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New Straits Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: Singer Maher Zain returns to serenade Malaysia
AFTER a six-year break from Malaysian stages, Swedish-Lebanese singer Maher Zain is set to make a highly anticipated return to Southeast Asia with a new concert tour in 2025. Beloved worldwide for his soulful melodies and uplifting messages of hope, unity, and faith, Maher's tour has generated significant excitement across the region. The announcement was first made on the singer's official social media accounts and later confirmed during a recent video conference in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, where Maher spoke from his current base in Turkiye. The award-winning, multi-platinum artiste and well-known humanitarian is scheduled to perform in three major cities: Kuala Lumpur on Aug 16, Singapore on Aug 21, and Kota Kinabalu on Aug 23. Organised by Yayasan Tengku Abdullah, the tour is a collaboration with prominent Malaysian event companies Hitman Solutions and Happymoon, along with his international label, Awakening Music. Prompted by overwhelming demand from fans, this will be Maher's first performance in Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu since the Covid-19 pandemic. This milestone reaffirms his enduring connection with audiences in the region, particularly after his 2019 Malaysian tour sold out rapidly across four cities. A special connection "Malaysia holds an incredibly special place in my journey — I'd even say it's more meaningful than any other country for me," Maher said during the press conference. "Performing here has always been something I treasure. The fans are amazing, and they've played such a vital role in shaping my music career. "To everyone who's waited patiently for six years, my team and I are on our way back. Let's create unforgettable memories together. I hope to see concert halls filled with families, young people, and loyal supporters." With over eight million followers on Instagram and 6.2 million monthly listeners on Spotify, Maher continues to captivate a global audience with his signature blend of spiritual inspiration and modern musical sensibility. Fans attending the shows can look forward to hearing beloved classics such as 'Insha Allah', 'Baraka Allahu Lakuma', and 'Thank You Allah', as well as newer fan favourites like 'Qalbi Fil Madinah' and 'Rahmatun Lil'Alameen'. Dr Mohd Afiq Farhan Md Hanif, a senior representative from the foundation, explained that the tour is intended to be more than just entertainment. It's a "heartfelt celebration of togetherness and the universal language of music." "This concert isn't merely a music event. "It's about creating lasting emotional moments, a space where messages of compassion, resilience, and hope can truly resonate. "We believe experiences like these leave a profound impact, reminding us of how music can heal, unify, and bridge our communities. For many in Malaysia, Maher's songs have become the soundtrack to important life moments — weddings, Hari Raya, and quiet moments of reflection — and now we'll get to relive them live on stage." The selected tour locations — KL, Singapore, and Kota Kinabalu — were chosen to ensure accessibility for fans in Malaysia, with Singapore included due to massive support shown during Maher's previous appearance there last year.
Hype Malaysia
29-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hype Malaysia
Latihan Pestapora Malaysia 2025 Review: A Festival Of Chaos, Thirst & Missed Expectations
Brought to life by Hitman Solutions and Boss Creator, Latihan Pestapora Malaysia 2025 made its debut at Bukit Jalil National Stadium, promising regional unity, genre-spanning brilliance, and the beloved Jakarta-born spirit of Pestapora. With over 25 acts, two stages, and a crowd of more than 25,000, it had all the makings of a landmark event. To be fair, the music did its job. Sheila On 7 made a loud, emotional comeback, .Feast brought the chaos, Dolla shone with polished pop power, and Pamungkas delivered smooth, heartfelt vocals. For a short while, the energy was electric. The crowd sang 'Dan' and 'Sephia' like their lives depended on it, swept up in a wave of nostalgia. If a festival was judged only by sound and feelings, this one would've nailed it – but then came the heat, the queues, and the mess, right on cue. A Water Crisis In The Middle Of A Sauna In a country where sweating is practically a birthright, you'd think hydration would top the festival's checklist. But no – only four official water stations were set up for a crowd of over 25,000. They were hopelessly understaffed, and supply clearly couldn't keep up with demand. What followed was a three-hour queue marathon just to maybe score a bottle – unless you