From seeking husband's permission to choosing the perfect organiser: Malaysian girl group Elite shares tidbits behind Elite Live ‘25
The Elite Live '25 concert will see all five original members of the group — once dubbed the 'Malaysian Spice Girls' — take the stage on September 20 at Plenary Hall, Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC).
Members confirmed to perform include Abby Abadi, Azza Zawari, Linda Rafar, Watie Sadali and Sasha Saidin.
The concert also marks the group's 30th anniversary.
Hubby's green light
The founder of Icon Entertainment, Iman Tang (middle). — Picture by Firdaus Latiff
During the concert's press conference in KL — attended by all the members except Watie — Elite shared that they had a lot to discuss among themselves before agreeing to the comeback concert.
This included seeking permission from their respective husbands, as all the members are now married.
Abby and Sasha had no issues gaining approval from their husbands. Sasha, who recently tied the knot with Dubai-based entrepreneur Sirhan Wahab in January 2024, said it was easy on her part as her husband has been supportive of her career.
However, Linda and Azza admitted it took them some time to convince their spouses.
According to Linda, who's married to local actor and director Syed Aiman, her husband didn't give his blessing at first. However, after she convinced him that this was her chance to reunite with her groupmates, he eventually agreed.
Meanwhile, Azza, who is married to local businessman Azlan Zulaily, said her situation was similar to Linda's. She promised her husband she would manage her time well, especially since they run a business together.
'I actually told him when we got married that he's marrying a member of Elite, and at that time, Elite had already slowed down compared to how packed our schedule was back in the day.
'So he needs to understand that he's married to a member of Elite — and Elite consists of all five of us. If I'm not there, then they're incomplete.
'When I told him all the girls were coming back, he gave me his blessing,' Azza said.
Dress accordingly
Members of local girl group Elite (with the exception of Watie Sadali) from left to right; Abby Abadi, Azza Zawari, Linda Rafar and Sasha Saidin. — Picture by Firdaus Latiff
The Elite Live '25 concert is organised by Icon Entertainment, which was founded by Iman Tang, a veteran in the local entertainment industry with over 30 years of experience.
According to Tang, the main theme for Elite's upcoming concert is Catwalk, and concertgoers are encouraged to dress their best, as there will be a red carpet session.
However, Tang reminded attendees to dress appropriately and to be themselves.
This was also a nod to the Anugerah Juara Lagu 39 (AJL39) incident earlier this year, where several social media influencers faced backlash for cross-dressing, drawing criticism from the public.
This included remarks from the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM), which stated that it is against Islamic teachings for Muslim men to dress as women.
'To be honest, I don't watch AJL, and I'm not sure what happened at the last one — but I think, if possible, just be who we are.
'Check our ICs (identification cards) and be who you are,' Tang said.
Only the best
Elite admitted that the overwhelming support they received from their surprise appearance during KRU's four-day concert in May played a major role in their decision to hold their own solo show.
Prior to being approached by Icon Entertainment, Linda revealed that several local event organisers had offered to host their concert. However, the Trauma singer said they ultimately decided to go with Tang because they had more confidence in him.
'When we received the offer from Tang, we had several discussions among ourselves, because this is not a small thing.
'The responsibility we carry is huge, and we didn't want to do something that could embarrass us.
'That's why preparations are important, and we're confident that Tang and his team will take care of us. That's why we didn't accept other offers — we chose Tang because he can also guide us on our appearance and vocals,' Linda said.
Azza added that aside from offers by event organisers, they've also received interest from big brands seeking collaborations since their KRU performance.
Formed in 1995, Elite was the first act signed under KRU Records. Over five years with the label, they released several albums including Catwalk, Tamparan, Idola, Selamat Tinggal Teman, G.I.G, and Merbahaya.
Tickets for Elite Live '25 will go on sale starting June 26 at 2pm, with prices ranging from RM268 to RM1,088.
For more ticketing information, please visit www.ticket2u.com.my
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