ALWAYS YOU
"𝑰𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒌𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒊𝒅𝒐𝒔𝒄𝒐𝒑𝒊𝒄 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒄, 𝒇𝒆𝒘 𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒔 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒔 𝒅𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒆 𝒂 𝒑𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆 𝒂𝒔 𝑴𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒚𝒔𝒊𝒂𝒏 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓 𝑳𝒚𝒊𝒂 𝑴𝒆𝒕𝒂..." Billboard Magazine ar
Award-winning Malaysian vocalist Lyia Meta has a big, bold, sometimes soft, and sultry sound rooted in American jazz and popular music. Her voice becomes her instrument and with her fourth album “Always You”, a collection of original tunes penned by songwriter Denise Dimin, Meta invokes the American Songbook and era of Jazz standards. With a career that spans over two decades, Lyia Meta has created an enduring genre-defying catalog lush with awards by approaching each song with authenticity, enlisting her supple contralto in service of the lyric. Lyia Meta’s “Always You” represents a fresh take on a classic sound already heralded by international listeners.
Whether you're a devoted fan of the original era or a newcomer eager to discover its timeless charm, "Always You" promises to be a musical journey that evoke the romance of a bygone era. Lyia Meta's voice resonates with a depth and richness reminiscent of that era. It is not just music; it's an experience. We invite you to explore the vast landscape of Jazz Pop, where genres merge and boundaries fade away. Lyia Meta's velvety vocals introduces you to a collection of all-original songs by Los Angeles songwriter, Denise Dimin that offers a fresh perspective on the Jazz Pop genre. The album ALWAYS YOU captures the spirit of our time while paying homage to the iconic sounds that have shaped generations.
For Your GRAMMY ® Consideration
ALWAYS YOU
Traditional Pop Vocal Album
Jazz Performance
Song of the Year-'Always you' (Denise Dimin)
Best New Artist
Record of the Year-'Always You'
Arrangements, Instruments, Vocal- 'To know What it's Like' (Bob McGilpin)
The Journey to “Always You”
The album ALWAYS YOU started its journey with a single song, the title song, a testament to the unshakeable belief that my voice was destined to be the vessel for songwriter Denise Dimin’s heartfelt words. Her unwavering conviction altered the course of my artistic path, as I stepped outside of my comfort zone, exploring my own inner self and allowing the tight grip I’ve always held on my own insecurities and vulnerabilities to slip away. In ALWAYS YOU I discovered a sense of belonging, a place where I could authentically express myself. This collaboration was born amid the pandemic, a time of uncertainty that paradoxically led to a creative awakening. ALWAYS YOU became an exploration of the rich tapestry of Jazz-Pop, with a tinge of blues, a harmonious fusion that reflected the depth of our creative synergy. Denise Dimin’s songs found a resonant voice within me, and in turn, I found a haven within the album; a realization that I had finally come home.
Pre-pandemic, Denise and I both belonged to a private Facebook female musician’s group and although Denise had been a fan of my work, it wasn’t until the pandemic that my schedule allowed a collaboration. It started with one song, then an EP, “15013”, a collaboration with multi-instrumentalist/producer Bob McGilpin, and we were off to the races! My next album, still during the pandemic, was a soul/R&B collaboration with Bob McGilpin, while concurrently Denise wrote the song "ALWAYS YOU" as an inducement for us to work together once more. And with the title song "ALWAYS YOU", we were all three, again, back to the races as I combed through Denise’s catalogue for songs that resonated with me yet had the space for me to arrange them in a way that allowed me to explore my newfound curiosity about the Jazz-Pop genre.
Both Denise and I, from our first discussions, were excited about creating timeless music that straddled various eras and genres.
As an entertainer whose career focused on live performances in a cultural environment that rewarded cover bands showcasing the latest pop hits from the U.S. and other parts of the world, my own musical creativity was always bubbling away, waiting to be recognized. I released my first album, THIS IS LYIA, in 2016 and was rewarded with several nominations and awards along the way. I started exploring worldwide relationships which resulted in a nomination in the Jazz category at the 2021 Hollywood Music in Media Awards and nominations at The International Portuguese Music Awards, winning at the LIT Talent Awards, and Global Music Awards, being a listed contestant at the 2022 Sarah Vaughn International Jazz Vocal Competition, among many others.
