It’s not every day that we get to witness a mother-and-daughter concert, but icons Atilia Haron and her mother, Salamiah Hassan, made it possible. On Saturday (16th August), the two songstresses shared the stage at the sold-out “Gelombang Bahagiaku” concert, held at the Plenary Theatre, Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.
From the very first note to the final bow, the audience was taken on a heartfelt journey across generations, with each song feeling like a love letter — from mother to daughter, and from stage to fans. We’ll be dividing our review into the two artists’ sets, so here’s what we experienced at the recent show:
Atilia Haron
As the lights dimmed, the band opened the show with a brief instrumental of Atilia Haron’s hit “Bahagiaku”, before the singer herself appeared on stage in a striking red dress and launched into “No Fruits For Today”. Following her opening number, she thanked the audience for their overwhelming support before continuing with the heartfelt “Old Love”, where the 51-year-old showcased her powerful vocals.
After introducing the members of the live band, Atilia took the opportunity to present a new track, “Rekah”, from her upcoming album. Although unfamiliar to many, the song carried a sense of nostalgia and longing through both its instrumental arrangement and lyrics. She then delivered an emotional medley of “Bodoh” and “Cinta Sampai Mati” (one of our personal favourite performances of the night) before welcoming the evening’s first guest artist, MonoloQue, to join her for their duet, “Kekanda Adinda”.
Of course, it would not have been an Atilia Haron concert without her performing her signature track “Bahagiaku”, before teaming up with musician Jason Voo for a string of songs including “Salah Sangka”, “Sangkar”, “Sudah” and “Selagi”. Throughout her set, Atilia wowed the audience with her soothing vocals and commanding stage presence, reminding everyone that she has always, and will always, belong on the stage.
Her warm interaction with the crowd reflected just how fun, down-to-earth and genuine she is. Ever humble and grateful for the opportunities that come her way, that evening was without doubt a truly special one that both she and her fans will forever cherish.
Salamiah Hassan
From one star to the next, the very reason for Atilia Haron’s existence and the source of her inspiration, Salamiah Hassan, was warmly welcomed to the stage by her daughter. She opened her set with the upbeat “I’m So Excited”, originally by The Pointer Sisters. From the very first number, the veteran performer proved that she still has what it takes, showing that age is just a number at 74 years old, as the audience couldn’t help but want to dance along.
After such an energetic start, the legend slowed the pace with the poignant “Surat Terakhir”, a performance that once again showcased her vocal prowess, before treating the audience to a nostalgic medley of “Miang Miang Keladi”, “Kau Dan Alasanmu” and “Antara Dua Kasih”. She then welcomed the evening’s second guest artist, Hardy Arbi, to join her for a duet of “Berdebar-Debar Rasa Hati”, a song she originally performed with Ahmad Jais for the 1976 film “Cinta dan Lagu”.
Salamiah Hassan delivered a breathtaking performance of “Kenang Daku Dalam Doamu”, a song she described as a lullaby her mother once sang to her at bedtime. The final guest artist of the night, Mimifly, then took to the stage while the icon took a short break. The rapper performed her rendition of “Sahabat”, dedicating it to Atilia Haron and Salamiah Hassan as a gesture of gratitude for their love, support and guidance, the very reasons behind her return to music.
The crowd then cheered when she performed her hit comeback song “Angkat” before Salamiah returned with “Superstar”, “Semut Semut Di Titian Usang”, “Menghitung Hari”, “If You Go Away” and finally, completing her set with her legendary “Gelombang”, accompanied by a sea of lights from the audience.
Throughout her set, Salamiah Hassan radiated unmatched charm and versatility. There was never a dull moment with her on stage, as her witty personality kept the audience entertained and uplifted. Atilia Haron then returned to join her mother for a heartwarming mother-daughter duet of “Age Is Just a Number”, before the encore performance of “Empat Dara” with Mimifly and Elvira Arul brought the night to a joyous close.
Overall, the “Gelombang Bahagiaku” concert truly lived up to its name. The venue may be small, or “cute” as Atilia described it, but the intimate setting of the Plenary Theatre played a key role in creating a warm, homely atmosphere, almost like a joyful gathering of friends and family. The artists’ respective sets were nothing short of remarkable, moving seamlessly from energetic uptempo numbers to heartfelt ballads, duets and collaborations.
Each moment was a testament to their enduring legacy, with powerful performances that showed no signs of slowing down, further proving that age truly is just a number. If there is ever another chance to experience a concert by the two main stars of the night, we would certainly want to be there to witness the momentous occasion.
