Yuna Quotes

Powerful Yuna for Daily Growth

About Yuna

Yuna Quotes, born Zara Amirah Abdul Aalam bin Zairudin on November 16, 1986, in Terengganu, Malaysia, is a renowned singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who has made significant contributions to contemporary Malay music. Raised in a musical family, Yuna's interest in music began at an early age as she learned to play the guitar from her older brother. Yuna's career took off when she won the Anugerah Nasyid competition at 16 years old. She went on to study at Berklee College of Music in Boston, where she honed her skills and expanded her musical horizons. After graduating, Yuna returned to Malaysia and began performing locally, quickly gaining popularity with her soulful voice and heartfelt lyrics. In 2011, Yuna signed with Universal Music Group and released her debut English album, 'Yuna,' which included the hit single 'Live Your Life.' The album was a commercial success and helped establish Yuna as a prominent figure in the global music scene. In the years that followed, she released several more albums, including 'Chapters' (2013) and 'Rouge' (2016). Yuna's music is influenced by various genres such as R&B, soul, and indie pop, but her unique sound is characterized by its introspective lyrics and melodic guitar riffs. Her songs often revolve around themes of love, relationships, self-discovery, and the struggles of modern life. Yuna's achievements extend beyond music. In 2017, she was named one of Forbes Asia's 30 Under 30 in the entertainment and sports category. She is also a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for Malaysia, using her platform to raise awareness about various social issues. Today, Yuna continues to captivate audiences worldwide with her music, proving that talent, determination, and a unique voice can transcend borders and cultures.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Believe in yourself and all that you want to achieve will come true."

This quote underscores self-belief as a powerful tool for personal achievement. It suggests that if one has faith in oneself, one's aspirations are more likely to be realized. Essentially, it encourages individuals to trust in their abilities, set goals, and persist in pursuing them with unwavering conviction.

"Don't stop believing, even when it seems like no one else does."

This quote by Yuna encourages perseverance and optimism in the face of adversity or isolation. It suggests that one should never lose faith in oneself or give up on one's dreams, even if it appears that others have abandoned hope. The message is a reminder to stay strong, keep believing, and continue pursuing goals with unwavering determination, knowing that success often requires persistence against all odds.

"It doesn't matter where you come from or how you start, but where you are going and who you become."

This quote by Yuna emphasizes that one's origin or initial circumstances do not determine their destiny or potential for growth. Instead, it highlights the importance of setting goals and striving to become the best version of oneself, regardless of where they started in life. Essentially, this quote is a reminder that every individual has the power to shape their own future and create their own identity, beyond the limitations of their past or circumstances.

"Always remember that you have the strength inside of you to achieve anything you set your mind to."

This quote by Yuna encourages individuals to believe in their inner power and potential. It suggests that no matter what goals or aspirations one may have, they possess the internal fortitude required to accomplish them. The key is to maintain faith in oneself and set a clear intention for what one wishes to achieve. In essence, it's a call to action: tap into your inner strength and transform dreams into reality.

"When faced with challenges, don't give up, use it as an opportunity to grow stronger."

The quote by Yuna underscores resilience and personal growth in the face of adversity. It suggests that rather than abandoning our efforts when we encounter obstacles, we should embrace them as chances to strengthen ourselves, gaining valuable experience and skills along the way. This perspective encourages a mindset of continuous learning and determination, emphasizing that challenges are not insurmountable, but opportunities for self-improvement and development.

'Sixth Street' is probably a new chapter for me. All of the songs were written in my apartment where I'm most comfortable, and at that point, I understood who I was and knew what I was feeling about life.

- Yuna

New, Knew, About, Chapter

Whenever I Google for clothes, I always look at what Angelina Jolie is wearing. I love Sienna Miller, and I really like Rihanna's style, too. There's the edgy girl, classy girl, and the Bohemian chic girl. I guess I'm all of that combined into one.

- Yuna

Love, Classy, Chic, Bohemian

Lupe Fiasco is kinda cool. I like him a lot.

- Yuna

Cool, Like, Lot, Fiasco

My label understands that I am really attached to Malaysia, that I come home a lot.

- Yuna

I Am, Attached, Lot, Label

I feel very honoured and humbled to have people think, 'If Yuna can break through, then why can't we?' It takes a lot of work, but I tell people to just have that focus. Always be humble and a learner, practice and do research.

- Yuna

Humble, Through, Very, Honoured

I love Feist. I love Francoise Hardy. She was a French singer-songwriter in the '60s who was pretty huge. I think I'm drawn to her sincerity. I love Fiona Apple, too - she's quirky and really honest in her lyrics.

