Articulating Love, Ethics and Divine Consciousness: A Lyric Analysis of Siti Nurhaliza’s Traditional Malay Album Gema Bumantara (2025)

Abstract

This research analyses Gema Bumantara (2025), a traditional Malay album by Siti Nurhaliza, not merely as a form of musical entertainment but as a cultural text that embodies Malay values of adab, wisdom, spirituality and worldview. A qualitative textual analysis was conducted on all ten songs in the album, employing thematic, stylistic and Malay cultural hermeneutic approaches. The findings demonstrate that the album constructs a discourse of culturally grounded love and social ethics. Songs such as ‘Kumbang Bunga’, ‘Jenjang Cinta’ and ‘Kaca dan Permata’ portray love as a process regulated by propriety and communal blessing, while ‘Hati Yang Rindu’ and ‘Syurgaloka’ frame longing as a mature and disciplined emotional experience. The songs ‘Rencong’ and ‘Hujung Bumi’ highlight the role of art as social critique, particularly regarding identity and ethical language use. Meanwhile, ‘Pesanan Buat Diri’ and ‘Kesuma’ foreground introspection, resilience and spiritual surrender. The album culminates with ‘Cenderamaya’, which centres on divine consciousness and gratitude. Overall, the study shows that Gema Bumantara revitalizes the Malay musical heritage in a contemporary context, articulating an artistic framework that integrates aesthetics, morality and spirituality.

Keywords: Traditional Malay album, lyrics analysis, cultural Hermeneutics, art and ethics, love and monotheism, Siti Nurhaliza.