DOLLA Gets “UGLY” — And Turns Judgment Into Power

There is something deliciously provocative about the word “UGLY.” It is blunt. Confrontational. Almost deliberately uncomfortable. And that is precisely where DOLLA wants you to look. The Malaysian girl group, now comprising Angel, Tabby and Sabronzo, returns with its latest single, “UGLY,” released on 25 September 2026. But beneath its confident pop hooks and commanding attitude lies a darker story: one about judgement, misunderstanding and the decision to reclaim a narrative that was never yours to begin with.

Rather than simply presenting another high-energy girl-group anthem, DOLLA takes “UGLY” somewhere distinctly Malaysian. The music video draws inspiration from the legend of Mahsuri, the celebrated Langkawi tale in which a woman was falsely accused and condemned, with the curse that followed said to bring seven generations of misfortune to the island. DOLLA's interpretation moves away from treating the legend purely as folklore. Instead, the trio places themselves inside a contemporary story about women who are misunderstood, judged and defined by narratives imposed upon them. And then they take control.

When Being Misunderstood Becomes Power

“UGLY” opens with an attitude that feels deliberately unapologetic. The lyrics move between confidence, confrontation and playful defiance, with the trio repeatedly returning to the song's addictive central hook: “Ugly, ugly / U-u-u ugly.” But “ugly” here feels less like an insult than a provocation. It is a word reclaimed.

There is a certain freedom in refusing to perform perfection for an audience that has already decided what it wants to see. DOLLA leans into that tension, turning criticism and judgement into fuel for a song that feels designed for the stage and, inevitably, the dance floor.

The result is DOLLA at their most confrontational: playful without being passive, glamorous without being overly polished, and confident enough to let the darker side of the story take centre stage.

Angel, Tabby and Sabronzo Step Into the Shadows

Source: official Universal Music Malaysia/DOLLA

The current DOLLA lineup of Angel, Tabby and Sabronzo brings three distinct energies into “UGLY.” Universal Music Southeast Asia identifies the trio as the members of the Kuala Lumpur-formed Malaysian pop group, which debuted in 2019 and has built its identity around singing, dancing and performance. In “UGLY,” that chemistry becomes particularly apparent.

Tabby takes the opening moments with an assured, almost teasing delivery before returning throughout the track with lines that reinforce the song's rebellious attitude.

Sabronzo brings a commanding presence, delivering some of the track's more assertive moments while helping anchor the chorus with the group's collective energy.

Then comes Angel, whose verse adds another layer of playful confrontation to the track.

Together, they create a back-and-forth dynamic that makes “UGLY” feel less like a solo statement and more like a conversation between three women who have collectively decided they have nothing left to prove.

From Mahsuri to Wayang Kulit

Source: official Universal Music Malaysia/DOLLA

Perhaps the most intriguing element of “UGLY” is its connection to Malaysian cultural heritage. The music video incorporates Wayang Kulit, the traditional shadow-puppet theatre associated with Malaysia and Indonesia, using light, shadow and storytelling as part of its visual language. That choice gives the video a theatrical quality. Shadows become more than a visual effect. They become a metaphor.

What is seen is not always the truth. What is whispered about someone can become a story. And a story repeated often enough can begin to resemble fact, even when it began with nothing more than an accusation. That makes the connection to Mahsuri especially effective.

DOLLA takes an old story about reputation and judgement and places it inside a modern pop framework. The result is something that feels familiar and contemporary at the same time: Malaysian folklore translated through the language of pop music, choreography, fashion and visual storytelling.

A Darker Side of DOLLA

The group's previous releases have established DOLLA as a performance-driven act capable of moving between pop, R&B and hip-hop influences. “UGLY” pushes that identity into a moodier direction. There is something deliberately cinematic about the concept.

Instead of presenting femininity as something delicate or perfectly composed, the song allows it to be messy, mischievous and slightly dangerous. The trio can be glamorous and threatening within the same frame.

It is a familiar language in contemporary pop but DOLLA gives it a distinctly Malaysian accent through its use of local mythology and traditional performance culture. That cultural layer is what makes “UGLY” particularly interesting.

Mahsuri is a story deeply embedded in Malaysian cultural memory.

Wayang Kulit is a traditional art form.

DOLLA brings both into a contemporary pop universe of choreography, attitude and visual spectacle. The result is not nostalgia. It is reinterpretation. And as Angel, Tabby and Sabronzo step into the shadows, “UGLY” makes one thing clear: sometimes the stories told about us are not the stories we choose to keep.

DOLLA — “UGLY” is now available on digital streaming platforms, with the official music video available on DOLLA’s YouTube channel.