Asiah Binte Abdul Rahman (Nona Asiah)

Asiah Binte Abdul Rahman (b. 29 November 1931, d. 30 July 2024), also known as Nona Asiah, was Singapore’s legendary songbird. She was born in Singapore to a bangsawan prima donna mother and a saxophonist father who was also an oil painter and the backdrop painter for bangsawan productions. During her childhood, she attended the Kampong Glam Malay School and later, Rochor Girls School where she finished her primary school education. During the war (1942-1945) Asiah and her mother held performances for the Japanese Army and would travel to their army camps in Seletar and Tengah,to sing and perform. The duo would be paid in rice and other daily necessities and only allowed to sing Malay and Japanese songs.

In 1946, Asiah was given her first paid singing job with the then Radio Malaya. Accompanying her was Tiga Serumpun, a trio that comprised of a pianist, a bassist and a guitarist. It was also at Radio Malaya that she would meet her future husband, Ismail Kassim who also sang with Tiga Serumpun. Whilst pursuing a career in music and singing, she also attended night classes to learn English.

Her career continued to blossom and soon HMV (His Master’s Voice) signed her on to sing Malay songs under Pathe Records. Coincidentally, Zubir Said (who would one day become Singapore’s national anthem composer) was appointed as a musical director for a new movie to be produced by Shaw Brothers and Zubir Said invited her to sing some songs for the upcoming film. She recorded a popular Mexican ballad “Besame Mucho” in 1949 which became a hit cover with local and international listeners. It was at this time in her career that Zubir Said gave her, his protégé, a stage name – Nona Asiah.

Nona Asiah’s career catapulted in the 1950s when she became one of the most sought-after singers in the Malay music and film industry. During this time, she also became a deejay, singer and storyteller for a programme for Singapore schools, broadcasted on Radio Malaya from 1950s-1960s which made her popular amongst students in Malaysia and Singapore. On the family front, two of her sons, Iskandar Mirza Ismail and Indra Shahrir Ismail became big names in the Singapore music industry and two of the only known Malay musicians of their time to have graduated from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, USA in the 1980s.

When Singapore separated from Malaysia in 1965, there was an exodus of creative talent who went over to Malaysia to help start the entertainment industry in Kuala Lumpur. Nona Asiah chose to stay in Singapore and continued her singing career here, solidifying her pioneering experience in radio work in a newly independent Singapore.

A very progressive and modern woman of her time, Nona Asiah retired from performing at the age of 45. Post retirement, she continued to dedicate her life to the industry by  mentoring and educating young talents who were trained to perform for children’s TV specials with the then RTS (Radio Television Singapore) and SBC (Singapore Broadcasting Corporation). She also became the first female record producer in the 1970s when she produced a few LPs and EPs of children songs consisting of original compositions by her son Iskandar Mirza and sung by Indra Shahrir.

In recognition of her lifetime contributions, commitment and outstanding artistic talent, Nona Asiah was awarded the Cultural Medallion in 2016 by the National Arts Council,the Republic’s highest artistic accolade.  Not only was she awarded the Medallion, she also helped “produced” a Cultural Medallion recipient. Earlier in 2008, her son Iskandar Mirza was awarded the Cultural Medallion for his dedication to local and international music. Sadly, Iskandar Mirza passed away of cancer in 2014.

In 2022 Nona Asiah was inducted into the Singapore Women’s Hall of Fame. In the words of the late Yusnor Ef, himself a Cultural Medallion recipient from 2011: “For me, Nona Asiah is a true rare gem in the Malay music industry. She exhibited two key qualities that all musicians should aspire to have. These are: a good voice; and a true commitment to the music and not just performing for the sake of money, fame and glamour.”

Asiah Binte Abdul Rahman, or Nona Asiah as she was fondly known and remembered, passed away peacefully on 30^th July 2024 at the Changi General Hospital. The treasure trove of legacy she left behind is unsurpassed for generations to come.

To learn more about Nona Asiah’s journey from a bangsawan family to becoming one of Singapore’s celebrated singers, you can access her oral history interview here.

Author
Rilla Melati Bahri

References
1. 2018 Nona Asiah, National Arts Council, Legacy: The Musical Journey of Nona Asiah
2. 2010, DuaM Pte Ltd, Lagu-Lagu Kita
3. 2017 27 April Wikipedia “Nona Asiah”

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The information in this article is valid as of October 2025 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic. If you have any feedback on this article, please submit it here.