Back in May, we caught up with the cast and crew of the Malay and Māori language drama, Korban Part 2. Now, get ready to meet the incredible team that brought the production’s unique soundtrack to life. This amazing show is a collaboration between Mediacorp and Monochromatic Pictures.

Composer and producer Andy Gan stated, “The win is the testimony of all our hard work.” Zalelo, the vocalist for the song “Bebas” further commented on the significance of the achievement, noting that Singapore, as the smallest nation nominated at the Asian Academy Creative Awards (ACCA) 2025, was acknowledged with this marginal win.

The collaboration saw the duo deeply consulting with many production parties. For Zalelo, this is her second collaboration on the soundtrack, having also performed for Korban Part 1. As we discovered during our interview, the first production was filmed amidst the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Creating the first original soundtrack fusing Malay and Māori languages presented significant hurdles for Zalelo and Andy. Upon learning Korban Part 2 would be filmed in New Zealand, their goal was clear: To honour both cultures – despite being advised that composing a bilingual song would be an uphill battle. They began conceptualising with piano sessions with Andy, quickly resulting in the successful composition of a chorus and a verse within a single day.

Zalelo sourced inspiration from diverse areas, including their personal lives, the cast and crew, and specifically from Jeevan Nathan, the Executive Producer and Director of Korban, to maintain thematic relevance. The decision to dedicate a verse to each language before combining them received crucial support from local groups, including New Zealander Muslims, musicians and crew members, who listened to the music to ensure no meaning was lost in translation.

When asked about the cast and crew’s reaction to the music and video for Korban Part 2, both Andy and Zalelo shared a powerful response: “They were so touched by the lyrics and cried.”

For those who missed it, Bebas from Korban Part 2, the drama by Mediacorp and Monochromatic Pictures, secured the Best Theme Song or Title Theme with a thin margin of 0.02%! You can relive this incredible win, along with highlights of other local winners, by watching the full ACCA show on YouTube.

The Fifth Parlour would like to thank Asian Academy Creative Awards 2025 for the invitation.