were lucky enough to find someone reselling theirs at a markup, like some sort of desert bootlegger. Outside drinks? Strictly banned. Drinks bought from the official F&B vendors upstairs? Also banned from the concert zone. All while giant LED screens kept flashing 'Stay Hydrated' like a bad joke. Some fans reportedly fainted from the heat and dehydration, because apparently, surviving the crowd wasn't challenging enough – you had to fight for basic survival too. A Single Passage & Thousands Of Regrets There was only one passageway connecting the standing zones to the F&B area above, which also, for some reason, housed the second stage, 'Hingar Bingar.' It was supposed to feel intimate. What it actually felt like was a cruel social experiment in crowd control. I didn't even bother trying to go up. Not because I didn't want to – I just enjoy breathing and having personal space. Every glance at that human traffic jam was a hard pass. The crowd was packed, the energy was tense, and getting back down would've taken forever. So yes, a whole stage with acts I was genuinely excited about, and I saw none of it. Not because I skipped it, but because poor planning made it feel like a risk I wasn't willing to take. Premium Tickets, Discounted Experience The venue was divided into four zones – Rockzone (front standing), General Admission (rear standing), and CAT 1 & CAT 2 (seated). In theory, it sounded organised. In reality, Rockzone only had one entrance and exit, which quickly became a loophole. GA ticket holders strolled into the premium zone with little to no resistance, making that price tag feel more like a generous donation than an upgrade. Over in the seated zones, the sound quality dropped off a cliff. Audio was so muffled it felt like listening to your favourite band through a wall. The giant screens could've saved the experience, but instead, chose to show wide drone shots of the crowd while the artists were mid-performance. If you were hoping to catch a clear glimpse of Sheila On 7, you needed to be in Rockzone. Everyone else? They had to settle for blurry screens, muffled sound, and a lot of wishful thinking. Festival Essentials, Missing: Common Sense & Basic Decency Food at the festival was… limited, both in variety and in mercy. With only a handful of vendors serving the entire crowd, choices were scarce – and prices were laughable. Even if you skipped the fancy gourmet stuff, a basic serving of plain white rice with daging masak lemak cost RM25. Pair that with a 550ml bottle of Spritzer for RM5, and suddenly you're wondering if you accidentally wandered into a five-star buffet in the middle of a heatwave. But it wasn't just the fans paying the price. One performer shared that she had to carry a cello on foot for 1.2km to get to the venue – because apparently, a proper artist drop-off point was too much to ask. No loading zone, no access lane, just vibes and cardio. If this was meant to be 'Latihan,' then yes – we were all being trained. Just not for a concert. For survival. A Front Row Seat To Frustration Media access was a mess from the start. We were dumped into CAT 1, where the sound barely made it across and the performers looked like ants on stage. It felt less like covering a concert and more like watching a muted broadcast from the nosebleeds. So, to do my job properly, I ended up buying my own GA ticket – which also meant surrendering the media pass entirely, because re-entry? Not an option. That decision came at the cost of missing two and a half performances, all while navigating the maze between zones. It was a tiring, pointless loop that left me wondering why there was a media section at all if it wasn't even usable. If covering a festival requires a side quest and a second ticket, something's deeply broken. The Only Thing We Trained For Was Disappointment Latihan Pestapora Malaysia had all the right intentions. Bringing a celebrated Indonesian festival to local soil was meant to be a cultural milestone, a celebration of shared music and regional unity. The performances lived up to the hype. The artists delivered. But everything else felt carelessly stitched together, leaving fans to deal with long queues, dehydration, poor planning and a crowd flow system that barely made sense. Whatever magic the music created was constantly interrupted by logistical chaos. I went home that night not tired from dancing or singing along, but from standing in endless lines, searching for water, and trying not to lose my temper. The only real 'Latihan' that took place was on the audience's part – we trained in patience, discomfort and adjusting our expectations with every passing hour. If this was meant to prove Malaysia could host a festival of this scale, it missed the mark. Maybe next time, or maybe just leave it to Jakarta.
