KUCHING: This Hari Raya will be extra special for R&B singer Ila Damiaa as she will be celebrating the festival with the first addition to her family, eight-month-old-son Abg Zayne Mateen Abg Mohd Sahril.
“I’m excited and can’t wait to bring him to meet all my family members who haven’t met him yet,” said the 30-year-old former TV3 talent show Mentor fourth season contestant.
Ila, who is spending her first Hari Raya as a mother this year, recalled fond memories of baking cookies with her three sisters.
“When I was a teenager, I had to help my sisters to bake cookies. While helping them, I kept eating the rejected cookies,” she laughed during an interview with New Sarawak Tribune.
The Kuching born singer added she always looked forward to visiting her relatives and friends with parents during Hari Raya.
“Growing up in a big family, usually I would follow my parents as they went Hari Raya visiting,” she said.
Ila, who has now settled down in Kuching since her marriage three years ago, said she had to travel back and forth between Kuching and Kuala Lumpur to fulfil her career commitment.
“I am fortunate to have an understanding and supportive husband. For him, what matters is that I know how to take care of myself as someone’s wife,” said the singer of the Bersamamu hit song.
Commenting on her career after being a mother, Ila revealed that she had to slow down to focus on taking care of her son.
“Since my priority is to take care of my son, I can only accept small singing engagements for now.
“But I will be back once my baby grows up,” she promised.
Meanwhile, award-winning crooner Hafiz Suip is excited to be back in the city for Hari Raya celebration.
The Akademi Fantasia Season Seventh champion told New Sarawak Tribune that he particularly enjoyed communal cooking and eating as well as visiting his relatives and former schoolmates during the festival.
Asked to recall his most memorable Hari Raya experience, Hafiz replied,“I used to play “bunga api” (fireworks) with cousins at my late grandmother’s house during Raya.
“After that, my cousins and I would sleep together in the living room and chatted till late night.
“But we don’t do it anymore since our grandmother passed away,” shared Hafiz whose popular hits include Awan Nano, Noktah Cinta and Bahagiamu Deritaku.
The father of one-year-five-month old son, Muhammad Riyadh Zafri, Hafiz now is back with a new single entitled “Kisah Cinta Kita”.
Synonymous with ballade genre, he hopes his latest ballad will please fans who have been waiting him to release a new ballad song.
