Be careful changing ethnic songs, I was told to find the ethnic 'air' until it was right - Noraniza Idris | Ratu Irama Malaysia Noraniza Idris advises singers to be careful when altering vocal styles in ethnic songs, emphasizing the need to preserve authenticity and learn from strict guidance, drawing from her own experience training under the late maestro Pak Ngah.

Malaysian pop icon Noraniza Idris is urging singers of traditional ethnic music to exercise caution and precision when adapting vocal styles. She warns that misinterpreting or incorrectly applying improvisational techniques can fundamentally alter and damage the authentic identity of these traditional songs.

"Why should the improvisational vocal style become Minangkabau? Our vocal style in ethnic music must be close to the ethnic group's instruments to convey the true soul," Noraniza stated on her Threads account. She cautioned that improvising incorrectly could lead to internal conflict within the music, though she acknowledged such attempts are valuable learning experiences.

Noraniza, a celebrated figure in Malaysian Irama Malaysia (Malaysian ethnic rhythm music), shared her insights in response to a performance on the program Big Stage. While praising the vocal quality of young talents, she recalled her own rigorous training under the late renowned music maestro, Pak Ngah. She emphasized that her learning process involved direct feedback and a mandate to refine her technique until the authentic ethnic 'feel' was achieved.

"When I was studying with Pak Ngah, there were no teachers like now, no praise at all. If it was wrong, it was immediately called wrong, and I was told to go back and find the ethnic 'air' until it was right," she explained. Noraniza finds this direct approach more effective for growth than overly gentle feedback that might lead to complacency.