Malaysian composer Joy Ngiaw wins Emmy for ‘WondLa’

2026-03-11 - 06:04

Pahang-born composer Joy Ngiaw has won an Emmy for her work on Apple TV+’s animated series ‘WondLa’. (Joy Ngiaw Instagram pic) KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian composer Joy Ngiaw has made history after winning an Emmy award for Outstanding Music Direction and Composition for an Animated Programme for her work on the animated series “WondLa”, which streams on Apple TV+. Ngiaw received the award at the 4th Annual Children’s & Family Emmy Awards held at Lincoln Centre in New York City on March 1 and 2. The Children’s & Family Emmys are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit in the US television industry. In a social media post, Ngiaw expressed gratitude for the recognition, describing it as a meaningful milestone in her career. “Speechless!!! Beyond grateful for this incredible honour,” she wrote. Ngiaw also thanked the production team, including Skydance Animation and Apple TV+, for trusting her to shape the musical world of the series. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without John Lasseter and Skydance Animation’s trust since day one. Scoring the studio’s first short film ‘Blush’ via a blind pitch truly jump-started my career. “I went on scoring the studio logo, and now this epic trilogy. I am forever grateful,” she said. Born in Pahang, Ngiaw also paid tribute to her family in Malaysia and those closest to her for their constant support throughout her journey. “To my family back home in Malaysia, and my partner – thank you for being my rock and the heart to my music,” she said. The National Film Development Corporation (Finas) congratulated Ngiaw on her achievement. In a post on social media, Finas described the win as proof that Malaysian creative talent can make a global impact while bringing pride to the nation. “May this achievement inspire a new generation of artists to continue creating and conquering the world,” it said. Follow Joy Ngiaw on Instagram.