26 Facts About Saloma

Salmah binti Ismail AMN, better known by her stage name Saloma, was a Singaporean-Malaysian singer, film actress, trendsetter and a fashion icon who became well known in the late 1950s.

Saloma was well known for her singing ability, which was depicted as "lemak merdu",.

Saloma was signed with EMI music records and since then released numerous EP's such as Dendang Saloma, Bunga Negara and Aslirama.

Saloma ventured in acting careers when she acted in several films such as Azimat and Kaki Kuda.

Saloma was awarded the title Biduana Pertama Negara in 1978 for her contribution towards the music industry in Malaysia and the title Puan Sri in 1990, as the wife of Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr P Ramlee.

Saloma was born on 22 January 1935 in Pasir Panjang, in Singapore as Salmah binti Ismail to Ismail Osman and Umi K m Mahban.

Saloma had seven siblings and was the third daughter in her family.

Saloma had an older sister, Mariani, who was an actress, a younger paternal half-sister, Aminah Ismail and Jasmaniah Ismail, who was a singer.

At the early age of five, Saloma was already singing with local street bands.

In Singapore, Saloma and her sister Mariani lived with their mother and stepfather who was a musician with a local keroncong party called The Singapore Boys that was contracted to perform at a club called The New World Cabaret.

Saloma was then asked to perform the song "Seven Lonely Days" by Georgia Gibbs.

Saloma's singing style and voice impressed the audience there, she continued with a number of other songs and this was the beginning of her career as a singer.

Saloma's voice began to play in the local radio when her stepfather brought her to see his orchestra performed on Radio Malaya.

Mum Yusoff decided to persuade Saloma to try to sing the songs that were supposed to be sung by Rokiah.

In 1950, Saloma fell in love with the hero of a film called 'Aloha' after watching the film for the first time.

At that time, Saloma was only 15 years and 11 months old.

In 1955, Saloma was offered an acting role in a film by Malay Film Productions which she accepted.

Saloma got her stage name based on the film 'Salome' starring Rita Hayworth.

Saloma began singing at the age of seven and was a professional singer by the time she was in her teenage years.

Saloma's singing was more in the style of Ella Fitzgerald and Doris Day.

Saloma was involved with another orchestra, Panca Sitara, in the 1960s.

Saloma appeared alongside her husband P Ramlee as guest stars in the 1963 Shaw Brothers film Love Parade.

Saloma married the film actor, director, singer, songwriter, composer and producer Tan Sri Datuk Amar P Ramlee in 1961.

Saloma was admitted to Assunta Hospital, Petaling Jaya, Selangor before her death on 25 April 1983 at the age of 48 caused by liver failure associated with jaundice.

Saloma was buried at the Jalan Ampang Muslim Cemetery, Kuala Lumpur between the graves of her ex-husband Aman Ramlie and husband P Ramlee.

Saloma was celebrated on a Google Doodle on 26 November 2020.