattered with pop Hey Honey, reggae Menari Dengan Mu and even stadium anthems like I Love Rock and Roll.

Is this a sign that the public can expect more of him from now on?

"It all depends on how well everything goes. Right after we launch the album next month, we have lined up a few dates for our tour. I plan to stop at Johor, KL, Penang, Kuantan and Sabah."

As regards to his album, Zainal is up against a lot of criticism and evaluation after his last album, Terang ...Sang, released in 1995, failed to make an impact.

"At the end of the day, what really matters is that I have done my best and the album is the result of the hard work put into it. I am doing this for the next generation of music listeners.

"Now, I leave it all to them to decide whether the album is a hit or not." - NST 15/08/2004