, Malaysia’s biggest international export, dropped her album Y5 in March, promoting it entirely via Instagram Live sessions from her living room. Meanwhile, the indie scene saw the meteoric rise of Lunadira and Zamir Samedov , whose stripped-down, emotionally raw tracks went viral on TikTok long before radio picked them up.
The JOOX Top Music Awards 2021 saw a massive ten-fold increase in engagement, with a whopping 126 million votes cast by Malaysian music fans. Local artist Khai Bahar emerged as a fan favorite, receiving 15.6 million votes. On the charts, local hits like Reedzwann’s “Adakah Ini Mimpi” and “Rindu Separuh Nyawa” by Naqiu & Vanessa Reynauld dominated alongside international sensations like BTS’s “Butter”.
The internet has made it easier for users to access and share various types of content, including videos. With the proliferation of smartphones and portable devices, people can now easily create, download, and share multimedia content. This has led to the creation of numerous online collections, including those with specific themes or genres.
Perhaps no sector was hit harder than the Malaysian film industry. With cinemas shuttered for much of the year, the industry posted results even worse than the dismal figures of 2020. According to data from the National Film Development Corporation (Finas), only managed a nationwide release throughout the entire year, earning a cumulative box office total of just 1.21 million ringgit. In stark contrast, in 2019 alone, 47 domestic films were screened. The top-grossing local film, the horror comedy Rumah Maduku Berhantu , managed a meagre RM319,441.90 – a figure that would have been considered a flop in pre-pandemic times. koleksi3gpvideolucahmelayu 2021
Outside of traditional scripted content, the biggest entertainment phenomenon of the year was the global Korean drama Squid Game . Its September release turned into a cultural event, becoming one of the top trending searches on Google Malaysia for 2021 as the nation became obsessed with its deadly, nostalgic children's games, spawning viral TikTok challenges and countless memes.
2021 marked the entry of Malaysian contemporary artists into the crypto-art space. Local digital artists gained international prominence by minting non-fungible tokens (NFTs) that infused traditional Malaysian motifs—like batik patterns, folklore, and local street scenes—into cutting-edge digital mediums.
Highly stylized domestic dramas continued to dominate terrestrial television networks like TV3. However, 2021 saw a shift toward more progressive themes, tackling mental health, women's empowerment, and socioeconomic divides rather than relying solely on traditional romance tropes. Local artist Khai Bahar emerged as a fan
According to Google Trends, 2021 in Malaysia was heavily influenced by the digital management of the pandemic, with CIMS 3.0 (used for operating during lockdown) being a top search term.
The crisis exposed underlying issues: a "film first, commercialize later" model and a lack of international market penetration. As one industry expert noted, many local productions were not ready for global platforms, which actively sought localized content but often found Malaysian films catered exclusively to a domestic market.
Museums and art galleries created 360-degree virtual tours. With the proliferation of smartphones and portable devices,
The year marked a major turning point for how Malaysians consumed entertainment, with a 30% increase in YouTube watch time as audiences turned to online platforms for joy and connection.
Malaysian cinema made waves internationally. The indie film Prebet Sapu (Hail, Driver!) was selected as the official Malaysian entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 94th Academy Awards, capturing the gritty, realistic struggles of urban life in Kuala Lumpur during the pandemic.
: Locally produced films like Keluarga Iskandar and Syif Malam Raya bypassed traditional cinemas entirely, broadcasting directly to viewers via digital platforms.