Cover story: 40 years on, Dato’ Sheila Majid lives by her own rhythm

Her parents, especially her father, an Oxford-educated academic, instilled humility and kindness. “My parents never emphasised beauty,” she says. “They taught us that attitude and character were what mattered most. It’s how you treat people.”

Her father’s words guide her still: live within your means, don’t push for what isn’t yours, and stay honest. “If it’s not your rezeki, move on. God will give you something better.”

It’s easy to see how those lessons shaped her. “You can have all the money or credentials in the world, but if you’re arrogant, I’m not impressed,” she says, laughing.

For Sheila, talent may open doors, but character decides how long they stay open.

She never set out to be a singer. Music simply found her—a performance at a club after SPM led to a demo, then to her debut album Dimensi Baru in 1985.

“I just wanted to hear my voice on cassette,” she says. “That was my only dream.” When her music first reached the public, few knew what to make of it. It wasn’t Malay pop or rock; nor was it pure jazz. “They didn’t know what to call my music, so they called it jazz. But I’m really a pop singer—one with R&B and jazz influences.”

That label, she admits, became both limitation and distinction. It set her apart, even if it put her in a box. Now, decades later, her sound has come full circle— rediscovered by a younger crowd who call it city pop. “Suddenly, I’m hip again!” she laughs. “I’m trending!”

Sheila speaks fondly of how music was made then. Slower, more deliberate and rooted in discipline. “Back then, every line had to be sung perfectly. If the pitch was right but the feeling wasn’t, you sang it again. Even if it meant doing it a hundred times,” she says. “We left the studio knowing every word by heart.”

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Today’s digital process fascinates her. Her recent single, Moving On, was created with Korean producer, Hyuk Shin, in just two days.

“This is how the young work—fast! There are pros and cons,” she admits. The efficiency impressed her, but the emotional connection felt different. “Just like how AI can hit the right notes, but it can’t feel. When a human sings, you hear the story in their voice. That’s what moves people.”

For Sheila, that human connection is the essence of music. It’s the one thing that can’t be manufactured. It’s also what has sustained her through changing eras, technologies and audiences. Beneath it all lies faith, family and a deep sense of purpose.

Her father, who once worried about her entering show business, eventually became her quiet supporter. “He realised I wasn’t doing this for the wrong reasons. He saw that I was serious and passionate.”

His lessons remain her anchor: do things properly, never compromise on quality, and if your heart is not in it, don’t bother. “If you’re going to do something, do it well. If you’re doing it half-heartedly, don’t do it at all,” she adds.

Faith has always shaped her outlook. “We can plan, but He’s the better planner,” she says softly. That sense of surrender and trust runs through her words, giving them a calm certainty. It’s what makes her presence so steady, her energy so intact after forty years.

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These days, Sheila thinks often about how much the industry has changed. Fame now lives on screens. “Everyone has something to say. You have to be strong, mentally and physically.”

What she misses most are the small stages that built her generation. “We used to sing in clubs, that was real training. You had to win people over, talk to them, calm them down. Today, kids sound great online, but when they get on stage, it’s different.”

She hopes to see more platforms that nurture performance, not just popularity. “Not everyone is meant for academics. Everyone has their own strength. Everyone has their own rhythm.”

Her rhythm, meanwhile, hasn’t missed a beat. As she marks four decades of music, she’s as curious as ever—excited, slightly nervous, and grateful. “I just hope people remember me as a good person,” she says. “And for good, quality music.”

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