KUALA LUMPUR: Shortly after releasing their Lunar New Year hit 'North-South Expressway', Chinese musical trio 3P received a request they did not see coming – a song for Hari Raya.
While the trio of Danny Lee, Kevin Ong, and Caven Tang are used to composing songs in Mandarin and Hokkien, writing a song in Malay was a different ball game altogether.
"Since we've been making Chinese New Year songs for many years and enjoy the festive atmosphere, we decided to give it a try," said Tang.
After about a month and a half of discussions, they began by remaking and rewriting the lyrics of 'North-South Expressway', which eventually led to the creation of 'Syawal Berseri'.
"The language barrier was also a challenge for me and Caven since Malay is not our native language, and we were concerned that we might sound odd when singing," Lee said.
"But with enough practice and research, it wasn't much of an issue in the end."
Given the tight timeline, the trio sought help from singer-songwriter Firdhaus Farmizi, who writes and sings in Mandarin, to ensure the lyrics accurately conveyed the spirit of Raya.
The group said Firdhaus' contributions were invaluable in refining the Malay lyrics and ensuring the message was clear.
They said the reception to 'Syawal Berseri' has exceeded their expectations, with the YouTube video alone garnering over 837,000 views in 12 days.
"We've received more positive comments than expected, even on Facebook, where we usually encounter more negativity. We are truly grateful for everyone's support," Lee said.
Many of the comments on the video praised 3P's efforts to bring Malaysians from different walks of life together through music.
The trio said that filming the music video was an eye-opening experience as singing in Malay for the first time introduced them to a new cultural perspective.
From the traditional Malay house where the video was shot to the Baju Melayu attire they wore, the trio fully embraced the cultural theme.
"This was the first time I could sing the lyrics as they were written, without needing a pinyin translation," said Ong, who went to a non-Chinese school.
"Since I can't read Chinese characters, singing entirely in Malay was an unforgettable experience for me," Ong said.
The group said they were happy that Malaysians of different races and cultures enjoyed 'Syawal Berseri' and hinted at the possibility of releasing songs for other festive celebrations.
"We hope our music can foster greater unity in Malaysia and that the public will continue to support local artists," they said.
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