Shila Amzah
Shila Amzah | |
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Shila in concert in 2011, before she started wearing a hijab | |
Background information | |
Birth name | NurShahila binti Amir Amzah |
Also known as |
Nurshahila/Shila (when she was a child) Sha-Hila (when she was a teenager) Shila (during OIAM2) Shila OIAM (after OIAM2) Shila Amzah (present) 茜拉 (present and used in Chinese-speaking countries) |
Born |
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | August 13, 1990
Origin | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
Genres | |
Occupation(s) |
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Instruments |
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Years active | 2000–present |
Labels | |
Website |
shilaamzah |
NurShahila binti Amir Amzah (born August 13, 1990), professionally known as Shila Amzah (stylized as SHILAMZAH), is a Malaysian singer-songwriter.[8] Born and raised in Kuala Lumpur, she began going to recording studios with her dad, a singer named ND Lala at the age of 4 and recorded a Pop album five years later. With the help of a famous Malaysian record producer, Helen Yap, in 2005 Shila released her second Pop studio album, Sha-Hila. She became further well known with the single "Patah Seribu" (2011) which received Pop Song of the Year and Song of the Year at the 19th Malaysian Music Awards.[9]
She continued her singing career by breaking out to Shanghai, China and eventually won the Asian Wave.[10][11] As a result, Shila received the Kembara Award (International Music Breakthrough Award) from Malaysian Music Awards making Shila the youngest ever Kembara Award receiver.[12] Afterwards, Shila continued her singing career in Mandopop industry by breaking out to Hong Kong in 2015 by releasing some new singles, doing an international press conference and establishing her second own recording label, Shilala (HK) Limited.[13] Her success on international stages has gained her honorific titles such as Asia's Sweetheart,[14] Princess of Music[15] and National Treasure of Malaysia.[16]
Shila was also the first runner-up of Bintang Kecil RTM in 2000, first runner-up of One in a Million (season 2),[17] champion of Asia New Singer Competition in 2008, second runner-up of I Am A Singer (season 2) in 2014 and first runner-up of 29th Anugerah Juara Lagu in 2015. Before the Asian Wave, she performed a duet with Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana called "The Best of Both Worlds" to promote Hannah Montana in Malaysia. In 2013, Shila is the first Malay and Malaysian artist to be nominated at the World Music Awards after winning Asian Wave. Shila is also the first and only Malay artist to be invited to Global Chinese Music Awards (GCMA).[18]
Shila is the only Malay artist with the highest Mandarin single sales in Hong Kong, China, and Taiwan, with her single achieving 1 million downloads in just two days at Weibo Music. She is also the first and only Malay artist to have success in Chinese-speaking countries and Chinese record charts including fame with her official Weibo account achieving over 2.5 million followers. She has received a number of accolades for her achievements, including the China-Malaysia Friendship Award from the Ambassador of China to Malaysia and nominations from World Music Awards such as World's Best Female Artist,[19] World's Best Entertainer of the Year, World's Best Live Act, World's Best Song and World's Best Video.[20]
Shila's name has changed from the time she was known as NurShahila/Shila Tekno.[21] She explained that when she was a child, she used "NurShahila" as her stage name at that time. In 2004, she changed her name to Sha-Hila as her record company, EMI, wanted her name to be shorter. Later on, she joined the One in a Million singing contest and needed to make her name even shorter. The organizer of One in a Million (season 2) truncated her name to just Shila. After coming in as the first runner-up of One in A Million (season 2), she was called "Shila OIAM". She didn't like the name and so she added "Amzah" to her stage name, as her father's name is Amir Amzah. In Chinese-speaking countries, Shila's name is 茜拉 (Xila).[22]
Early life
1990–99: Early childhood and education
Shila Amzah was born on August 13, 1990, in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Her father, Amir Amzah Salleh or better known as ND Lala, was a famous singing recording artist in the 80s and her mother, Fauziah Sarman, was an actress. She comes from a musically inclined family: her younger sister, NurSyuhada, whose stage name is Syada Amzah, is also a performer. She attended Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Setapak Indah, Kuala Lumpur.