- Yuna

Love, I Think, Hardy

My style is all I have. When I go on stage, that's me in my comfort zone. It's not a costume. It's just me. And I want every woman to feel that way.

- Yuna

Woman, Want, Go, Comfort Zone

I didn't take music seriously in the beginning. It just kind of a hobby to me. It was something that I love doing for fun.

- Yuna

Love, Beginning, Doing, Hobby

In Malaysia, we have a lot of divas, like Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey singers. And they were all so so talented, just very talented. For example, there's this one jazz singer, her name is Sheila Majid, and I was always singing her songs.

- Yuna

Singer, Jazz, Very, None

I come from a jazzy, acoustic, folky background. Everything has to work with melodies; the words have to have meaning.

- Yuna

Work, Background, Melodies, Jazzy

I grew up listening to a lot of different types of music, and R&B in particular was something that I loved - Aaliyah, Usher, Alicia Keys, TLC.

- Yuna

Listening, Keys, Types, TLC

Being in the public eye, you can't really avoid a lot of questions. A lot of questions are being thrown at you, whether it's about your personal life or your personal beliefs, and I'm happy to answer them all.

- Yuna

Happy, Questions, About, Public Eye

I'm a huge 'SK-II' person. I'm their Malaysian spokesperson. But I truly love their products - it's not just something that I endorse. I always moisturize with the SK-II Essential Power Rich Cream.

- Yuna

Love, Rich, Always, Spokesperson

Eid is here! On the first day, it is a custom for all Malaysian Muslims to ask for forgiveness from our parents. We kiss their hands and wish them 'Selamat Hari Raya' or 'Eid Mubarak.' 'Maaf Zahir dan Batin' means 'to apologize in spirit and actions.'

- Yuna

Kiss, Hands, Here, Apologize

The first time I heard Adam Feeney and Chester Stone Hansen's 'Vibez,' it was used in Drake's '0-100' as a sample.

- Yuna

Used, Sample, Adam, Stone

I use the 'Too Faced Chocolate Bar Eye Shadow' Palette every day. I've tried a bunch of stuff, but this is my favorite. For eyebrows, I use the 'Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow' Pomade in Dark Brown, and for mascara, I don't use anything else but 'Urban Decay Perversion' Mascara.

- Yuna

Shadow, Every Day, Use, Hills

People think it's very strange because I love whale watching - you don't see whales a lot where I'm from.

- Yuna

Love, Think, Very, Whales

A lot of the songs are based on my previous relationship. It didn't work out. I lost him, and it ruined me. I had to learn to get back on my feet. I used that heartbreak to create something really beautiful.

- Yuna

Feet, Heartbreak, Back, Ruined

People pay attention to artists and celebrities, so they have the opportunity to do something great with this limelight. I, for one, have no problem with Kanye running for president, because if it's something that he truly believes in and it can lead to greater good, why not? I'm all for that.

- Yuna

Good, Why, Celebrities, Why Not

I enjoy fashion and taking the effort to present myself well, and I'm glad that a lot of people refer to me as a 'Hijabster'. I'm not the greatest fan of the term, but I think girls everywhere should be confident in their own skin and be inspired to look and feel good inside and out.

- Yuna

Confident, Own, I Think, Refer

I've always been singing all my life, but I started playing guitar when I was 19, and that was my final year in university, in law school. I think that happened when I started making a lot of friends who were in the independent music scene.

- Yuna

My Life, Been, Music Scene, Law School

In my final year of law school, everything became real. Malaysian TV shows wanted me to perform big concerts. So, after graduating, I decided to go for it. I didn't think I'd be a good lawyer anyway.

- Yuna

Big, TV, Became, Law School

For Eid - or Raya, as the Malaysians call it - we love to shop for new clothes for the festive season. There will be open houses to go to, and Malaysians love to look good for these.

- Yuna

Love, New, Shop, Season

I don't really like the idea of putting myself in any category now... I think that people are looking for music that's real and honest and that they can relate to emotionally.

- Yuna

Think, I Think, Putting, Category

I try to look at people like Adele and Norah Jones, who are very successful but don't have to deal with scandals.

- Yuna

Deal, Like, Very, None

If I get to a place early in the morning, I try to walk around by myself. I still try to find cool places to go to, like a record store in St. Louis or some restaurant in Chicago.

- Yuna

Find, Some, Around, Record Store

'Places to Go' is something that I would never normally write because I would usually be worried with what people would think about me.

- Yuna

Think, Go, About, Normally

It's like with feminism. We talk a lot about feminism meaning complete freedom, and for some people, that means, like, 'Free the nipple!' But there's another end of the feminist spectrum, and that's where people like me are.

