Asiah Aman

Singing and acting career After the surrender of Japan, Asiah got her first paying job as a singer for a band called Tiga Serumpun at Radio Malaya in 1946. While working there, she taught Malay through songs when the station started broadcasting in schools. Asiah was soon offered a recording contract by British record label His Master's Voice (HMV), and recorded her first song, a Malay cover of "Bésame Mucho", in 1949 on the Pathé label, which became an instant success. Asiah recorded twenty more songs for HMV by the time she turned nineteen. Following World War II, bangsawan performances were on the decline, and bangsawan performers such as Asiah moved into the film industry. She also worked as a freelance singer after the war. She made her film debut in 1948 as a singer alongside P. Ramlee, a fellow singer in his debut, in Malay-language film Chinta , with Asiah and Ramlee singing the parts for actors and , respectively. She also performed with the band Kenchanawati. In the 1950s, Asiah travelled and performed overseas in Brunei and Sarawak with the Malay Women's Orchestra, making $400 to $500 a month. During this time, she still worked at Radio Malaya, hosting a radio show and recording for EMI. The film also featured songs by Zubir that were sung by Asiah, Ismail, and Sani Naneng. Her first acting role, Asiah was persuaded to attempt acting by Pelangi 's director Nas Achnas, who suggested her to try after hearing her singing talents. After Pelangi, Asiah ultimately decided that she was not interested in acting and decided to continue singing for radio broadcasts and workshops. In 1962, she was a part of a "cultural mission" to territories in Borneo – specifically Kuching, Brunei, and North Borneo – where she performed alongside other artistes. In 1975, Asiah retired after she gave her final live performance at Radio Televisyen Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur, where she performed multiple Malay songs.

Style Asiah's singing was described as "[mediating] between East and West and traditional and modern". She tended to adjust to the studio's microphone and sang with a lower pitched croon. For "Lihatlah" (; for the film Bahagia di Singapura), Asiah sang short phrases followed by the trumpet and saxophone, while also harmonising with the plucked bass and piano.

Personal life and death In 1955, Asiah married , a Malay singer whom she had previously met whilst working at Radio Malaya. Ismail died on 17 September 1994 in a motorcycle accident. She had five children with him, spending most of her time taking care of them and teaching them music. Among her children included Cultural Medallion recipient Iskandar Ismail (1956–2014). Asiah was also known for her interest in fashion, having designed and sewn together a few custom kebayas and baju kurungs. She had created her own fashion business, where she sold a modernised version of the kebaya that other female celebrities wore.

In 2015, a tribute concert at the Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, titled Si Cempaka Biru – Celebrating The Life of Nona Asiah, was held for her. It was organised by and included actors such as Imam Shah, who was her grandson. That same year, it was reported that she lived in a terrace house in Eunos. She was inducted into the Singapore Women's Hall of Fame in 2022.

On 30 July 2024, Asiah died at Changi General Hospital of heart complications at 94. She had been at the hospital for the previous two months suffering from heart, kidney, and lung problems. The following day, Asiah was brought to Ba'alwie Mosque and was buried at a Muslim cemetery in Lim Chu Kang.