THE 2020s are proving to be a pivotal decade for legendary singer Sheila Majid. After a six-year absence from performing live, the iconic singer returned to the stage in March this year and performed a 180-minute concert at the World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur.
Dubbed “Datuk Sheila Majid Big Band Live in Kuala Lumpur”, the comeback concert took several months to prepare and began in late 2022.
Before the show on March 18, the concert had sold-out; Sheila performed 20 songs to a 3,000-strong crowd in WTCKL’s Dewan Merdeka.
Coincidentally, it was the same place she performed her first concert, back in 1988. It happened three years after Dimensi Baru, her 1985 debut album.
As such, 2025 will mark Sheila’s 40th year in the music industry. During a recent performance, she hinted that there were plans for the anniversary.
Recently, on July 13, Sheila made an appearance at “The Tallest French Fry in Malaysia” event. It was a collaboration between McDonald’s Malaysia and KL Tower for International French Fry Day.
Bringing along Sinaran and a slew of her old classics, the Jazz Queen proved her continued relevancy with younger fans singing along to her old tunes, almost note-for-note, through the singer’s 30-minute set.
Mid-performance, Sheila commented that she was surprised the younger generation were fans of her music, which was something she has been saying since her comeback in March.
It was also obvious at the event, as a lot of those who crowded the area in front of the stage were those in their 20s, and even further away from the stage, there were young fans singing along with Sheila.
According to McDonald’s Malaysia Chief Marketing Officer Melati Abdul Hai, Sheila was the first choice in reaching out to perform on the day due to her qualities that have made her an icon for close to four decades.
The next Big Band iteration Sheila is preparing for will take place in Sabah, next month.
Titled “Sheila Majid Big Band Live in Sabah”, the concert will see her accompanied by 16 musicians led by maestro Mac Chew.
Following the first album, Majid released another eight albums, including one re-release, in a span of 31 years.
Her last album, Boneka, was released in 2017, so perhaps the singer will release a tenth album for her 40th anniversary.
