Malaysian-born composer Joy Ngiaw has etched her name in history after becoming the first Malaysian to receive an Emmy Award at the recent Children’s & Family Emmy Awards ceremony held in New York City.

The 31-year-old musician, who hails from Pahang, secured the award for Outstanding Music Direction and Composition for an Animated Program for her work on the science-fiction adventure series WondLa.

The animated series, which is currently in its second season, is available for streaming on Apple TV+ and has gained attention for its imaginative storytelling and musical score.

Ngiaw’s victory marks a significant milestone for Malaysia in the field of music composition for animated productions, placing the country’s creative talents firmly on the international stage.

Her achievement has also drawn comparisons with another major milestone for Malaysia in the global entertainment industry — when Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh won the Best Actress award at the Academy Awards in 2023 for her role in the film Everything Everywhere All at Once.

Speaking about the recognition, Ngiaw described the award as deeply meaningful and expressed hope that it would inspire more young talents from Malaysia and Southeast Asia to pursue their ambitions in the arts.

“This win means a great deal to me, and I hope it encourages more young people from Malaysia and across Southeast Asia to chase their dreams in the creative industry,” she said.

The Children’s & Family Emmy Awards is an annual event that honours excellence in entertainment content created for younger audiences and family viewing, including animation, educational programming and other creative productions.

Ngiaw’s historic achievement not only celebrates individual success but also highlights the growing presence of Malaysian talent in the global creative industry.

-THE MALAYSIA VOICE