THE rain did little to dampen the spirits of more than 63,000 fans at Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza's Gema Bumantara concert at the TM National Stadium Bukit Jalil recently.
The show opened at 8.30pm with a lively silat performance before Siti made her entry with 'Mahligai Permata', setting the tone for a celebration of traditional Malaysia music and culture.
Throughout the three-hour performance, fans were glued to their seats, singing along and cheering for the pop star.
Backed by the Leman Band and the Malaysian Traditional Orchestra (OTM), Siti performed more than 30 songs from six traditional albums released across her career: 'Cindai' (1997), 'Seri Balas' (1999) recorded with Noraniza Idris, 'Sahmura' (2000), 'Sanggar Mustika' (2002), 'Lentera Timur' (2008) and 'Gema Bumantara' (2025).
REGIONAL TALENT AND SHARED HERITAGE
The atmosphere was made even livelier with guest appearances by Indonesian singers King Nassar and Lesti Kejora, who were mentored by the late composer Datuk Suhaimi Mohd Zain, fondly known as Pak Ngah.
Siti teamed up with King Nassar for energetic renditions of 'Ikan Dalam Kolam', 'Seperti Mati Lampu' and 'Pandang Pandang, Jeling Jeling'.
She later shared the stage with Lesti for 'Kumbang Bunga' and 'Zapin Melayu'. Fan could instantly feel their shared love for traditional music.
The night was so much more than just a concert, it was a full-on cultural celebration packed with traditional dances, classic costumes and a wayang kulit show.
The wayang kulit segment was a massive hit, especially when Siti took over the screen as the master puppeteer under the playful nickname 'Mek Ti'.
She even had the crowd delighted with a short rendition, 'Adek Saye Abe Sore', in flawless Kelantanese dialect.
And just before she launched into 'Walinong Sari', actress Izara Aishah surprised everyone with her appearance, stealing the spotlight with a graceful silat bunga routine.
NOSTALGIC REUNIONS AND SPECIAL MOMENTS
Midway through the show, Siti took a moment to remind fans why keeping these roots alive matters.
"I want to show that our Malaysian music is just as good as other music out there. We should promote our own culture because it deserves to be showcased on a big stage," she said.
A standout moment came when legendary singer Noraniza Idris joined Siti on stage for 'Hati Kama'.
The duet marked their long-awaited reunion performance of the track after 26 years.
Another crowd-pleaser saw actor Zariff Ghazi ride out on a trishaw, pedalling Siti around the stadium as she sang 'Kurik Kundi'.
The concert also featured two touching tribute segments for the late Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali and Pak Ngah, whose classic compositions helped shape Siti's traditional music repertoire.
And when it cam to the grand finale, Siti delivered four of her biggest hits — 'Ya Maulai', 'Balqis', 'Nirmala' and 'Cindai', bringing the entire stadium to its feet.
STAR-STUDDED AUDIENCE
The VIP guests at the show included Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh.
Meanwhile, Malaysian artistes Hael Husaini, Dayang Nurfaizah, Aina Abdul, Wani Kayrie, Aisha Retno and Siti Khadijah Halim were also spotted in the crowd.
In a post on Threads after the event, Anwar praised Siti and her team for their efforts to preserve local heritage.
"The traditional music, zapin and joget dances, wayang kulit and traditional costumes showed the richness of the region's cultural heritage, which should be protected and passed on to future generations.
"Congratulations to Siti and the entire team behind this meaningful performance. May the arts and culture continue to flourish as a source of strength for our national identity," he wrote.
The prime minister also commended the fans for braving the weather, noting that their presence showed a true love for the local music industry and unwavering support for Siti.
As the final notes echoed across the stadium that night, Gema Bumantara proved that traditional music still holds a special place in Malaysian hearts.
And judging by the thousands who turned up, Siti's grand celebration of culture hit all the right notes.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd