From A. Aida’s daughter to rising star: Azeva Natassha makes her mark in music and film

Azeva Natassha is entering a new phase in her career, taking on bigger roles in both music and acting as she works to establish herself as a versatile young talent in Malaysia’s entertainment industry. — Picture courtesy of Key Billion

By Ian Jeremiah Patrick

First Published: Monday, 05 Oct 2026 4:43 PM MYT

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 5 — Azeva Natassha is entering a new phase in her career, taking on bigger roles in both music and acting as she works to establish herself as a versatile young talent in Malaysia’s entertainment industry.

The 25-year-old first gained wider attention through the reality singing competition Talk To My Manager Season 2 (TTMM2), a show where celebrity parents manage and guide their children as entertainers.

Azeva was managed by her mother, Datuk A. Aida, who has also acted in and produced numerous popular television series and telefilms through her production company, A. Aida Production.

Now, Azeva is building her career beyond the competition with the release of her debut solo single, Tanpa Rasa Jemu, marking her official entry into the solo music scene.

Written by Datuk A. Aida and composed by Zul 2By2, Aiman and Madi Mulyadi, the song has received an encouraging early response, with its official music video surpassing 300,000 views on YouTube within weeks of its September release.

But while Azeva is finding her footing as a solo singer, she is also taking on a more demanding challenge on screen.

Bisikan Nafsu, which opened in Malaysian cinemas on October 1, sees her playing Nadia, a young woman struggling with the emotional aftermath of family problems and a traumatic experience.

Azeva also serves as the film’s producer, while Riza Baharudin, whose previous works include dramas such as 2021’s Kisah Cinta Kita, takes on the director’s chair.

For Azeva, taking on Nadia required her to move beyond simply delivering lines and instead understand the character’s emotional state.

“Bringing out the emotions required for the character was challenging, especially because she had experienced trauma,” Azeva said during the film gala night at TGV Suria KLCC.

One of the film’s most emotionally demanding scenes takes place in a cemetery, where Nadia breaks down in tears.

Azeva drew on a difficult moment in her own life to connect with the scene, recalling that her mother had recently been discharged from the ICU at the time.

“At the time, my mother had just come out of the ICU, so during the cemetery scene, I imagined what it would be like if my own mother were there.”

However, she did not rely solely on her personal experience to understand Nadia.

Azeva spent time reading articles and watching stories involving people who had experienced trauma, hoping to better understand the emotional journey of her character.

“I watched a lot of stories related to the subject and read articles about victims who had gone through similar experiences,” she said.

“I tried to put myself in their shoes and imagine what they might have experienced.

“This is something that happens in real life, and there are many such cases.

“By putting myself in their position mentally, I was able to understand the character better and deliver the scenes emotionally,” she added.

Although Azeva has appeared in several dramas and telefilms, including Bos Nak Cuti and Luka Tanpa Suara, often in smaller roles, Bisikan Nafsu marks a significant step up as her first major film leading role.

She found the transition to film daunting, particularly because she viewed the medium as more demanding than television.

With limited preparation time, Azeva attended at least three acting classes, rehearsed extensively and reviewed her own performances to identify areas for improvement.

She also used her time on set to observe more experienced actors as another opportunity to learn.

“I received a lot of advice from everyone on set.

“I also watched other actors to learn how they performed,” she said.

Director Riza was also instrumental in helping her through some of the film’s more emotionally demanding scenes.

“Abang Riza also helped me a lot, especially with the emotional scenes.

“If something did not feel right, he would guide me and tell me what needed to be improved,” she said.

The storyline of Bisikan Nafsu, produced by Hello Production Sdn Bhd in collaboration with A. Aida Production, is based on real-life incidents, according to the production team.

Alongside its exploration of trauma, the film also touches on family relationships, loyalty and the difficult process of rebuilding one’s life after a devastating experience.

For Azeva, the film has allowed her to move beyond the smaller roles she has previously taken on and prove herself in a leading role.

At the same time, Tanpa Rasa Jemu represents another step in her development as an artist, allowing her to reach a wider audience through her music.

With her debut solo single now out and Bisikan Nafsu marking her first major leading role on the big screen, Azeva is taking her next steps in the entertainment industry by embracing both sides of her career.

Bisikan Nafsu is still screening at Malaysian cinemas nationwide.