You can’t stop the music – even when you are a politician. That was how the band Priwayat was formed, with Penang state assemblypersons Zairil Khir Johari and Syerleena Abdul Rashid as its most prominent members.

However, just because they are politicians, it doesn’t mean their songs are political. Although the band was formed a few months ago, they have already released a collection of five songs in an EP called Suralaya.

We recently had the opportunity to talk to lead guitarist Syerleena, the more experienced musician of the two, and ask her all about the music.

What’s the story behind Priwayat?

“[We are] five individuals who got together and started a band – just like how any band starts out – but I guess, we can’t run away from the fact that Zairil and I both just happen to be in politics.

“Sometime during the MCO, we both started jamming and started writing original material. I asked old friends of mine, Shanks (also from Damn Dirty Apes and Coma) to play bass and Zam (from Vigil and Leather Charms) to sing, who then brought in Jern (from Sepatu 69) to play drums.

“The energy the other band mates bring is so positive and nurturing. Although we formed the band in June, we have written quite a lot of materials already. Our EP Suralaya is out on Spotify and Apple Music, and the music video for our first single Terbanglah is directed by Amir Johari and is on YouTube.”

How did you start getting into music?

“For me, I’ve been playing the guitar since high school, and have been in various bands before. The last band I was in was a Penang powerpop-alternative rock band called PAKU, with my brother, Riz (who is a guitarist and plays with Brian Gomez’s Putrabumi as well as The Endleaves) but the band broke up in 2010, and I became more involved and active in politics.

“Music has always been a part of me but I kind of stopped for a while. It was only after I got into an accident late last year, where I broke my leg and was bedridden for two months, that I started playing the guitar again.”

How do you view music?

“Music is an art form and a way to express thoughts as well as feelings. I guess you can say in Priwayat, we use music as another medium to tell stories and thoughts. Music evokes and provokes at the same time, and can heal tremendously.”

Is music in Malaysia uniting or divisive?

“It’s both, but it depends on who you ask. While music can unite (musicians, individuals, ideas, etc.) there is also a divisive element. Specifically, how mainstream music fails to promote what are perceived as ‘underground’ or independent artistes.

“Malaysia will never run out of talent, but what is often promoted are certain specific genres. I don’t think that’s healthy. The lack of support for local musicians is something that I feel needs to change. I would love to see talents like Azmyl Yunor, Iqbal M, Putrabumi, Milo Dinosaur, and Couple grace TV1 and TV3.”

What do you think the future of music, the one you are involved in, looks like?

“The future is rather bleak, but not permanent. One of the first casualties of the pandemic were musicians and performing artistes – and the future of the industry is still left uncertain. This pandemic is extremely unpredictable, and never have we faced situations this fluid in our lifetimes before.

“What governments can do is to continue planning and coming up with policies as well as initiatives to help alleviate the current quagmire we face. In addition to that, individuals and society as a whole have to play their part as well. Follow the SOPs, flatten the curve and be as vigilant as possible.”

THE fourth season of the half-hour comedy series Young Sheldon returns to Warner TV same day as the US today at 8.35pm.

New episodes premiere every Friday at the same time. In this season, after graduating high school, Sheldon has a breakdown when he realises he may not be ready for college.

Young Sheldon stars Iain Armitage, Zoe Perry, Lance Barber, Montana Jordan, Raegan Revord and Matt Hobby, with Annie Potts and Jim Parsons as the voice of adult Sheldon.

For young Sheldon Cooper (Armitage), it isn’t easy growing up in East Texas.

Being a once-in-a-generation mind capable of advanced mathematics and science isn’t always helpful in a land where church and football are king.

And while the vulnerable, gifted and somewhat naive Sheldon deals with the world, his very normal family must find a way to deal with him.

His father, George (Barber), is struggling to find his way as a high school football coach and as father to a boy he doesn’t understand.

Sheldon’s mother, Mary (Perry), fiercely protects and nurtures her son in a town where he just doesn’t fit in.

