You may recognise Jelisa Shanjana from countless TV shows over the years, including TV OKEY’s ‘O Inspired Living, Astro TARA HD’s Bollywood Express, and even her days as a pitchside host covering Malaysian football on TV9…
Fast-forward to 2021, the 28-year-old is continuing to prove she’s a force to be reckoned with in the entertainment industry, and not just because she’s a prodigy of Malaysian entertainer extraordinaire, Datuk Aznil Haji Nawawi.
This time around, Jelisa steps away from camera to embark on a more personalised project, exclusively on SYOK, through her new podcast, Wonder Women.
“After being on TV for so many years, I started to get tired of all the glitz and glam of being on camera all the time, and always having to get dolled up for the spotlight. And I thought to myself, it’s high time I do something FOR me and BY me,” she told us.
“I’ve always wanted to work on a women-centric project that focuses on women empowerment, and so when I saw the chance to start a podcast with SYOK, I knew this was how I was going to accomplish this. Plus, I wouldn’t have to worry about how I look!”
On Season 1 of Wonder Women, Jelisa speaks to eight different women of substance from different walks of life, as they share their challenges in their journey to get where they are today.
From the first woman to chair the Selangor Bar Council, Kokila Vaani Vadiveloo, to youth activist and co-founder of Undi18, Qyira Yusri, to national gymnast and Malaysia’s sweetheart, Farah Ann Abdul Hadi, Jelisa covers a wide range of topics from entrepreneurship to lifestyle with these eight Wonder Women, showcasing a side to her that’s never seen on TV.
“I’m so proud to have done this podcast and the impact it has already had on so many people. I’ve gotten random people messaging me on Instagram telling me how much they love it and how it’s like a ‘pick-me-up’ for their day. It’s so fulfilling to know that I reached people in a way I never thought I would,” she added.
“I also couldn’t have done this without the help of my producer, Kyle Jacob, who made sure that I related to the listener on a personal level, and not sound so scripted like I usually do on TV. I’ll have to admit that it was difficult at first because I’m so used to hearing ‘ACTION!’ but I now realise that ‘only audio’ is a whole different ball game.”
Listen to Wonder Women with Jelisa Shanjana now on SYOK and follow us at @syok.podcast!