Malay Mail
28-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
Sheila On 7 leads star-studded Latihan Pestapora Malaysia as 25,000 fans show up
KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 — 'Music connects us all' — that was the spirit at the inaugural Latihan Pestapora Malaysia, where over 25,000 fans packed the Bukit Jalil National Stadium for a full-day music celebration. The massive turnout came despite the festival coinciding with the Opposition-led 'Turun Anwar' protest in the capital, which reportedly drew over 18,000 demonstrators. Held on July 26, the music festival featured more than 25 acts from Malaysia and Indonesia, including current Indonesian chart-toppers Hindia and Feast., as well as the highly anticipated return of legendary rock band Sheila On 7 (SO7). Popular Malaysian acts such as Bunkface and SonaOne also left their mark on the historic stage. While the record for the largest concert crowd in Malaysia still belongs to British band Coldplay, who drew over 75,000 fans in 2023, Latihan Pestapora Malaysia is already being hailed as one of the most-attended music festivals in the country. Some of the acts performing on the two main stages of Latihan Pestapora Malaysia include Dolla, Pamungkas, Bittersweet and Kunto Aji. A first outside Indonesia Latihan Pestapora is part of a series of pre-events leading up to Indonesia's main Pestapora festival, which will be held from September 5 to 7 in Jakarta. This marks the first time a pre-event was staged outside Indonesia since the festival's inception in 2022. The Malaysian edition was co-organised by local company Hitman Solutions and Indonesia's Boss Creator, founder of Pestapora. The festival featured three stages: the main Hitman and Boss arenas, set side by side on the stadium track, and the Hingar Bingar stage located in the festival area near food and merchandise booths. Thousands arrive early despite heat Despite the hazy and hot Saturday, fans began arriving as early as 10am. By 1pm, the general admission queue had swelled with festivalgoers from across Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. Festival rules also prohibited entry after 7pm, prompting even more to show up early. Salammusik opened the main stage, followed by crowd-favourite sets by Indonesian singers Pamungkas and Kunto Aji. Malaysian girl group Dolla got the audience moving with their latest hit MWA! before Nadin Amizah slowed things down with a dreamy performance. Indonesian band Sheila On 7 was the main highlight of the night, marking their return to Malaysia since their last show here in 2018. Sheila On 7 rocks the house The night's biggest draw was the return of Sheila On 7, who hadn't performed in Malaysia since 2018. The band delivered a rousing 90-minute set featuring their iconic hits Hari Bersamanya, Film Favorit, and Sebuah Kisah Klasik (Untuk Masa Depan). The stadium echoed with singalongs for fan favourites Melompat Lebih Tinggi, Sephia, Seberapa Pantas, and Berhenti Berharap — the latter drowned out by the audience singing every word. Love them or hate them, local pop-punk band Bunkface proved their worth at Latihan Pestapora Malaysia. Bunkface, Empty Page, SonaOne energise local stage Local pop-punk band Bunkface earned praise for their high-octane performance on the main stage post-Maghrib prayers. Opening the evening segment, they launched into Malam Ini Kita Punya, Rentak Laguku, Situasi and Revolusi, prompting full-scale singalongs. Meanwhile, the Hingar Bingar stage, which initially saw smaller crowds, built momentum thanks to appearances by Alvn, Ismail Izzani, Julia Duclos, DJ CZA, Killa Driz and Gaston Pong. Show-stealers included local band Empty Page, who delivered a fun and intimate set, and rapper SonaOne, who thrilled the crowd with hits such as Apa Khabar and Satu Malam Di Temasek. Indonesian dangdut DJ duo Feel Koplo brought the party vibes to Latihan Pestapora Malaysia. Feel Koplo and Ari Lesmana close the show While many left after SO7's set, those who stayed were rewarded with a buzzing performance by Indonesian dangdut duo Feel Koplo, who brought Fourtwnty frontman Ari Lesmana on stage. Together, they performed dangdut remixes of Mangu and Fana Merah Jambu, closing the night on a high. Teething issues and future plans Some attendees voiced complaints about long queues and limited water stations early in the day. However, organisers resolved the issue by 8pm after opening more water points. Hitman Solutions founder Rohit Rampal acknowledged the logistical challenges but praised the team effort. 'Bringing Latihan Pestapora to Malaysia is a major milestone. It's not just a production achievement but a cultural success,' Rohit said. He hinted at plans to make it an annual event following the overwhelming response. As Latihan Pestapora Malaysia wraps up, all eyes now turn to the main Pestapora festival in Jakarta this September, where hundreds of acts — including Malaysian superstar Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza and Ipoh-born DJ Miko Naiko — are set to perform. More details are available at
The Star
28-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Indonesian showcase Latihan Pestapora Malaysia lights up Bukit Jalil with rhythm, unity, and nostalgia