Sheldon’s older brother, Georgie (Jordan), does the best he can in high school, but it’s tough to be cool when you’re in the same classes with your odd younger brother.

Sheldon’s twin sister, Missy (Revord), sometimes resents all the attention Sheldon gets, but also remains the one person who can reliably tell Sheldon the truth.

Finally, there’s Sheldon’s beloved Meemaw (Potts), his foul-mouthed, hard-drinking typical Texas grandmother who is very supportive of her quirky grandson and his unique gifts.

SHE was discovered in 2017 at the Kuala Lumpur Drama Festival. Only 20 years old at the time, Nur Qamariena Diana Zulreal did not expect that acting would be her career.

“I have always wanted to be an actor. It was a distant dream, something that I always thought about, but never thought I would achieve.

“Now it is a part of my life, it is a lot of work and it keeps me busy, but it is my passion,” said the 23-year-old actress better known as Riena Diana.

Her most recent – and arguably her most well-known – role is as the wild and flamboyant Rusiah, also known as Laila, in the TV comedy-drama Kampung People. The show also stars Rashidi Ishak, Elly Mazlain, and Kamarul Eqifshah.

Having only started acting three years ago, Riena admits that she still has a lot to learn, especially when it comes to developing a character.

“I am still relatively new in the entertainment scene, so I am still learning the various ways on how to create a character.

“However, I always begin by reading the script multiple times to understand the story.

“Based on that, I form the character, not just her demeanour and personality, but little things like her age, her favourite food, what she wears, and even her full name if it comes to that,” added Riena.

When it comes to the pandemic, Riena continues to be conscious not only on set, but especially with fans. While some recognise her and want to take photos with her, she avoids such attention by adhering to safety advice issued by the Health Ministry.

“As for the industry itself, I don’t see it changing because of the pandemic. Recording of films and dramas are still going on. However, it is the actors and the crew behind the camera who are the most affected.

“There are some who have lost their jobs, and even now, abiding by the new standard operating procedures for the pandemic, during production, is not easy. When it is impossible, filming stops, which affects more people.

“I pray for them, those in the entertainment industry and those who are affected. The industry itself is big, and I’ve heard a lot of theories about those whose livelihoods are affected. I hope everyone can recover,” said Riena.

With all that said, she still has hope for the local entertainment industry, especially for its many talents.

“Yes, I have confidence in the Malaysian entertainment industry because I see that we have a lot of talented actors. There are even those who have ventured out to ply their craft in neighbouring countries.

“I think Malaysian actors can go far because of their talents, and it gives me hope for my own career,” said Riena.

“I hope there is a place for me among them. And I believe that if I continue to learn and gain experience, I will be able to be as good as them someday.”

BLACK Widow star Scarlett Johansson has married her Saturday Night Live fiance, Colin Jost, in a low-key ceremony.

News of the wedding was announced on Oct 29 by the charity Meals on Wheels, which said the couple were supporting the group’s efforts to help elderly people during the coronavirus pandemic.

“We’re thrilled to break the news that Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost were married over the weekend in an intimate ceremony with their immediate family and love ones, following COVID-19 safety precautions,“ Meals on Wheels America said on its Instagram account.

“Their wedding wish is to help make a difference for vulnerable older adults during this difficult time,“ the charity said, asking fans of the couple to make a donation.

Johansson’s representative confirmed the news.

Johansson and Jost, a writer and comedian on television sketch show Saturday Night Live, started dating about three years ago and got engaged in May 2019.

It is the first marriage for Jost, 38, and the third for Johansson, 35, who was previously married to actor Ryan Reynolds and French businessman Romain Dauriac, with whom she has a daughter.

Johansson is one of the world’s highest-paid actresses thanks to roles that range from playing the Black Widow in comic book movies “Iron Man 2” and the “Avengers” franchise to independent fare like 2019’s “Marriage Story,“ for which she received an Oscar nomination.

