KNOWN for her soulful jazz sound, Atilia Haron steps into a new chapter with the release of her latest single Rekah.
Raised in a home where music was both heritage and everyday language, the daughter of Salamiah Hassan grew up understanding that creativity demands resilience.
Rekah was written during a difficult period in her life when she felt the pressure of constantly being under the public eye. It reminds listeners that healing often begins with the smallest crack of light and through it Atilia reveals the strength it takes to find clarity in a world full of noise.
In an exclusive interview with theSun, Atilia opened up about the inspiration behind the song, the connection between wellness and creativity and her ongoing evolution as an artiste.
What inspired the single?
“Rekah means crack which symbolises a crack of light after the dark. Rekah came during a period in my life when I felt like I was constantly judged by the public by being an unconventional woman. It was as if to them, I didn’t have my life planned out. The single was co-written with Jinx Chin and when I was given the tunes from Jinx, the rest of the process just flowed naturally. This single is also a message to those who are concerned with me and I just want to let them know that I am okay. People said that being alone is sad but to me it is a form of strength.”
Rekah also reflects the discipline and balance that shape much of Atilia’s life, especially through her commitment to wellness.
With your passion for yoga and wellness, does one influence the other creatively?
“Absolutely! Sometimes I even amaze myself as to how I am able to finish a show at midnight, go to bed at 2 am and wake up to teach yoga at 7 am. It is all about passion and when you do anything with love, it will all fall into place organically. I get to clear my mind while also meeting faces outside of the industry, allowing me to expand my circle and knowledge and simultaneously get some networking done. I got offered to talk at wellness fests and be the face of healthy campaigns. I get to do everything that I love and that inspires me to be creative.”
Her sense of grounding also comes from home, particularly from the women who shaped her earliest memories of music.
With over two decades of experience in the industry, what keeps you going?
“My mother. I grew up watching my mother and grandmother sing which also inspired me to keep going. My mother is now 74 and she still sings despite us telling her to take a rest. I don’t feel like singing is a job for me because I always enjoy it. I guess this feeling runs in the family.”
As the industry evolves, Atilia believes artistes need to recalibrate how they approach their craft.
The Malaysian music industry is changing a lot, what do local artistes need to bring forward?
“Many aspiring artistes think that because they can sing, they now need to look for a composer, a manager and a team before they start their career and when it doesn’t go as planned, it puts a stop to their initiation. If you do everything by yourself, you can be as passionate as you want since the work comes from the heart. At least that is what Roslan Aziz taught me. You need to learn through mistakes.”
Looking ahead, Atilia is preparing for a new chapter beyond Malaysia.
What’s next for Atilia Haron?
“I’m signing a contract with an Indonesian label soon and I want to focus my career more in Indonesia. I have enjoyed my time performing there and I take this as a sign. They really appreciate my music, perhaps because of their culture which is more musically inclined.”
Alongside that, she is working on her fourth studio album, which will feature ten tracks that explore different shades of emotion and reflection. Collaboration remains a key part of her creative work.
“I have collaborated with many talented musicians like Noh Salleh and Loque from Butterfingers. Next, I would love to collaborate with Mimifly! She is my best friend but she is always booked and busy. Her and I need to sit down and come out with a collab.”
When asked to describe Rekah in one word, Atilia chooses “Glimmer” a quiet but powerful nod to the hope that shaped the song. It also reflects her continued efforts to carve her own name in the industry.
“It’s been hard to extract myself from being ‘Salamiah Hassan’s daughter’ to ‘Atilia Haron’ and brand myself as my own person.”
With Rekah, she takes a step closer to that identity shining with her own voice, her own truth and her own light.