- Yuna

Some, Another, About, Complete Freedom

Sometimes I have a melody in my head; sometimes it's just a verse. I read lines from a book or movies that I watch and grab a few quotes and start writing on paper. From there, I record a really rough version and work on the song.

- Yuna

Book, Sometimes, Rough, Verse

I started singing very early. I was six or seven years old, and I was singing along to TV commercials and figuring out, 'Oh, hey, I can sing in tune. This is really cool.' But the songwriting thing came much much later, when I was 19 years old.

- Yuna

Songwriting, Very, TV, Hey

'Material' is meant to be a fun, lighthearted song about the tiny bit of materialism that's in all of us. The message is meant to translate the notion that you don't need luxury items to feel special; you already are special.

- Yuna

Feel, Lighthearted, About, Meant To Be

Being in the spotlight, you know, you tend to kind of forget who you are. And being an artist... it could be a very superficial job. It could be very pretentious as well.

- Yuna

Artist, Kind, Very, Pretentious

I'm based here in L.A., but I think in the future I might consider settling down in Malaysia when I start a family.

- Yuna

Think, Here, Based, Settling

There's a lot of buying power from the Middle East. Girls from Dubai want to be able to wear Asos, and you have people travelling all the way to the States just to go shopping.

- Yuna

Want, Middle, Travelling, Shopping

I was doing quite well in Malaysia... Everyone was so excited about my music, and they started accepting me as an artist.

- Yuna

Doing, Excited, Everyone, Accepting

I write songs about love because, above all, love is the most human thing we have together. Feelings are a part of us every day. You feel things every day, no matter where you are. So that's what I write about.

- Yuna

Love, Every Day, I Write, Feelings

When I was younger I would go to the airport with my friends and drive out 2 A.M., 3 A.M. in the morning and just hang out until sunrise watching planes fly in and fly out. Just sit there and dream about how, one day, that's going to be us in those flights. We're gonna be one of those people with places to go.

- Yuna

Sunrise, One Day, Hang, Sit

I think I draw my inspiration from a lot of conversations that I had with people or my friends and combine them together with my own personal experience.

- Yuna

Think, My Own, I Think, Combine

The working environment in L.A. is really refreshing, really good. Because in Malaysia, it's a small country - you end up working with the same people that you like and that you know.

- Yuna

Small, Country, Like, Refreshing

I came from a strong jazz/ singer-songwriter/folk influence, but in L.A., I learned how to have a balance between all these genres and R&B music and hip-hop, mixing them all together.

- Yuna

Strong, Jazz, Learned, Hip-Hop

It's something that I do every year - every Ramadan to be exact - taking an 18-hour flight back home to Malaysia from Los Angeles. I'm born and raised in Malaysia, and Ramadan and Eid has always been my favorite time of the year.

- Yuna

Flight, Year, Been, Exact

A lot of people tend to go into the music industry and be really - what do you call it? - oblivious to everything that comes with it.

- Yuna

People, Go, Industry, Oblivious

I like that I don't have to conform to the normal women-in-music-selling-sex-appeal thing.

- Yuna

Normal, Like, Thing, Conform

I didn't expect to have music as my main thing. I always thought I was going to be a lawyer. When I graduated, I was doing really well with my music in Malaysia. I had stable income, and I had really good momentum in the music industry, so I had to make a decision whether to stop that and continue being a lawyer.

- Yuna

Doing, Income, Main Thing, Graduated

I wasn't trained to be in front of a camera, so there were a lot of challenges at first. But I didn't want to be fake.

- Yuna

Challenges, Want, Trained, Camera

I feel like fashion and music relate to each other in a lot of ways. I always had to be creative: I'm a very creative person. I always liked making stuff. Apart from music, I always liked making clothes. You're able to express yourself.

- Yuna

Feel, Other, Very, Apart

For 'Chapters', I decided to let go of my insecurities, found myself some talented R&B producers, and worked with them.

- Yuna

Myself, Some, Chapters, Let Go

In San Francisco, I eat halal, which is kind of like Muslim kosher, and there's this one Thai restaurant, and it's right next to the 'Great American Hall'. I'm there all the time whenever I'm in town; that's my spot.

- Yuna

Next, Muslim, Francisco, Thai

You learn so much about yourself as an artist. I never would have thought that I could sing every night, you know? Travel and perform every single night, and travel to another city the next day and do it all over again? You learn a lot of new things about yourself, and you make a lot of connections with people.

