We caught up with Malaysia’s own R&B singer-songwriter Lunadira to ask her more about her music, her catchy new vibe-inducing song ‘Hoodie’, and of course, if she could dish out some poetry for us.

Lunadira (aka Nadira Diah) has accumulated 1.3 million plays on Spotify from almost 80 countries in the past year, performed at some of Malaysia’s leading festivals such as Good Vibes and Urbanscapes, as well as being the fresh new face of brands such as Dr. Martens, Fred Perry and Levi’s.

Ethereal. Velvety. And saccharine. Those are the adjectives used to describe her music when hearing it for the first time.

The 26-year-old recently released her new single ‘Hoodie’, a collaboration with beatmaker Reddi Rocket, who with a wealth of studio and DJ-ing experience, is also emerging as Malaysia’s freshest vocalist.

Together, the two have collaborated on songs such as ‘Stuck With You’, ‘Lotto’, and ‘Hoodie’, the latter two of which are contrasting yet formidable music outfits of each other.

Also read: Dress yourself in the lush colours of Lunadira and Reddi Rocket’s ‘Hoodie’

With its swaying vibes, layering colours and buttery vocals, the latest collaboration song by the duo is, in a very millennial term, “such a mood”.

AL365: Lunadira, Vanessa here from AsiaLive365. Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions. Congrats on the new single Hoodie. The song is such a mood with its swaying vibes, layering colours and buttery vocals. There’s a very indie pop freshness to it that we love. Tell us – when and how did the idea of the song come about?

Lunadira: Thank you so much! This song came about in the midst of a heavy songwriting and recording session with Reddi Rocket. We wanted to take a break from juicing our brains out on heavier songs and wanted to seek comfort in making music. It was cold in the studio so we tried to translate that craving for warmth into the song. It was really fun to make and we didn’t expect people to react the way they did, so we’re pretty happy our manager wanted us to push this one out.

AL365: You collaborated with Reddi Rocket on an earlier song ‘Lotto’. That song has a distinct R&B vibe and smoothness to it. In terms of colours and textures, it is quite different to ‘Hoodie’. What made you decide to collaborate with Reddi Rocket again and how did the indie pop and electro pop vibes come into the song?

Lunadira: Reddi Rocket and I have been bouncing ideas off of each other in the studio for almost a year now, and we kind of settled on learning and working together to explore different ways we can express through production and songwriting. We’ve managed to build this chemistry in the studio that has (so far :p) worked for us and it’s a fun ride. I guess the indie pop-ness of it came as a natural way of expressing the simplicity of the song, and it’s a genre we’ve both been exploring and appreciating, but there are a slew of songs we’ve managed to record that are the total opposites of each other.

AL365: Any other artists that you would love to collaborate with some day?

Lunadira: It’s a pretty long list, but amongst them are BENEE, Audrey Nuna, Pharell Williams, Jenevieve, and the list goes on and on and on and on……. 

AL365: We’ve heard that your type of music can make people cry and dance at the same time. That actually sounds very euphoric and trippy, but in a quite melancholic and cathartic sort of way too. We’ve also heard that you love rhyming words and writing short poems. If you could describe your music in a short poem to someone who has not heard your music before, what would you say?

Lunadira: Wow, you guys did your research! Haha. I love this question. 

The trickle starts at the tips of your ears,

Slithers sneakily down the slope of your spine,

Will you move to the anticipation the drums create,

Will you lend your heart to these words of mine?

I tried!

AL365: What has been the sweetest thing about your music that a fan has said to you?

Lunadira: I met a couple during one of my shows and they told me that the reason they started talking (and later on started dating) was when they bonded over my song ‘Stuck With You’, and travelled from Singapore to Malaysia to watch me perform. I was elated and screamed with glee with them, and that moment was unforgettable. 

AL365: What sort of music or artists would you say you’re most inspired by as a songwriter?

Lunadira: I admire Alex Turner’s songwriting. BENEE’s songwriting. FKA Twigs’s songwriting. I’m inspired by a lot of different artists and it’s so hard to just list a few! 

AL365: With the lockdown (particularly on live music performances) still happening globally, what was the last live gig you remember fondly being part of and what do you miss most about performing live on stage?

Lunadira: There was an intimate gig I did at Safehouse KL with Reddi Rocket and $miley and it was the first time I performed with other singers in one set. The stage was set up so we were all able to face each other while performing, and the crowd was circled around us. Reddi was on the guitar, and $miley was on the keys. We were all just enjoying the performance and it was electric. I miss soaking in the energy of people in the crowd and breaking into a sweat and a smile at the end of it all.

AL365: Besides ‘Hoodie’, can we look forward to more new songs from you soon?

Lunadira: Yes! Definitely! Keep up with me on my socials to be updated 😉

AL365: Thanks again Lunadira!

Lunadira: No, thank YOU! <3

We are definitely looking forward to more vibes and moods. In the meantime, listen to more of Lunadira’s music below.