Sharifah Aisha Retno Sayed Sipulijam (born 1 August 2000) is a Malaysian singer-songwriter and actress. In 2020, Aisha participated in the singing competition Vokal Mania.[1] She came to prominence in the Malaysian music industry after the release of her English-language single, "W.H.U.T", in late 2021/early 2022. In 2022, she was a contestant on season 4 of Big Stage, placing third overall.[2][3]
Early life and education
Aisha was born to a Malay father of Arab descent and a Javanese mother. Her mother is Indonesian kroncong singer, Jean Retno Aryani, who was active in the 1980s.[4] Her father, Sayed Sipulijam Sayed Alwee, is a businessman from Kelantan. She has a younger brother, Sayed Abu Hanifa Radityo.
She was the champion of the Suara Emas, representing Kuala Lumpur on the national level, whilst in Form 4.[4] She holds a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Malaya.[5]
Career
She released her debut single "Mengikat Jiwa" after signing with Sony Music Malaysia, in 2018. The single was produced by Indonesian composer, Aldi Nadi Permana and was recorded in Indonesia.[6]
In August 2020, Aisha released her second single "Terima Kasih", a duet with Indonesian singer, Yuka Kharisma.[5] She took part in Sony Music Malaysia's Bring The Beat campaign alongside other artists including Sandra Dianne, Benzooloo and B-Heart, the campaign aimed to encourage artists to produce more songs.[5]
Aisha initially rose to prominence on the TV3 singing talent show, Vokal Mania. She won the competition and was named Rookie Champion.[7][8] In January 2021, Aisha released her single "Cinta Denganmu".[9]
On 9 December 2021, Aisha released debut English-language track, "W.H.U.T." ("Wanna Hold U Tight"). The single did well on Spotify gaining up to 7 million streams on the platform within two months of release.[10] The single debuted at number 3 on the RIM domestic/Malay singles streaming chart.[11]
She was selected as one of the 11 contestants in the fourth season of Big Stage, she finished in third place.[12] Aisha made her acting debut in the 2022 Malaysian telemovie, Cangkul, as the character Zura. On 29 July 2022, Aisha released her single "Sutera".[13]
On 16 November 2024, it was scheduled for her first solo concert in Zepp Kuala Lumpur. However, the concert was canceled due to low ticket sales.[14]
Artistry
Influences
Aside from her mother, Aisha has cited Malaysian songstresses Siti Nurhaliza, Jaclyn Victor, Aina Abdul and Ernie Zakri as influences.[15]