Career beginnings and musical success
2000–07: Early commercial success
“ | Even as a toddler, I used to tag along with my father (Malaysian singer and actor ND Lala) for recording sessions. I distinctly remember walking into the studio one day in the middle of a session and taking the microphone. I was five then and all I wanted to do was sing and have my voice recorded. That was the beginning of my career because that action resulted in a duet, which was featured on my father's album at that time. | ” |
Shila admitted that she was unable to deal with the camera when she started in the entertainment industry. She had a low level of confidence when facing the camera and did not know how to use it to engage with the audience.
Before Shila made her debut appearance as a child, her father struggled to get her a chance to showcase her singing. At that time, there were no recording companies that wanted to sign children as recording artists as they did not want to take the risk. So, her father used his own pocket money to produce the first album for Shila. In 2000, Shila's debut album, Terima Kasih Guru was launched in the presence of Tun Dr. Siti Hasmah, wife of Malaysia's fourth Prime Minister, Tun Mahathir. Then her talent was slowly recognized by record company EMI, which Shila eventually signed a contract with. With EMI, she produced the album Sha-Hila with the hit song "Yang Teristimewa". After her contract with EMI ended, she joined the "One In A Million", a Malaysian reality singing competition, and ended up as the first runner-up.
2007–09: Career development
In 2007, she joined One in a Million (season 2) and emerged as first runner-up of the competition. The nickname "Shila" was given by the organizers of One in a Million as her SMS voting code and name during the singing competition. On the night of the Grand Finale of One in a Million (season 2), Shila was assigned to sing a new song called "Memori Tercipta" (Memory Created). She lost to Norayu Damit, but both of them were given recording contracts from Monkey Bone Records headed by Ahmad Izham Omar.
Throughout the competition, Shila sang:
- Top 12: "Tak Ada Logika"
- Week 1: "Too Little Too Late"
- Week 2: "Stuck"
- Week 3: "Oops!... I Did It Again"
- Week 4: "Di Bawah Pohon Asmara "
- Week 5: "I'll Be There"
- Week 6: "Car Wash"
- Week 7: "Khayal" ft. Alif Satar
- Week 8: "Contigo en la Distancia"
- Week 9: "Bukan Milikmu and Love Like This"
- Grand Finale: "Contigo en la Distancia", "Memori Tercipta" and "Oops!... I Dit It Again with Stuck" Medley
She produced the album Bebaskan (Set It Free) during her stint with Monkey Bone Records. The album was launched in 2009. With 12 songs, featuring the works of Malaysia's famous composer such as Aubrey Suwito, Audi Mok, Kieran Kuek and Mode; composer from Australia, Jamie Huber.
2010–12: Career expansion
3 Suara (English: Three voices) is a collaborative album by three Malaysian singers; Jaclyn Victor, Ning Baizura and Shila Amzah. The album was released on January 6, 2011, through Euphoric Pte. Limited.[23]
One of Shila's hit songs was "Patah Seribu", which has garnered a lot of praises from radio and TV shows. The song, "Patah Seribu" appeared on many television shows and received a lot of radio airtime. The song eventually was nominated for Best Female Vocal Performance, Most Popular Regional Song and won Best Song and Best Pop Song at the Malaysian Music Awards, an award ceremony to honor the Malaysian music industries' artists. The song, "Patah Seribu" was released as a single on iTunes on July 20, 2012 and was later added to her self-titled EP, Shila Amzah (EP) as a bonus track.[24]
2012–14: Early international stardom
“ | Joining the competition was a last minute decision, one that my manager and I made just a couple of months before the singing contest commenced. I didn’t think I’d actually stand a chance to win as the competition was held in China and I was up against Chinese contestants. Basically, I signed up for the experience and exposure. From the get-go, I knew that whatever the outcome, I would do my very best to make my family and country proud. It was a huge risk for me to perform a Mandarin song at the finals in addition to the Malay and English songs that I sang because I didn’t speak a word of the language and I had only a week to learn the lyrics. But, I pushed on and practiced day and night, and when I was finally judged the winner, it was such an emotional experience for me, the culmination of all the hard work I’d put in, a feeling that I can’t put into words.I felt that I needed to get out of my comfort zone and strike out on my own. Before participating in the competition, I was known more for being the daughter of a famous singer than for my own music. Moving to China was necessary for me to grow as a person and also, to break into the international market. | ” |
