New Straits Times

Marcell’s soft spot for Malaysia

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MALAYSIA will always remain a special place for Indonesian singer Marcell

Siahaan.

“I’m always excited to be in Kuala Lumpur. It was here that I became popular, before I was known in Indonesia, Brunei or Singapore.

“It was here that music fans accepted me with arms wide open when I released the duet ‘Hanya Memuji’ with Syanty in 2002,” says the 46-yearold artiste who released his selftitled debut album the following year.

He went on to win Best New Male Artiste at Anugerah Planet Muzik in 2004 and collaborat­ed with Malaysian songbird Dayang Nurfaizah on ‘Sayang’ in 2010.

The song, written and composed by Omar K., was included in Dayang’s seventh studio album, ‘Sayang & Cahaya’, which was only released in Malaysia.

In 2022, he celebrated his 20th anniversar­y with a series of concerts with one held at Zepp Kuala Lumpur.

But Marcell, whose full name is Marcellius Kirana Hamonangan Siahaan, says there can never be a performanc­e here that doesn’t get him excited.

“There were songs I didn’t get to perform the last time I was here,” says Marcell, who is due to perform here on May 4.

Together with fellow Indonesian singers, Once Mekel and Bams, Marcell will entertain fans at the Konsert Trio Terhebat Vol. 1 show at the Plenary Hall in Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

The singer is equally thrilled to be sharing the stage for the first time with Once and Bams.

“Apart from entertaini­ng my fans, I’ll have to think of their fans too, to give them my best.

“The three of us need to come up with a performanc­e that will leave everyone satisfied.

“Although we have our own setlist, there will be songs we perform together. And especially during this segment, we need to be aware of not overshadow­ing one another,” he says.

 ?? PHOTO BY EZAIRI SHAMSUDIN ?? Once Mekel will be joining Marcell and Bams at a concert in KLCC on May 4.
PHOTO BY EZAIRI SHAMSUDIN Once Mekel will be joining Marcell and Bams at a concert in KLCC on May 4.
 ?? PHOTO BY ROHANIS SHUKRI ?? Marcell Siahaan says Kuala Lumpur is where he first built his fan base.
PHOTO BY ROHANIS SHUKRI Marcell Siahaan says Kuala Lumpur is where he first built his fan base.
 ?? By Tahir Alhamzah ??
By Tahir Alhamzah

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