Yuna - brilliant talent or just plain exoticism?

Congratulations to Yuna for making it to number 19 on Huffingtonpost.com’s top 20 artists to listen to in 2014. It’s quite an achievement for her and for Malaysia.

Even the paragraph that introduces her in the article seems to acknowledge this achievement by stating:

‘There's a good chance you don't have any Malaysian musical artists in your current music library, so let Yuna be the first.’

Before I go on, let me state that I’m not much of a Yuna fan. Although I don’t think her music is awful, I also don’t think it’s extraordinary.

But that’s beside the point. What I really want to highlight here is to wonder what could be the real reason of Yuna’s success in America.

After the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Centre in New York City, followed by wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the United States has had a terrible relationship with Muslims.

They have had to go through very damaging racist accusations due to their racial profiling activities in the name of national security.

The negative implications and treatment towards Muslims, especially those living in the United States, were huge and quite shocking actually.

And now, the former superpower of the world is on a big crusade to try and fix this problem internally by attempting to improve Muslim and non-Muslim relationship.

They’ve had all kinds of dialogue with different religious leaders to promote understanding and they’ve also begun hiring Muslim chaplains for the police and fire departments.

And in line with all these efforts, it wouldn’t be so unfeasible to see why someone like Yuna, a Southeast Asian Muslim who wears a tudung, is starting to appeal to that society.

The fact a Muslim can be so non-traditionalist (pop music, music video clips, funky clothes) and holding on to her faith (exotic Malaysian and tudung-clad), is interesting to them.

They need a nation-wide sensation like Yuna to show to the world that the Islamophobic United States is Islamophobic no more.

Doesn’t that make you actually wonder how much of it really is because of her musical talents, or just because of her exoticism appeal?

With all that being said, I have to admit that although I think that a big factor of her success is due to her being an exotic Malaysian Muslim, her talents can’t be way off either.

It’s not easy to make it in the United States, which is without a doubt the entertainment capital of the world. And if you can make it there, then you’ve made it globally.

As much as exoticism and societal self-prophecy needs is a factor, it definitely can’t be the only factor. It has to be a whole package deal.

Talent, dedication and hard work are definitely in there somewhere. So no one can be discredited for that achievement, and for that, my congratulatory wish to Yuna is sincere.

And since Malaysia is definitely lacking in international talents, the country’s celebration of Yuna’s success is understandable and welcomed.

Now, if only Malaysia, as a society and as a government, could manufacture a sensation like that to improve the racial and religious tension that has been plaguing our country.

*Tune in to Agenda AWANI this Saturday, 8:30pm, as Izza Izelan discusses this very topic with guests, singer Aizat Amdan and filmmaker Ahmad Faris.