In September 2012, she was invited to join the inaugural competition of Asian Wave after her father, ND Lala submitted her videos when she singing. On September 20, 2012, Shila became the champion of Asian Wave, a Chinese reality singing talent show held in Shanghai,China.[25] Shila had the most online votes among all the contestants. She sang three songs which were "Gemilang" by Jaclyn Victor, "Grenade" by Bruno Mars, and "Zheng Fu" by Na Ying.[25][26] She also sang "Forever Love" by Wang Leehom and "Set Fire to The Rain" by Adele in one of the preliminary rounds of Asian Wave.[27] The judges praised her performance.[25] As the champion of Asian Wave, a reality Chinese singing competition, she was given a 6-year recording contract with Shanghai Media Group and 5 Million MYR.[28][29][30]
Episode |
Song |
Language |
Original Singer |
Result |
Defeat |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Preliminary
(Rounds 1) |
Set Fire to the Rain | English | Adele | Advance to Preliminary Round 2 |
Rachel Chua save by judges selection |
Preliminary
(Rounds 2) |
Forever Love | Mandarin | Wang Leehom | Advance to Final Round 1 |
Emi Tawata save by judges selection |
Final
(Rounds 1) |
Gemilang | Malay | Jaclyn Victor | Advance to Final Round 2 |
Ten Nararak Eliminated |
Final
(Rounds 2) |
Grenade | English | Bruno Mars | Advance to Final Round 3 |
Guo Yifan Eliminated |
Final
(Rounds 3) |
征服 (Zhengfu, "Conquer") | Mandarin | Na Ying | Champion | Chang Shilei Lost |
Henry Huo Lost | |||||
- Shila managed to advance all rounds by winning the battle.
- Winning the battle: Majority green light pushed by judges (similar to coaches of The Voice in selecting their team).
- Other contestant either advanced through winning the battle, judges' selection or by a capella battle as a second chance.
- Furthermore, there is some contestant that also advanced by extra battle as judges couldn't reach consensus on making their selection.
In 2013 continues to be a glorious year for Shila when she was also nominated in the Nickelodeon Kid's Choice Awards for Favourite Asian Act with PSY (South Korea), Han Geng (China), and Sarah Geronimo from the Philippines who was also listed.
Harian Metro reported on March 12, 2013 that Shila has set up her own record company by the name of Shila Amzah Entertainment Berhad.
In July 2014, Shanghai Media Group released Shila's debut Chinese single in China, A Moment Like This. This single was released as the theme song for the inaugural competition of Chinese Idol. Shila described this song as a spiritual song as this song was the first song that had been recorded by her in China. She was invited to perform this song live during the grand finale of Chinese Idol.
At the end of 2013, Shila released her first extended play (fifth album; Recording Industry of Malaysia considered this EP as an album), Shila Amzah (EP) released under her own recording company, Shila Amzah Entertainment Berhad.[24] All songs and lyrics of the EP was fully composed by Shila with the guidance of famous Malaysian musician, director, and composer, Helen Yap. The album consisted of 7 songs (including 2 bonus tracks).[24]
Before she released the extended play, she held a preview of the extended play at Red Box Plus, Pavilion, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on July 5, 2013.[24] A further showcase of the extended play was held at Penthouse, The Icon, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on October 10, 2013.[31] Shila Amzah (EP)'s record producer was herself, Helen Yap and Aubrey Suwito and the sound engineer for this extended play was Aubrey Suwito, Zairi Ariffin, Yusalman Azua, Hadie Pranoto, Amir Sulaiman and Greg Henderson.
The EP was released on iTunes on December 10, 2013. In December 2013, Shila released her official MV of "Masih Aku Cinta".[32][33] This music video was based on her love story when she broke up with Sharnaaz Ahmad, a Malaysian actor after a controversy involving Sharnaaz Ahmad with Shila's father.[34] The songs in the extended play were also her first ever songs to be nominated at the World Music Awards.