The standalone movie Black Widow is expected to be released in May 2021.- Reuters

JAPAN-based Malaysian filmmaker Lim Kah Wai shares his dream of a better future in a new world “where cherry blossom trees will always be in full bloom” in Come and Go, the final instalment of his trilogy set against the backdrop of Japan’s second-largest city of Osaka.

Come and Go, a continuation of his two previous movies New World and Fly Me to Minami made 10 years ago, is Lim’s most ambitious movie so far and it depicts the struggles of local and foreign workers as they strive to achieve their dreams in a country facing a boom in its tourism, film and even halal industries.

Lim is very excited as the film has been selected to be presented at the 33rd Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF), which will take place from Oct 31 until Nov 9.

“The festival is an opportunity for me to showcase my film to the Japanese audience (on the big screen) since most cinemas in Japan have reopened after the easing of the lockdown imposed during the Covid-19 pandemic,” he told Bernama in an interview recently.

Lim had returned to Kuala Lumpur for Chinese New Year in January this year and was “stranded” in the country following the enforcement of the movement control order (MCO) in March. He returned to Osaka, where he is now mostly based, earlier this month.

Lim, 47, graduated with a degree in electrical engineering from Osaka University in 1998. He worked in Tokyo for six years before quitting his job to study directing at the Beijing Film Academy in China. He has so far made eight films, including the trilogy.

Lim won the Audience and Technical Contribution Award by Cineastes Organisation Osaka for the first instalment of his trilogy New World which is based on a Chinese tourist’s experiences of a Japan she has never known before and is set against Osaka’s history and charm.

Eight short stories

Come and Go, which is vying for the audience award at TIFF, features eight stories – filmed against the backdrop of the mesmerising beauty of the brief cherry blossom season – and 14 principal pan-Asian characters hailing from Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Hong Kong, China, South Korea and Japan.

The movie depicts their struggle to find solace in the business district of Umeda in contemporary Osaka where they work but all of them share the same dream of a better future.

“That’s the reality of life (now) as people, irrespective of whether they are Japanese or foreigners, grow more introverted without any care for political issues or other issues affecting society as their main aim is to make more money.

“We live in a parallel world since we all have our own problems and our own lives,” he explained.

On the difference between Come and Go and his earlier two films, Lim said his latest movie shows Osaka as a more vibrant cosmopolitan city compared to 10 years ago.

“The city is a magnet for business executives and more foreigners are working there too. Tourism has been booming too, spurred by AirAsia flights to Japan,” he said.

He said although Osaka as a homogenised city in Japan has opened up to foreigners – especially with the influx of foreign workers – cultural and social barriers still exist.

“Most of the characters and episodes in Come and Go are based on my own observations and experience of the dreams and goals of both the Japanese and foreigners, including the social skeletons,” Lim enthused.

Suspense thriller

The short stories in Come and Go – features a travel executive from Malaysia on a business trip to Japan; a refugee from Nepal who works in Japan to build his dream of owning a restaurant; a student from Myanmar working part-time; a migrant worker from Vietnam; and a tourist from China.

It also portrays a Japanese girl who has to work as a nude model to make ends meet, a porn video director from Okinawa, a porn addict from Taiwan, a Japanese police detective, a Japanese language teacher and a half-Japanese, half-American odd-job worker.

As the Japanese and foreigners grow more indifferent towards one another, it is only apt that the film opens with a discovery of the skeletal remains of an elderly Japanese woman whose body lies unnoticed for months in her own home.

On the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on cinemas, Lim said in Japan, the people are now trying to get their lives back in order after a prolonged period of deflation and falling consumer prices, and they are now realising the importance of cinemas and the film industry in their lives.

While in Malaysia recently, Lim went backpacking across Sabah and Sarawak for one-and-a-half months after the movement restrictions were eased, looking for inspiration for his next film which is likely to be set in either one of the Bornean states.

“I am thinking about a suspense thriller set in a beautiful seaside in Sabah or Sarawak. Hopefully, I can complete the script next year and approach some producers and make it happen,” he added. – Bernama