The Indonesian singer shares she intends to venture into the music industry here
SHE is a ball of energy and she just lights up the room. A vibrant personality aside, she looks as good in the flesh just as she does in photos.
The name Yura Yunita may not ring a bell but after her opening act at Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza's recent concert at Axiata Arena, many will remember her as they were blown away with her strong vocals.
Like her Indonesian peers Afgan and Rossa, Yura has the potential to reach superstar status here, just as she already has back home.
Being given the opportunity to be the opening act for Malaysia's No.1 singer at her biggest concert to date is an honour for the singer who turns 28 this June.
"I am a fan of Datuk SIti. I mean, who isn't? Sharing a stage with her is mind-blowing because I have been a fan since young," she said.
"I also admire Siti for maintaining her credibility as a singer even after years in the music industry. She is known for her talent.
"I hope to collaborate with other Malaysian artistes in the future as well."
MALAYSIAN LOVE
Coming here to venture into the local music industry has long been a dream of Yura.
During her short stay in KL, Yura took time to promote her second album Merakit.
"I figured it was time I introduced my music here. I have been getting many requests from Malaysian fans to bring my music here, so that gave me confidence to penetrate the market," she said.
Born in Bandung, Yura taught herself to play the piano and she listened to music genres such as jazz, blues, funk and R&B.
Yura's music is a mix of those genres and she has since produced hit songs such as Merakit.
Some say she's the female version of Indonesian singer Tulus.
For her first album titled Yura (2014), she wrote 80 per cent of the songs, while the second album Merakit (2018) sees some songs penned by some of her closest friends.
MERAKIT
For her album Merakit, Yura recorded songs that best describe her highs and lows throughout her journey as an artiste and as an individual.
"Once, I felt I had hit rock bottom in my life as I was going through a rough patch. My emotions were unstable and I felt I was the unluckiest person alive.
"But after attending an event at a house for the blind, it hit me how fortunate I am. Being there triggered all sorts of emotions and made me realise I should be thankful for what I have."
The children at the home were very happy despite being blind, and she realised how ungrateful she had been.
"That was how Merakit came to fruition. The song describes my feelings for the kids."
NOMINATIONS
Yura began writing when she was 15. In need of a creative outlet while attending communication school, she performed for the first time on TV.
She soon became the brand ambassador for the Musik Bagus label and released her debut album Yura in 2014. It reached No.6 on Rolling Stone Indonesia’s Best Album of 2014 chart.
The album contained htis such as Balada Sirkus, Cinta Dan Rahasia, Berawal Dari Tatap and Intuisi. Yura also increased her visibility through touring, a guest spot at music festivals and appearances on national TV shows.
For three years in a row (2015-2017), Yura was nominated in the category of Female Singer of the Year at the Indonesian Choice Awards. In 2015, Yura was also nominated in Breakthrough Artiste of the Year and Song of the Year (for the song Cinta Dan Rahasia) categories.
That same year, she was nominated in the categories of Best Soul/R&B Album at Anugerah Musik Indonesia and Best New Female Artiste at Anugerah Planet Muzik along with nominees from Malaysia and Singapore.