The Star reported on September 27, 2012, that she was chosen to be the opening act for a series of concerts by Eric Moo, a Malaysian award-winning singer-composer, in Beijing, starting 17 November.[35] Shila Amzah said that she knew him because "he was one of the judges during the competition and his invitation is a huge honor for me"[35] She gave her agreement when he courted her to be in part of his opening act.[35] The Eric Moo–Shila Amzah Love Hurricane Concert was eventually held on July 24, 2014.
In February 2014, Shila's manager got her an invitation to "I Am A Singer" (Season 2). In the 7th round, aired February 21, 2014, she gained popularity through her performance of the song "Xiang Ni De Ye",[36][37] a song originally sung by Chinese pop star Guan Zhe,[38] which also increased her online presence in China as her Weibo followers increased by over 2 million. In the Breakthrough round, aired March 21, 2014, she reached first place by singing a cover of "Rolling in the Deep".[39] Shila's popularity rose in China after I Am A Singer aired beside her remarkable performance at the Asian Wave.[39]
Throughout the show, she showed great versatility in her range of music styles, from languages (Chinese and English), performance methods (dancing while singing) and musical styles (high note, pop, R&B, rap). On April 4, 2014, she came third overall,[39][40] losing to Han Lei from China and GEM from Hong Kong.
Through I Am A Singer 2, besides her remarkable performance, she was able to quickly adapt to a new language. Being a non-Chinese speaker or singer, she only needed two days to learn an entire new Chinese song. I Am A Singer 2 helped her in gaining a larger base of China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong fans. She finds it exhilarating that she was able to communicate with her Chinese fans in Mandarin. Currently, she attends Mandarin classes in Beijing diligently and is working hard on improving her Mandarin.
Episode |
Airdate |
Song |
Original Singer |
Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
7th Round | February 21, 2014 | 想你的夜 The Night I'm Missing You | Guan Zhe | 2 |
8th Round | February 28, 2014 | 最长的电影 The Longest Movie | Jay Chou | 4 |
9th Round | March 7, 2014 | Listen | Beyonce | 3 |
10th Round | March 14, 2014 | Forever Love | Wang Leehom | 3 |
Breakthrough | March 21, 2014 | Rolling in the Deep | Adele | 1 |
Semi-final | March 28, 2014 | 洋葱 Onions | Aska | 6 |
Final | April 4, 2014 | When You Believe | Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey | 3 |
Grand Final | MAMA | EXO-M | 2 & 3 |
- Shila made her debut in 7th Round as she replaced eliminated singer earlier based on program basic rule.
- Basic rule: There must be 7 talented singers as contestants on each episode.
2015–16: Hong Kong music scene breakthrough
On April 22, 2015, Shila held a Shila Amzah: The Symbol of Love, International Press Conference at The Mira Hotel, Hong Kong. During the press conference, Shila stated that she will be collaborating with GME Music and Vie Media to expand her career in Hong Kong. She performed her 2 newest Mandarin songs called "See You or Never" and "Shali De Mimi". She also stated that she will release an EP and followed by a full album. When asked will Malaysian be able to purchase her EP, she was sad and told that it wasn't decided yet. She also mentioned that she will learn Cantonese and also loves Cantonese songs.
On May 28, 2015, Shila released her debut Chinese single[41] in Hong Kong, "再見不再見" (Pinyin: Zaijian Bu Zaijian, English: See You or Never) through her very own recording label, Shilala (HK) Limited. The song was written by Liao Yu and composed by Shila herself. This single had been performed live during her Shila Amzah: The Symbol of Love, International Press Conference. The song became an instant hit on Weibo Music, when the single reached 1 million downloads in just two days. The writer of this song was inspired to write "See You or Never" after hearing Shila's sad love story as does she really want to leave her boyfriend or not. Shila said that this song was unique as the song hasn't an ending (the song ended with "Zaijian Bu Zaijian", questioning herself again).
