FOR someone who gave birth to her fourth child just four months ago, Maizurah Hamzah certainly shows no signs of it.

Despite the fact that her daughter, Maira Zahra Kurnia, keeps the Singapore-born singer-actress up at night.

When complimented on her physique, the bubbly 38-year-old, who has been based in Kuala Lumpur since she married pilot Zaiful Zukry Mohd Gazali, blushed.

"Really? I think the fat is just hiding! I've not really done anything much to lose the weight. I only reduced my carbohydrate intake, but that's it," she told The New Paper.

Maizurah - who has three other children, Zikry Adib Kurnia, 13, Nadira Azra Kurnia, 8, and Izz Ilham Kurnia, 3 - was in Singapore two weeks ago to record an upcoming Suria variety show, 90an Gerek.

A comical flashback to the 90s, the show features musicians and stars from that era, like Fauziah Latiff and Amy Masturah.

The 90s was the prime of Maizurah's career. In 1991, she released her debut English album, titled Wrong Girl, which sold 100,000 copies.

In 1995, she was awarded the Most Promising Star at the Malaysian Film Festival.

Four years later, she was nominated Best Actress for her role in a Malaysian film, Nafas Cinta.

But she's been quiet for some time.

Her last film work was doing a voiceover in 2007's Budak Lapok, a Malaysian animated film based on the late P Ramlee's hit, Bujang Lapok.

Disney project

Maizurah said she is currently working with Disney on a project that translates Disney films into Bahasa Malaysia to cater to the Malay-speaking audience.
As song director, she works with singers who belt Disney classic tunes in Malay.

"I really enjoy directing and working with these singers to bring out the characters that Disney has created. It is quite a challenge, but having had a background in theatre comes in handy," she said.

She has even lent her voice to the role of Princess Jasmine in the Malay-language version of Disney's Aladdin, which was released in Malaysia.

With a brood of four, she has changed her career priorities and she prefers doing "background work now".

She added: "I find it more comfortable and relaxing. It is also much easier to work around my schedule as a mother as I still have the time to be there for my children."

Besides, she said: "When I am in front of the camera, I always have to worry about looking good, but behind the scenes, I do not have to think about all this."

Does she yearn for the bright lights of her earlier pop career?

"I had a wonderful journey with my career and I enjoyed every minute of it. My goals are (now) more family oriented. I just want to spend as much time as I can with my children."

This article was first published in The New Paper.