- Yuna

Thought, Next, Single Night, Every Night

I think feminism is that you just have to stick it all out. I remember this one time when someone interviewed me, and I was young, and they said, 'Do you see yourself as a feminist?' And I was like, 'I don't know. I'm not really comfortable calling myself a feminist.'

- Yuna

Young, I Remember, I Think, One Time

Sometimes when you're a songwriter, you kind of have this egotistic thing: you just want to write something that you love, and you don't care about if people like it or not, but personally, I want to write something that people can jive to.

- Yuna

Love, Kind, Like, Songwriter

Being a musician and artist can feel superficial at times - you talk about yourself every day and pose for photos for the magazines and newspapers, and it can be very tiring for your well-being.

- Yuna

Well-Being, Artist, Very, Tiring

I always put on M.A.C. Prep and Primer before anything.

- Yuna

Always, Before, Put, Prep

I really believed that my songs were good enough for the whole world to listen to. I had fans from America or the U.K. who would be like, 'Oh my God, I love your music'.

- Yuna

Love, Had, Whole, Believed

I think when I first started out making music here in Los Angeles, a lot of people were really curious about my ethnicity, and you know, whatever questions they had, I'd be more than happy to answer them.

- Yuna

Here, Ethnicity, I Think, Los Angeles

Being a musician, it's my job to be real and be true to whoever I am. Hopefully that will inspire other people. I hope it inspires people to be themselves and be comfortable in your own skin.

- Yuna

Skin, Own, Other, Be Real

I was truly honored to work with legendary DJ and producer DJ Premier. I still can't believe I have a track with Premier; it really is one of the best songs I've written in a long time.

- Yuna

Work, DJ, Still, Premier

Fame is definitely a monster: it can suck you in and spit you out and change you. The biggest challenge is to remain yourself regardless of what people say about you.

- Yuna

Change, About, Remain, Suck

I grew up listening to a lot of Malaysian pop music, which is kind of like a mixture of traditional and pop... I was also listening to a lot of English music as well.

- Yuna

Listening, Like, Which, Pop Music

Racism is everywhere - the older generations in Malaysia still say things like, 'She's darker-skinned; maybe don't marry her,' and it's very judgmental. A lot of girls do try to get fairness cream to lighten their skin, and I'm against all of that.

- Yuna

Against, Maybe, Very, Malaysia

I think, from the very beginning, I always knew that I needed to get out of Malaysia and do my thing somewhere else.

- Yuna

Think, Always, Very, Malaysia

Home, to me, is where I am and where I feel most comfortable. Obviously, Malaysia is home. In L.A., my home is my apartment because that's my Malaysia.

- Yuna

Feel, I Feel, Obviously, Malaysia

A lot of people think that because I'm from Malaysia, I'm driven by Malaysian sound, but actually, it's mostly just my melodies.

- Yuna

Think, Melodies, Mostly, Malaysia

People say, 'You should let your hair out; you shouldn't be oppressed - you're not in Malaysia anymore. You should show your curves and be proud of it.' But I am proud - it's my choice to cover up my body. I'm not oppressed - I'm free.

- Yuna

Show, Anymore, Your, Malaysia

When I first started in Malaysia, having a Muslim Malay girl singing and holding a guitar was new to everyone. Even Muslims there had issues with it; they found it weird.

- Yuna

New, Muslim, Having, Malaysia

When I got signed to the 'Fader' Label, they got really excited about having me as their new artist. They were promoting my music everywhere. Pharrell was one of the producers who wanted to work with me, so I was really lucky to be one of those people who got to work with him.

- Yuna

Artist, Lucky, About, Producers

Muslim girls, we love fashion! Whether we wear the hijab or not - it's our choice - and it's time the industry took note. Finally, fashion stores are open to that idea.

- Yuna

Love, Note, Took, Our Choice

Feminism is universal. You can't just fight for one type of freedom or one type of female power. You know what? Muslim women want to cover up, and we have to fight for our right to do that, too.

- Yuna

Want, Right, Muslim, Universal

The fashion world is so interesting because it's always changing, but if you know yourself really well, despite of all the changes in the fashion trends, you know how to stay true to yourself.

- Yuna

Know Yourself, Always, Trends

I think you can soften people's hearts, even if they have a lot of hate. Music can do that if it's beautiful and honest. If I can do that - soften just one person's heart - I consider myself successful already.

- Yuna

I Can, I Think, Lot, Hearts

Whenever I write a new song, it always happens when I come back from Europe or Egypt or something like that. It's always from travelling.

- Yuna

Song, Always, Travelling, Europe

I've seen a couple white girls coming to my concerts wearing head wraps, and I think they look so cute. It's kind of sad to see that people are really into separation, trying to separate everybody and making a clear division of 'us against you,' even with fashion. That sucks. It's not the way the world is supposed to be.

