KUALA LUMPUR, July 3, 2026 – Two of the most beloved patriotic songs in the United States and Malaysia have been woven into a single original composition, premiering Thursday evening at the U.S. Embassy’s Independence Day celebration at the Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur, marking 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Arranged and produced by acclaimed Malaysian composer Helen Yap, the anthem pairs America the Beautiful, one of America’s most enduring national hymns, with Tanah Pusaka, a Malaysian patriotic classic composed by Tan Sri Ahmad Merican with lyrics by Wan Ahmad Kamal. Together, they form a musical tribute to the heritage, resilience, and enduring friendship of both nations.
“America’s 250th anniversary is a moment to reflect on our national story and to celebrate the partners who have walked alongside us,” said David H. Gamble, Chargé d’Affaires at U.S. Embassy Kuala Lumpur. “This anthem captures what cultural diplomacy does at its best: it brings people together through respect, creativity, and shared purpose. Music reaches hearts that speeches and policy papers cannot, and music envoy programs deliver an extraordinary return on the American taxpayer’s investment.”
“The lyric ‘Biar putih tulang, jangan putih mata’ carries a deep sense of strength and sacrifice,” said Yap. “Pairing that spirit with America the Beautiful, a song about brotherhood, beauty, and possibility, allowed us to create something that honors both nations and the friendship between our peoples.”
The Embassy has released the anthem publicly on Friday, July 3, across its social media platforms, with the support of Malaysian media partners. The anthem is part of the Embassy’s broader Freedom 250 programming, marking the U.S. semiquincentennial through initiatives across Malaysia. Please click this link: FREEDOM 250 – A Song of Two Nations to watch the video.
Please refer to the Anthem Profile below for more information about the songs as well as the featured artists.
Freedom 250 Anthem: Two Patriotic Standards, One Shared Spirit
America the Beautiful began as a poem written by Katharine Lee Bates in 1893, inspired by a sweeping view from the summit of Pikes Peak, Colorado. Its enduring imagery amber waves of grain, purple mountain majesties, fruited plains stretching from sea to shining sea has made it one of the most cherished expressions of the American story.
First documented in a Radio Malaya songbook in 1961, Tanah Pusaka celebrates the greatness of a newly formed nation and the responsibility of future generations to cherish and protect their inherited homeland. The song has endured across generations, and its message resonates across the country including in Sabah and Sarawak, whose place in Malaysia’s national story gives the song added meaning for a performance featuring Malaysian voices from both Kuala Lumpur and Sabah.
Tan Sri Ahmad Merican
Tan Sri Ahmad Merican, one of Malaysia’s most influential figures in broadcasting and music, has a long and personal connection to the United States. In 1958, he became the first Malaysian to study at Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he introduced Malayan music to American audiences and later served for a decade on Berklee’s international Board of Trustees.
Helen Yap
Tan Sri Ahmad Merican’s legacy threads directly through this anthem: Helen Yap, who arranged and produced the composition, is herself a Berklee alumna, a Berklee-to-Berklee bridge stretching across more than six decades of musical exchange between the United States and Malaysia.
For Yap, Tanah Pusaka offered both a beloved Malaysian melody and a message of resolve that paired naturally with the soaring optimism of America the Beautiful. “The lyric ‘Biar putih tulang, jangan putih mata’ carries a deep sense of strength and sacrifice,” said Helen Yap. “It is a Malaysian expression about remaining steadfast and refusing to give up, no matter the cost. Pairing that spirit with America the Beautiful, a song about brotherhood, beauty, and possibility allowed us to create something that honors both nations and the friendship between our peoples.”
Yap, a Penang-born composer, producer, songwriter, and musician, studied Professional Music and Film Scoring at Berklee College of Music in Boston. One of Malaysia’s pioneer women in modern and jazz music, Yap has spent more than three decades in the Malaysian music industry, working with many of the country’s most recognizable artists. She previously arranged and produced the U.S. Embassy’s 2020 Independence Day rendition of Standing in the Eyes of the World, another celebrated U.S.-Malaysia musical collaboration.
Kayley Bishop
Kayley Bishop is a Nashville-based singer-songwriter and finalist on Season 15 of NBC’s The Voice, is featured prominently in the anthem and will travel to Malaysia in August for a U.S. Embassy cultural diplomacy program.
Jessica Lynn
Jessica Lynn, a New York-based country artist with a global audience built through more than a decade of international touring, has performed alongside icons including Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, and Loretta Lynn, and tours internationally as an American Music Abroad envoy.
Chris Rossi
Chris Rossi, a member of the American a cappella group REVOICED, previously toured Malaysia through American Music Abroad, leading workshops and performances in Kuala Lumpur, Sandakan, and Kota Kinabalu.
Farah Idayu
Farah Idayu, whose full name is Nur Farah Idayu Yaakob, is an established Malaysian vocalist known as “The Malaysian Mariah Carey” for her powerful voice and emotional delivery.
Ryenald Guntabid
Ryenald Guntabid is an emerging artist from Sabah whose music reflects pride in his Sabahan roots; his debut single, “Lumangad Oku Dika,” which means “I Miss You” in Dusun, incorporates his native language as a tribute to his heritage.
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