The Bukit Jalil National Stadium roared with thousands of music enthusiasts from across Malaysia and Indonesia at 'Latihan Pestapora Malaysia 2025' — a mega music festival co-organised by renowned event management label, Hitman Solutions and Boss Creator, held this weekend. Conceptualised as a 'latihan' or 'training ground' ahead of Pestapora that is taking place in Jakarta from 5-7th September 2025, this milestone event made history as a collaborative platform bringing together celebrated Malaysian and Indonesian artists. Featuring over 25 live acts across two grand stages, the festival showcased the rich variety of regional music genres that are fast gaining international recognition. The Long-Awaited Return – Sheila On 7 The most anticipated moment during the festival was undoubtedly the long-awaited return of Sheila On 7, performing in Malaysia for the first time in over a decade. The crowd erupted in song and emotion as the legendary band from Yogyakarta delivered a lineup of timeless hits, including "Dan, Melompat Lebih Tinggi, Sephia, Kita, Sahabat Sejati", and more. The thunderous cheers that accompanied the opening chords of their first song were proof of the unwavering loyalty and love Malaysian fans still hold for the band. A Star-Studded Festival-Grade Line-Up Latihan Pestapora Malaysia 2025 brought together an exciting mix of Malaysian and Indonesian acts, cutting across genres like pop, rock, hip-hop, indie, and dangdut — creating one of the most inclusive and diverse music events of the year. Over 25 performances took place across two main stages, the Main Stage and the other called 'Hingar Bingar' featuring: .Feast, Hindia, Nadin Amizah, Barasuara X Efek Rumah Kaca, Bittersweet, Bunkface, Dolla, Pamungkas, Feel Koplo, Kunto Aji, Salammusik, Sheila on 7, Alvn, Aziz Harun, DJ CZA, Dukes, Elva Suyan, Fahimi, Empty Page, Gaston Pong, Ismail Izzani, Julia Duclos, Killa Driz, Lil J, Naki, Sonaone, and Yonnyboii. Organisers' Commitment & Vision According to Rohit Rampal, CEO of Hitman Solutions, the success of this event proves Malaysia is more than capable of hosting large-scale international music festivals: "Bringing Latihan Pestapora to Malaysia is a major milestone. It's not just a production achievement but a cultural success. "We've successfully brought an international festival IP to Malaysia, giving both local and international fans a chance to experience it on home soil." He added that although coordinating the needs of over 25 regional and international artists came with its own set of challenges, they were overcome thanks to close teamwork and strong strategic partnerships. Meanwhile, Kiki Ucup, Festival Director of Pestapora & Co-founder of Boss Creator, described the festival as an important cultural movement: "We've seen how Malaysian fans travel to Jakarta every year for Pestapora. "Now it's time we bring that 'latihan' experience here, so Malaysians can feel the magic too. This is more than a concert — it's about building community and regional solidarity." The Uniqueness Of 'Latihan Pestapora Malaysia 2025' While preserving the original spirit and concept of Jakarta's Pestapora, the Malaysian edition added its own unique touch — a platform for rising and alternative local acts, a curated selection of Malaysian food vendors, interactive activities, and insta-worthy zones designed for audiences of all ages. Latihan Pestapora Malaysia -- Future Annual Festival In Malaysia Given the overwhelming turnout and glowing feedback from fans and media, the organisers have expressed strong intentions to make Latihan Pestapora Malaysia an annual event. "We believe this is just the beginning. With such incredible support, we're excited to scale up and create even more opportunities for cross-cultural collaboration," said Rohit. "Latihan Pestapora Malaysia 2025 was not just a music festival — it was a cultural movement uniting music, spirit, and identity between two brotherly nations. With thousands of passionate fans in attendance, the event proved Malaysia is ready to become a regional hub for world-class music festivals." For further inquiries, please contact +6012-2655783 or email concerts@
Hype Malaysia
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hype Malaysia
Legendary UK Rock Band Deep Purple To Perform In Malaysia As Its Only Southeast Asia Stop
The hard rock and heavy metal genres have grown tremendously since the 60s, with bands such as Deep Purple pioneering the genre to what it has become today. The band is set to bring that 70s rock energy to Malaysian fans, making its only stop in Southeast Asia! Brought to you by Hitman Studios, Deep Purple is set to light the Mega Star Arena stage this 23rd November 2025 (Sunday) with famous tracks such as 'Smoke On The Water' and 'Highway Star'. Here is what we know so far: Dubbed one of the founding fathers of rock, Deep Purple decorated history started in 1968 with their debut album, 'Shades of Deep Purple'. Some of the most notable awards from the '60s band include winning the 'Ivor Novello Award for International Achievement' in 2019, the 'Legend Award' at the 2008 World Music Awards, as well as being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016. Additionally, the band has also won three Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards in 2011 for their 'Now What?!' and 'Machine Head' albums. With 100 million records sold worldwide and a change in bandmates, Deep Purple continues to rock the world in the 2000s with their newest release, 'Lazy Sod' in 2024. Here are details to their concert: Deep Purple Live In Malaysia Date: 23rd November 2025 (Friday) 23rd November 2025 (Friday) Time: TBA TBA Venue: Mega Star Arena Mega Star Arena Organisers: Hitman Solutions Hitman Solutions Ticket Price: General Admission (RM359), Rockzone (RM399), Gold (RM599), Silver (RM499), Bronze (RM299), Royal Twin Seat (RM2,099) General Admission (RM359), Rockzone (RM399), Gold (RM599), Silver (RM499), Bronze (RM299), Royal Twin Seat (RM2,099) Ticket Link: Seating Plan: This is Deep Purple's first concert in Malaysia in 15 years, with their last show in KL in 2010. Grab this once-in-a-lifetime chance to witness Deep Purple live in action. Tickets will be available on 30th July 2025 (Wednesday) at 12 PM on Hitman Solutions' official ticketing website. Sources: On Air, Hitman Live, The Rakyat Post Alyssa Gabrielle contributed to this article
