Concert Review: Club Classics & Hip-Hop Energy At 'The Road To FAM' With Levi's & 88Rising In KL

Hype Malaysia

28-05-2025

The Future Asian Music (FAM), in collaboration with Levi's, presents their first edition of the 'Road To FAM' with 88Rising, a music series that highlights emerging talent across Southeast Asia. Kick-starting their first leg in Manila, Philippines on 14th May, with indie-pop sensation Zack Tabuldo headlining, the tour continues to Singapore and finally the motherland, Kuala Lumpur.
Held on 21st May 2025 (Wednesday) at Over & Above KL, the venue was popping with shades of red, paying homage to Levi's signature red tab on their jeans. Visually, the venue was stunning with Over & Above's signature LED pole illuminating the club in red and white, adding visual appeal above dancers and performers.
Levi's Patchwork & Opening DJ Sets By Damien Mirza & Roshan
As you enter the venue, you're greeted with a small section displaying best-selling Levi's products such as their crew neck tees and straight cut jeans, which come with a free patch with every purchase. Moreover, Over & Above had ample seating, giving free seating choices for all those who had RSVPed for the event. The venue also had a selection of drinks that night available to purchase at their bar, which was stationed behind.
The drinks were flowing, and the atmosphere was scenic, but the party was a tad bit slow in the beginning with local emerging DJ, Damien Mirza, opening the dancefloor with his signature blend of amapiano and house with a hint of R&B classics in his mix. A few casual dancers made it to the floor, a bit shy at first but thoroughly enjoying the beats and rhythms of the opening DJ.
Until familiar tracks started playing, such as a remix of '24K Magic', which got the crowd moving and on their feet. Damien brought forth club classics in an enjoyable opening set, setting the night for a funky night made for dancing. The night continued with Saturday Selects' Roshan, amping up the tempo of the night with a house, R&B, funk fusion. His set was truly enjoyable, able to get even the shyest of people on the dancefloor, nearing the end of his set.
Zamaera's Dripped Out Segment
What started as funk and fun, did a 180-degree turn as the decks were exchanged to leading Malaysian producer I-SKY, opening the set to headliner Zamaera's anticipated FAM segment. Decked out in a full denim fit, fitting for the collaboration with Levi's, as well as two backup dancers, she came and served with powerful lines and showed the crowd who our Malaysian representative was! She greeted the crowd with, 'Over & Above, how are y'all doing tonight?' as she opened her set with a familiar tone filling the sound system as she sang 'Ikan Kelek, Mak Eloi Eloi', adding a cultural twist to her hip-hop-centred performance.
Her performance went on as she delivered line after line of powerful raps and beats as the crowd surrounded her on the dancefloor. The night went on with Zamaera performing her popular single, 'Big Fish', where she coordinated a small dance for the crowd to follow along as she performed, gaining plus points on her crowd interaction. Producer I-SKY also participated in the performance, delivering a freestyle rap during her 'Big Fish' performance.
During her 45-minute segment, Zamaera performed freestyle raps as well as her hit songs, such as 'Helly Kelly' and her new single 'Jumper', oozing confidence and swag throughout the night. The artist also experienced a small wardrobe malfunction but was able to push through despite it. We could not keep our eyes off her throughout her performance as she performs and interacts accordingly with the crowd, giving chances for the audience to sing and dance with her.
Nearing the end, the crowd was loving her energy as a dance battle erupted in the crowd, sparking even more positive reactions from the audience, who thoroughly enjoyed the show. She ends her segment with a heartfelt thank you to the organisers, her team, as well as the crowd who came and supported the event.
The Malaysia leg of the 'Road To FAM' tour marks a significant introduction to what's to come in the final show in Bangkok. The show had everything from funk to hip-hop prowess as our local artists showed what the growing music scene can offer. The 'Road To FAM' continued to Jakarta, Indonesia, last Sunday (25th May 2025) before its finale in Bangkok. Head over to Levi's official website for information on what's to come, or check out Future Asian Music and Levi's socials for more updates.
Alyssa Gabrielle contributed to this article