This 16-Year-Old's Voice Led Her To Represent Malaysia Internationally
Charmaine Koh released her latest single, 'Why Don't You Live' on 10 September.
By Tamara Jayne — 15 Sep 2020, 03:39 PM
They say experience comes with age, but 16-year-old Charmaine Koh proves that it shouldn't hold you back from pursuing your goals
Born and raised in Kuala Lumpur, the up-and-coming singer's soulful voice will definitely give you goosebumps.
Having started her music career at just 12, she became the youngest Malaysian to bag two world championship awards, three gold medals, one silver, and a bronze at the World Championship Of Performing Arts (WCOPA) 2016, where she competed against talents from 62 countries!
Not only that, she managed to catch the attention of the judge, Marc E Williams, who has produced for artistes like Madonna, Destiny's Child, and Chris Brown
At 14, she debuted her first single, which was produced by Williams himself along with Los Angeles-based producer Christopher Roberts.
Within just two months, the single hit more than 200,000 streams.
But apart from performing, the young songstress handles everything else on her own, from marketing to managing and establishing herself as an artiste
"I would say, often people at my age don't exactly know for sure what they want to do in life, so I'm really lucky and thankful to be able to kickstart my career and to know that this is my passion and will be my passion for a really long time," she shares in an interview with SAYS.
When asked how she juggles studies and making music, Koh says that she's all about maximising her time by planning ahead.
"Sleeping early and getting up early helps! Sometimes, there are also certain sacrifices I have to make, for example, hanging out with friends or watching K-drama because 24 hours really isn't enough to do everything I want to do, you know," she adds.
"Although it can be stressful at times, like now (as I am close to taking my IGCSE), the love I have for my work outweighs my stress intake and this is what keeps me going forward."
Koh just released her latest EP, Why Don't You Live, on 10 September.
Check out the music video here:
This feature is part of the #saysplaylist series, providing your playlist with a breath of fresh Malaysian air
