Sorry Aishah, I do not have an post-colonial inferiority complex, ktxbai

Not sure if I’m just in a pretty angsty mood but I got quite pissed off reading this article in today’s The Sun. It was an interview with popular ’80s singer (I’m assuming to promote her performance next month at Dewan Filharmonik) and she was talking about the lack of interest in local music.

The article quotes her as saying:

“We suffer from this inferiority complex,” she says. “The colonials made us feel inferior about ourselves so that they could rule over us. We’ve been independent for more than 50 years yet we’ve not shaken off this inferiority complex.”

Citing the local music scene as an example, she says although there is no dearth of talent and good music in this country, the people do not appreciate them.

“We like to believe that our music is inferior to that of our competitors,” she says. “But not everything that comes from another country is always better.”

I disagree. I don’t know about you, but I don’t think I have a post-colonial inferiority complex, thank you very much. And I can assure you that many of my friends don’t either.

In fact, I think that to believe that Malaysians still have such a complex is to be extremely backwards. You’re right, Aishah, it has been over 50 years since independence. Surely, we need to find another excuse for our lack of success, by now, no?

The statement that Aishah made was a huge generalisation, IMHO, and unfortunately, just shows how ketinggalan zaman she is.

I say this because I believe that – with particular relation to music – it is not a matter of complex, but a matter of preference. Granted, there are people who just look down on local musicians, but I think that it is really a matter of preference, sheer numbers and unfortunately, economics.

Just say I enjoy sappy boyband ballads – what are my Malaysian options? Or bubblegum pop by a girl group? Do we have a local alternative. No. So is it my fault that I like to listen to Backstreet Boys and Spice Girls?

Also, we are talking about Malaysia versus the world. I don’t just listen to American artistes but British, Australian and other European artistes as well. When you think of the percentage of music out there in the world, surely “foreign” music will dominate – if not because of quality but because of sheer numbers.

So, how can you really blame the radio stations for playing more foreign music?

Apparently, Aishah does. The article continues:

She laments that local radio stations are more keen to give airplay to foreign music than Malaysian music. The veteran singer’s annoyance is justified as she is speaking from experience.

She released her single Yang Ada Hanya Kenangan early this year but the local radio stations appear to give her song the cold shoulder. “But they don’t hesitate overplaying some silly foreign songs all day long,” she points out.

Which brings me to the last point. It’s about sheer economics, like many other things in the world. Just imagine how much money all these foreign acts are spending to promote their songs worldwide? It’s not as easy as just going into a studio, recording and then sending a copy of the song to radio stations.

Surely Aishah would know that most artistes spend months and years promoting their albums – jetsetting around the world for appearance, doing millions of interviews, doing months of tours night after night.

Just ask Bunkface, who’s popularity peaked recently. It wasn’t that they were making crap music before (when they weren’t as famous) but because they were just an indie band. Bring in TM and Everyone Connects, now, almost the whole of Malaysia have heard of them.

Like I said, pure economics.

Besides, as Dzireena twittered me in response to this article, saying that local Bahasa Malaysia stations play local music all the time. Good point.

But back to the question if Malaysians maybe prefer foreign music to local ones? Maybe, but I don’t think it’s because of post-colonial complex. It’s what is available to them and relates to them.

I get offended reading statements like that because I do like local music very much. When I go to the karaoke, I may warm up with five Spice Girls songs to kick the night off but my friends and I also sing so many local songs – including Aishah’s Janji Manismu.

I’m a big fan of Ning Baizura, like a couple of Siti Nurhaliza’s musics, have all of Reshmonu’s albums and really think Jaclyn Victor is amazing. There’s a couple of songs by Estranged I really like and am really grateful for Zee Avi.

But how many songs is that? How to compare to the millions of other music that comes out from the rest of the world?

So please lah, don’t go around making sweeping statements like that. If you feel that you’re not getting enough support for your song, go out and do something about it. Engage with social media, try to find sponsors, be relevant to your fans.

Don’t lah go and insult them.

6.53pm Malaysian time (+8 GMT)

Tags: aishah, aishah and the fan club, backstreet boys, Malaysia, music, radio stations, spice girls, Wan Aishah Wan Arrifin