#SHOWBIZ: Winning over fans with 'cultural versatility'
Slug dclaylasania (Groove), Pg 1/ L&T, Tuesday, Sept 1, 2026
In a celebration of cultural diversity, rising Malaysian star Layla Sania Khairuzikri is among the nominees for the Hottest Mandarin Language Celebrity award at the popular fans' choice awards, Anugerah Melodi Terhangat (AMT 2026). The 24-year-old singer, actress, and aspiring children's educationist, who is currently pursuing a degree in Early Childhood Education, has been making waves in the Mandopop scene.
Layla, who recently released her Mandarin single "Blessed To Have You" alongside Brendon7an, is in the company of her idols Firdhaus Farmizi and Shila Amzah in the competition. She credits her Chinese-medium education for giving her a deeper understanding of the language and its musical styles, and hopes to specialize in special education, aiming to open her own learning center that offers instruction in Bahasa Malaysia, English, and Mandarin.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
