Nukilan Lagu Raya - The Lagu Raya Songbook

Spearheaded by Marina Tan, Nukilan Lagu Raya, The Lagu Raya Songbook, delves into a comprehensive exploration of 30 'Raya' songs from 1936 to 2022, where she explored both the context and conceptualisation of these songs as a way to explore our nation’s socio-economic history. From the pioneering work of Bangsawan singers in the 1930s to the emergence of iconic Raya songs and film stars like P. Ramlee in the 1950s, the project traces the evolution of Malaysian music, blending pop-rock influences in the 1960s and 1970s. All of this is coming together in a Music, Food, Fashion & Visual Arts Showcase, which offers us all an immersive journey through Malaysia's musical heritage, bridging past, present, and future cultural narratives. We speak to Marina to find out more about her research into the "Lagu Raya Songbook" and also curator Sharmin Parameswaran, who has put together the visual arts component of this project.