On October 1, 2015, Shila performed her second Chinese single[42][43] in Hong Kong, "再見" (Pinyin: Zaijian, English: Goodbye)[44] during her Shila Amzah Meet & Greet Hong Kong.[45] On October 6, 2015, Shila released the single through Shilala (HK) Limited on Weibo Music and iTunes.[46] The song was produced by Jun Kung and Kelvin Avon.[44] The writers was inspired to write "Goodbye" after hearing Shila's previous single which was See You or Never.[47] The song contains much Malaysian pop and Mandopop elements and its lyrics have Shila desiring and out-of-reach love interest. Shila said that this song has an English version of it that will be launched in her upcoming album. The single is a continuation from her previous Chinese hit, “Zaijian Bu Zaijian” (再見不再見) — meaning, “See You or Never”.[16][48]
On December 26, 2015, Shila was named Metro Radio National Idol and received Metro Radio Mandarin Song of the Year ("Goodbye") from the Metro Radio Music Awards 2015.
On February 12, 2016, Shila visited Perth, Australia for her "Shila Amzah Colorful World 2016 Perth". This concert was a joint-promoted by Aus World Travel and Chinatown Cinema. She also performed her newest Chinese song, "Falling in Love". On 26 February 2016, Shila was awarded "Outstanding Export Achievement Award" by the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) for her outstanding achievement promoting Malaysia at the international stages.
In February 2016, Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced during the 19th Tourism Malaysia Awards that Shila was appointed as Malaysia's Tourism Ambassador. The main purpose of appointing Shila as the Tourism Ambassador is because of her influence that Malaysian Government believed could attract millions of visitors from mainland China to experience the fun and on vacation in Malaysia. One of an advantage that Shila has is she is a Malay artist that is speaking fluently in Chinese thus it will be easier for her to deal with her music management and her Chinese fans.[49][50]
On March 1, 2016, Tourism Malaysia has engaged Shila Amzah as the Tourism Ambassador of Malaysia to help boost arrival from China. The announcement was made again at Beijing, China by Dato' Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, Minister of Tourism and Culture, Malaysia at an event to present the appointment letter to her.
“Ms. Shila Amzah is a popular and well-respected figure in the Chinese world music industry. We are very proud of her talents and her achievements here. Through her songs and stage performances, she has won the hearts of the Chinese. The appointment of Shila Amzah as our Tourism Ambassador is a natural step towards strengthening the tourism and cultural ties between our two nations,” said Dato’ Seri Mohamed Nazri.
“I am confident that her role as Tourism Ambassador will further enhance Malaysia’s tourism brand in China and bring great value and meaning to our promotional efforts. I trust that the experience will also be a personally fulfilling and rewarding one for her,” the Tourism and Culture Minister added.The Tourism Ambassador Programme is an initiative by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture through Tourism Malaysia to engage prominent, well-established and influential Malaysians in various fields, either living abroad or in Malaysia, to promote the country among their circle of friends and fans.
Shila had been carefully selected from a pool of outstanding personalities to help Tourism Malaysia propel the country’s tourism industry to greater heights.The programme is in line with the Government’s objective to drive the tourism industry towards achieving the country’s target of 36 million tourist arrivals and RM168 billion in receipts by 2020, as outlined in the Malaysia Tourism Transformation Plan (MTTP).[51]
“ | Taiwan most definitely! The music scene in Taiwan is also very developed, producing a lot of remarkable singers and musicians over the years. I cannot wait to work with them if possible. My passion for the work of Leehom Wang has been well documented in the media so I guess I don’t need to repeat myself here. Recently, I have a song produced by famous singer-songwriter Khalil Fong and we have plans to feature this song in Taiwan, my Hong Kong team is currently planning for this in conjunction with my upcoming first Mandarin album. | ” |
On March 10, 2016, Music Asia reported that Shila has her sights set on Taiwan music market. Shila also said that she had produced a song with Khalil Fong and will be launched in Taiwan. On March 13, 2016, Malaysian Chinese newspaper, Sinchew Daily reported from Sibu, Sarawak that Shila's 2016 multi-language album is 80% done and will consist seven Mandarin songs, one English song, and two Malay songs. Her upcoming album will be launched in April 2016.