- Yuna

Everybody, I Think, Couple, Separation

I have people who say, 'You should dress up like this, or you should dress more modest; you should cover up more.' And then, at the other end of the spectrum, you have, like, 'Why are you still wearing your scarf? You're in America, you know.'

- Yuna

Dress, Other, Scarf, Modest

I love my headscarf. I wear my head wrap every day with my hoop earrings.

- Yuna

Love, Every Day, Wear, Wrap

I know how to wrap my turban a little better now. In the beginning, it was a little weird.

- Yuna

Beginning, How, Better Now, Wrap

I really like the idea of modesty. By the time I got into music, I was already wearing the scarf all the time, and it's really personal to me, my Muslim beliefs, so I decided to keep it and find a way to work around it. I don't see it as a restriction or limitation - I can still be me and get into music and be an entertainer.

- Yuna

Limitation, By The Time, Modesty

I love Gwen Stefani. I'd watch what she'd wear over and over again and think, 'How do I nail this style?' And then, I like that classic beauty, too. Audrey Hepburn, she's so elegant.

- Yuna

Love, Beauty, Wear, Hepburn

I want girls to know that equality exists in this world. You can do anything you want.

- Yuna

World, Want, Know, Exists

Once in a while, I write in Malay and work on something fun that's more for the local Malaysian market, and when that happens, it's always something really special; it speaks volumes that I'm doing it for my fans who have been there for me since day one.

- Yuna

Doing, Been, I Write, Volumes

One of the reasons I picked up the guitar is because I saw a video of Feist performing in Paris.

- Yuna

Paris, Reasons, Picked, Guitar

I've found just the right amount of balance in my life. I'm this pop artist in America, but I'm also Malaysian. And I'm also Muslim.

- Yuna

My Life, Muslim, Amount, Pop

Religion is a huge part of me; I'm a practicing Muslim. I'm pretty much open about it if people were to answer questions. At the end of the day, I'm just a normal girl. I have my own beliefs just like everyone else. I have a strong belief in something, but I also love music.

- Yuna

Love, Strong, Muslim, Answer

I used to be affected by criticism thrown at me, and I would get really down. But I got to a point where I just decided to go for it, no matter what negativity is around you.

- Yuna

Go For It, Go, Thrown, Affected

I just realized the best way to live your life is to just be you, as cliche as it sounds. I grew up trying to please everyone.

- Yuna

Realized, Everyone, Best Way, Cliche

I used to read a lot of fashion magazines: my favourite was 'Nylon.' I used to cut out all the pictures from magazines, and I had this book where I would keep all of the stuff that inspired me.

- Yuna

Book, Cut, Read, Favourite

I love traveling. I've been doing it since I was 16.

- Yuna

Love, Doing, Been, Traveling

I'm a Muslim. I don't try to hide it. I'm also a girl who loves music.

- Yuna

Music, Muslim, Loves, Hide

I kind of always struggled writing in Malay, because Malay is such a beautiful language. And it gets really hard, you know, if you want to make it into a song. You have to make it sound beautiful, use the right words.

- Yuna

Language, Sound, Use, Struggled

The best thing to do when you're writing is to write about something you know instead of pretending. I mean, you can do that too, obviously, but when you write from your heart, it works so much better.

- Yuna

Best, About, Works, Pretending

If you just work on that one thing that's, like, important to you, that has been supportive of you, who has been loving you all this time, if you are able to see that, then that is your 'best love'.

- Yuna

Love, Like, Been, Supportive

Just look at 'K-pop' - who would've expected American fans to embrace it? It's really cool to be one of those artists who can break through the American market. I'm not trying to conquer America; I just want to make music and see if people like it.

- Yuna

American, America, Through, Market

I guess music is very global.

- Yuna

Music, Very, Guess, Global

Embrace the color of your skin and your own beauty.

- Yuna

Beauty, Color, Own, Embrace

I grew up in a town called Subang Jaya, and made a lot of friends from around Kuala Lumpur.

- Yuna

Made, Around, Grew, Town

Appreciate your heart; really know how to take care of your heart.

- Yuna

Take Care, How, Take, Appreciate

I have a lot of friends who do EDM music; they had to tell me what a 'drop' was.

- Yuna

Music, Tell, Lot, Drop

To have a sense of style, it shows you know yourself. People like that.

- Yuna

Know, Like, Shows, Know Yourself

Music has to change. I don't want to stay the same forever.

- Yuna

Change, Music, Same, Forever

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