By: Nurul Fazliana Norman
KOTA KINABALU: Sept 12, 2026 – After 16 years away from recording, singer and ERA Sabah radio announcer Emma Suhaimi has returned with her latest single, “Tersakiti”, which highlights stories of hurt and life experiences close to listeners.
The former eighth-season Akademi Fantasia (AF8) contestant said the song is not only about romantic relationships but can also be related to various situations, including family, career and daily life.
“I want this song to be a voice for people who go through such stories but don’t tell anyone. Let the song speak,” she said when met at Studio TV Sabah yesterday.
According to Emma, the recording process was also challenging as she took about two months to familiarise herself with the song’s emotions before recording in Indonesia.
“Once I got into the song, I found it hard to stop,” she added.
She said “Tersakiti” recorded more than 7,000 uses on social media within three weeks, and also received karaoke, cover and techno versions.
Emma said the response was beyond her expectations and hoped fans would continue to support the work through digital streaming platforms.
After “Tersakiti”, Emma does not want to wait too long to produce new work and plans to release her next single about every three months.
“Maybe after three months, another new song will be released. After another three months, another one, until I can make a mini album and a proper showcase for Emma Suhaimi.”
Meanwhile, Emma admitted she is still nervous after returning to produce her own work, especially when thinking about listeners’ acceptance of the song.
She said that after a long period in the industry, what matters now is having the courage to produce work that truly represents her.
Emma also reminded those going through a difficult phase not to look for shortcuts to heal their sadness.
“There is no shortcut to healing sadness and pain, but you can go through it to become a stronger person,” she said.
