MTV World Stage Malaysia features fresh, exciting talent
This year’s MTV World Stage Malaysia features fresh, exciting talent such as Yuna, Boys Republic, Thaitanium and B.o.B.
I
t’s not every day that you get to perform in front of 10,000 people,” says Yuna. A few years ago the 2 7 - y e a r- o l d swapped her native Kuala Lumpur for Los Angeles, eager to expand upon the buzz of her eponymous 2012 debut album and its Pharrell Williams-crafted breakthrough single LYH R U LIH.
The risk, it seems, has paid off. Cited by the BBC as “the first Malaysian artist to win over the American market,” Yuna has played high-profile sets at Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza, and appeared on DWH 1LJKW
LWK R D 2 ULH and LPP .LPPHO LYH The 11 tracks on her sophomore effort “Nocturnal,” recorded in California, reflect this extraordinary trajectory. “I’m really happy with where I am right now,” she told NPR. “I’m a Muslim. I don’t try to hide it. I’m also a girl who loves music. And I don’t try to hide that as well.”
Yuna, who spends her free time attending to her terrariums and her women’s clothing boutiTue, is wary of the trappings of success. “I try to remember why I first started to make music seven or eight years ago, when I was a 20-year-old law student writing music for herself.”
That evening at MTV World Stage Malaysia 2014, the Muslim singer-songwriter carried herself with the poise of a young Sade — had she been in a metallic turban — and charmed fans “who have been there since Day 1.” By living as an expat musician in L.A., Yuna appears to have fulfilled her desire “to come up with music that the whole world could relate to.” A backdrop of cascading pyrotechnics made DOOL J, her opening song, brought to life by Danish producer Robin Hannibal of indie music favorites uadron and Rhye, even more glorious. The soulful 0R WDL V and LJKWV D G
DPHUD, a jam about staying true to one’s self, were polished to a magnificent sheen.
But it was Yuna’s Malay hits that turned Sunway Lagoon’s massive Surf Beach into an intimate living room. I spotted two young girls in traditional headscarves singing and swaying – eyes closed – to D 6H D DU D and 7HU NLU
L L WD J, proud that one of their own has maintained Muslim values in an increasingly globalized world. When I discovered Yuna’s music in the early months of 2012, through the Santa Monica, California, radio station KCRW, I was intrigued by its honesty and effortless allure. I wish her nothing but the best now that she is on the cusp of global stardom.
MTV World Stage Malaysia is hotly anticipated by young music fans across the region for good reason The annual event features new and exciting talent from an array of genres, all on a single platform.
Boys Republic is but the latest K-pop idol group to take part in the showcase. While the five members only made their professional debut in 2013, it was evident that Onejunn, Sunwoo, Sungjun, Minsu, and Suwoong have a growing following.
On stage, aided by a dazzling light display and choreography as precise as their grooming, Boys Republic were larger than life. As the guys glided in unison to 9LGHR *DPH, ardent followers were invited to post 15-second mobile phone clips on Instagram. One lucky fan was ushered in during
UHVV 8S, winning a makeover by the group’s stylist and walking away with a new outfit. The enjoyable 3DUW 5RFN closed the segment.
South Korea may be tiny, but soft power has allowed it to punch above its weight, boosting the nation’s cultural influence in Asia and beyond. The country churns out pop stars faster than I can keep track of them, and I recognize that as long as there
are teenage girls, there will be K-Pop boy bands.
MTV World Stage Malaysia, too, had something for lovers of rap and hip-hop. This year’s edition, its sixth and going strong, welcomed the Thai-American group Thaitanium. The five sons of Siam – Khan, Way, Day, Big Calo and Tony B — set the mood for the night with tracks such as R KDW , 6D , R J 7R J and 3 W R U
D GV 8S. “We keep it local, we talk about a lot of things that are going on in Thailand so a lot of kids can feel what we’re talking about.”
After being on the road and recording albums all over the planet, B.o.B returns to Malaysia delivering a 16-track medley comprised of singles from “B.o.B Presents The Adventures of Bobby Ray” and “Underground Luxury”. The Atlanta native, toned and upbeat, demonstrated that he was a master at thrilling his followers. At the start of 0DJLF, his feel-good track featuring Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo, he rushed to the edge of the stage for a few high-fives. In true 21st century fashion, concertgoers then waved their phones to RWK RI 8V, featuring Taylor Swift. In light of recent aviation tragedies, he dedicated the hit LUSOD HV, featuring Hayley Williams of Paramore, to those who had lost loved ones. Earlier, MTV VJs Alan Wong and Hanli Hoefer also led the throng in remembering those who perished in Malaysia Airlines flight MH17.
Of course the party had to end on a high note. Much to everyone’s surprise, B.o.B dove into the crowd before his finale 6WLOO , 7KLV. While I had expected the six-time Grammy nominee to cap the night with 1RWKL J 2 R , still his most recognizable song to date, his answer a few hours before should’ve provided enough of a clue. On whether it was an advantage or not for an artist to be associated with a particularly successful composition, B.o.B. said that it was “both a blessing and a curse.”
Over 1,000 multi-colored LED balloons signaled the end of his set, and the conclusion of yet another MTV World Stage. It was buoyant, a reminder that despite having gone through a rough patch, Malaysia has not forgotten how to let loose and throw a stellar celebration.