On April 1, 2016, Shila released her debut Chinese microfilm titled “Girlfriends Love” (閨蜜情緣) which she play as the lead in the microfilm. In collaboration with Ocean Park Hong Kong, one of the most famous attractions in the country – the movie was shot entirely at the amusement park and also stars Zelia Zhong (钟浠文), Faye Chia (家菲菲) and Lui Hei (呂熙). With Shila’s huge fanbase in China, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Hong Kong, the Hong Kong theme park aims to attract more visitors with the release of the pop star’s first microfilm, Sina reports.The story will be divided into two parts, following three high school friends; Shila, Faye, and Zelia who go on a trip to Ocean Park to bond and have fun. At the theme park, they meet a handsome tourist guide who guides the girls through the theme park, and later forms a special relationship with Shila.[52]
On April 14, 2016, Shila released the theme song of the new series of The Powerpuff Girls (2016), "Who's Got the Power?" in Malay and Chinese exclusively on YouTube. The song boasts a brand new sound, with a punchy pop-rock tone and chorus. The sassy song, similar to the series, reflects a more fun, high-energy vibe. When asked about her experience, Shila Amzah said: “I am so honored to be working with Cartoon Network for The Powerpuff Girls re-launch. Blossom, Buttercup and Bubbles are girl-power icons, and are characters that inspired me when I was growing up. I love that the new theme song is so energetic and upbeat, which is quite different to what I normally perform. It was a thrill to try something new in the way of singing and I can’t wait to see the end product on Cartoon Network”. Mark Eyers, Content Head for Cartoon Network in Asia Pacific, added: “With Shila, we’ve found our ‘Chemical X’! She’s a genuine Malaysian superstar with a bubbly, empowered personality that exactly mirrors the traits of all three girls. Shila Amzah and The Powerpuff Girls are an ideal combination and this partnership is the perfect way to reintroduce our favorite super-cute characters to viewers in Malaysia!”.[53][54][55][56]
2016: My Journey
On April 21, 2016, Shila announced her debut Chinese album, My Journey (Chinese: 心旅) on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook simultaneously. It is scheduled for release on April 30, 2016, through Shilala (HK) Limited at Beijing, China. The album has gone through two years of production and it is Shila's first album that will debut in the Chinese-speaking countries and internationally such as United States of America and Australia. Before the album will be released, Shila will do an international press conference in Beijing, China. The album represents a sonic departure from the pop of her previous albums and is described by Shila as her first documented official mandopop album.
On April 30, 2016, Shila launched her debut Chinese album at Beijing, China. Shila said that her album will not be available for purchase for another two weeks.
Discography
Albums
Jingle promos
Filmography
VideosMusic videos
Music covers
Concert and toursMajor
Showcase
As guest
CollaborationMalaysia
China
Others
Awards and nominationsSpecial awards2013: International Breakthrough AwardAt the 20th Malaysian Music Awards, Shila received the Anugerah Kembara (International Breakthrough Award).[12] The award is given to Malaysian artists who have performed internationally and introduced Malaysians song to the world.[12] Shila Amzah was given this award after she rose to fame as the champion of Asian Wave (2012), a reality Chinese singing competition held in Shanghai, China.[12] 2014: Puteri UMNO Female Icon Award
At the Perhimpunan Agung UMNO (UMNO General Assembly) 2014, she received the Puteri UMNO Female Icon Award.[79][80] The award was presented soon after Puteri UMNO chief Datuk Mas Ermieyati concluded her speech in front of thousands of Puteri UMNO members. She was selected for excelling in the field of music and making herself known in foreign countries, especially China after winning the 2012 Asian Wave contest in Shanghai. In a video message aired at the Puteri UMNO meet, Shila thanked Puteri UMNO for the award and called on other young women to continue pursuing their dreams. “To all the young women who are listening to me, I hope you find the strength to serve the party and steer youth to greater heights,” she said, drawing cheers from the crowd. Puteri UMNO delegates, many of whom are diehard fans of Shila, also cheered loudly when her father, veteran entertainer ND Lala, accepted the award from Puteri chief Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin. Shila was one of four young women who receive this award.[81][82]
Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Shila Amzah
References
Further reading
External links
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