Noraniza Idris

With decade after decade of multiple ethnic pop releases since she debuted in the 1980s, Noraniza Idris is the undisputed queen of Irama Malaysia. And although the uniquely local genre has fallen out of vogue in the 21st century, it has spurred something in the veteran—she’s made reviving the genre her raison d’être. Idris now mentors younger acts through her own label and her output still puts ethnic pop in the media spotlight. But her legacy alone keeps the genre alive, even outside of the country—classic dikir barat mash-up “Dikir Puteri” was performed on The Voice Thailand.