Australian label Fast Track Records’ artist JessC (Zhong Jiexi) brings more good news from the international music scene. Her Malay song “Mari Menari Raya,” a duet with Malaysian artist Dato’ AC Mizal, has recently won a Bronze Award at the Global Music Awards in the United States. Following her earlier Platinum win at the U.S. LIT Music Awards, this new international professional recognition makes “Mari Menari Raya” the first known Hari Raya-themed song to win at an international music competition, setting a new milestone for Malaysian festive music on the world stage.
“Mari Menari Raya” blends the joyful spirit of Hari Raya, modern pop rhythms, and Malaysia’s multicultural elements, securing back-to-back international accolades and showcasing the global competitiveness of locally created music. The Global Music Awards judges prize originality, artistic impact, technical quality, and overall musical performance, with a panel that includes several Grammy and Emmy winners—making this award especially significant.
JessC shared that having a Raya song infused with Malaysian cultural characteristics receive recognition from international judges is extremely meaningful to her. “Every award is an encouragement, not the finish line. I hope to let more music and culture from Malaysia be heard around the world in the future.”
In recent years, JessC’s international achievements have risen steadily. Her Chinese song “I Am Who I Am” won the Best Asian Pop Song at the InterContinental Music Awards (ICMA) in the U.S., and she has earned multiple honors at the LIT Music Awards for her work in Chinese, English, and Malay. She has also been featured in a special report by European music magazine Billboard Italia, recognizing her unique integration of pop music, dramatic storytelling, and visual art.
In addition to her string of international awards, JessC is actively engaged in the large-scale stage production “Splendor of Chinese Art,” which will soon reach its 17th performance. Another music production, “Chinese Dreams in Sound,” will hold its 4th show, collaborating with more than 24 Chinese instrumentalists to present a cross-genre performance that fuses the essence of Chinese music with modern pop elements through multi-language works—continuing to expand her own international artistic footprint.#