So, lightning in a bottle? Twice? Maybe!
Always yours,
Lyia
REVIEWS
"Smooth, sultry, and full of confidence, each tune has a life and soul of its own(...). In truth though, the entire EP is worthy of your time and attention. It’s just beautiful from start to finish!" Jeremy Bregman- Mesmerize
"A vocal jazz album is not the easiest animal to wrestle into the barn of commercial listening (if you know what I mean). One doesn’t want to come off to esoteric in song choice, but one still wants to keep ones cred and deliver a singular vision.
Meta does all of this and more." Ralph Greco
"I first heard Lyia Meta while browsing and I was immediately taken by the deep richness of her voice, a quality that is almost like musical velvet, but packed with a dynamic energy and so much soul. I am now a huge fan and I’m looking forward to watching her soar in the music world. She has a style and look that is totally hers alone and refreshingly unique. She is a joy!" Larry Lee Cansler. American composer, arranger, conductor, musical director, and pianist. He has collaborated with Kenny Rogers, Lionel Richie, Roger Miller, The Smothers Brothers, Michael Martin Murphey, Mason Williams, The Jackson Five, Pam Tillis, Collin Raye among others.
"The eight-track album blends jazz, pop, and the blues, and features some incredible performances by Meta, making it the perfect addition to your musical collection." Art Publika
"Meta has something which few singers possess, and that is complete control of her powerful voice." Sammy Stein (International Editor for Jazz Journalist Association)
"Lyia Meta ‘s talent and artistic pedigree means she moves seamlessly between genres" 𝘍𝘈𝘜𝘓𝘛 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘦
"(...)but what Meta does with her smooth vocals is eliminate that generic element so often found and heard in smooth jazz/jazz-pop genres, creating something that really sticks as smooth in its positive sense." 𝐿𝑗𝑢𝑏𝑖𝑛𝑘𝑜 𝑍𝑖𝑣𝑘𝑜𝑣𝑖𝑐-𝐿𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐿𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝐹𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠
❞If you are looking for your next obsession, I might just have found her for you. Lyia Meta might be the best-kept secret, but I think the time is right for everyone to know her wonderful music and her iconic and timeless voice. ❞ 𝙎𝙖𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙝𝙖 𝙎𝙞𝙢𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙙𝙨-𝙍𝙤𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙧𝙤s- 𝙉𝙤𝙝𝙤 𝘼𝙧𝙩 𝘿𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙩
❞ Always You embraces a sophisticated elegance in comparison, highlighting Meta’s powerful vocal talents, which achieve a rare contralto range(...)
The jazz-pop lushness of Always You strikes quickly with the powerful title track, opening with a sense of proclaimed adoration(...)❞ Mike Mineo (Obscure Sound)
"𝘼𝙇𝙒𝘼𝙔𝙎 𝙔𝙊𝙐' added to 𝙅𝙖𝙯𝙯 𝙉𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩- 𝙊𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙇𝙞𝙨𝙩-'New Jazz You Should Hear' by NPR Music
.
"This is a gem of an album for fans of jazz from the mid-20th century or so, with passages filled by piano glissandi and a riding cymbal beneath a velvety voice.." Art & Culture Maven
Aɴʏᴀ M Wᴀssᴇɴʙᴇʀɢ- ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴍɪᴛᴛᴇɴᴛ ᴡʀɪᴛᴇʀ ᴏɴ ᴍᴜsɪᴄ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡs ᴏʀ ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴠɪᴇᴡs ғᴏʀ Aʟʟ AʙᴏᴜᴛJᴀᴢᴢ.
"Meta takes her extraordinary contralto range and infuses it with her own unique style, an enticing fusion of blues and classical tones that has resonated with audiences of all ages. continents." Billboard Magazine ar
❞.....her contralto vocal range makes her unique but what she's done with it makes her special.❞ Kath Galaso (Onstage Magazine)
❞For some reason, “For You” recalls a contralto version of Adele because of the melody’s dark, sad tinctures blended with hints of modern classical pop savours. It’s the type of song ideally suited for the title song of a James Bond movie – at once seductive and ruthless.❞ Randy Radic, V13
❞The performance that Lyia has exhibited in this track can easily place her as one of the most talented singers in this generation. ❞ Huges Nelson, Daily Music Roll