This year, Malaysia has seen many amazing and exciting concerts by some of the finest musical talent from Tamil Nadu. Thousands and thousands of fans from all over the country and even from neighbouring nations came to witness these amazing stars perform. These nights not only gave more soul and meaning to the mundane lives of many but also renewed a sense of hope, passion, and intimacy between the world of music and the public at large. These cultural experiences are something that at once tethers the body both with the metaphysical and the material realm of existence.
Vijay Antony: Live in Concert
Vijay Antony: Live in Concert by Malik Streams was an electrifying experience for not just the audience who attended, but even those who watched the concerts through Instagram reels could sense the galactic amount of energy that was engulfing their screens. It takes a particular kind of artist to not only have an eclectic body of work but also have the talent and vigour to perform each song on stage with absolute might and prowess. Each moment Vijay Antony was on stage was a glorious and mind-blowing experience for the crowd. There were even moments where this much-loved music composer even came down to the crowd to share his love with his fans.
Yuvan Shankar Raja: High On U1
High on U1 organised by Dont Run Away Asia was nothing short of a soulful and piercing experience. Words can be useless at times when it comes to expressing what a cultural icon Yuvan is. His music is something that captures the edges of modernity and its myriad of emotions. Yuvan’s music is sexy in a soulful and intimate way; it is sensitive and obscene while still being defiant and bashful. His performance encompassed the critical juncture of life, of love failure, of eroticism, and of the unbounded joy of youth. Though Yuvan has some of the most loved kutthu numbers, it was his lucid romantic and heartbreak ballads that lured many in that concert hall to be introspective of their own beating hearts. For this reason, how one musician can seep into our skins and etch our souls with his music is why neither Yuvan nor his concert can ever be forgotten by anyone.
Thennisai Thendral Deva
Thennisai Thendral Deva organised by Poket Play Films and City Productions showed how brilliant Deva is as a Gaana legend. What was once a genre that was punished for its supposed vulgarity and strident nature was celebrated in the commercial realm of Kollywood partly because of Deva’s immense dedication to the genre. The distinct nature and locality of his music can be felt through each composition, with lyrics and notes that can only be created by one who deeply admire the cultural expression of Chennai. Deva’s music proves the international vitality of Gaana with how much Malaysian fans are obsessed with his joyous, celebratory, and larger-than-life music.
Harris Jayaraj: Hearts Of Harris
Hearts of Harris by Malik Streams had graced the Malaysian audience three times this year, and it was all an immense success. His music holds so much pop cultural significance for so many iconic films, especially those directed by GVM, that it’s hard not to see his music as an extension of one’s self. After all, the early 2000s epoch has been commemorated many times with the timeless and immortal music of Harris. The passion that Malaysian fans hold for Harris is undefeatable and unquestionable. Even at the end of his concerts, after countless songs and hours of dancing and drowning in dopamine, his fans still demanded more, proving how devoted they were to both him and his music.
Sid Sriram: Heart & Soul 3.0
Sid Sriram’s Heart & Soul by Woodmark Events and Lotus Five Star was a fiery and beautiful event. This absolute talent of a singer has been on the rise in Kollywood with his creative and unique flare of Carnatic and western texture he applies to each performance. While Sid is known for more controlled and melodic tunes, his performance and energy of artistic expression are the antithesis of that. Sid is an absolute rockstar on stage; he moves, he feels, and he is possessed by the complexities of sound, lyrics, and the energy of the crowd. The stage is a space that brings another meaning to his voice and his tenacity as a performer.
2023 has been an amazingly wonderful year for concerts and music lovers. Malaysian fans have shown time and time again how much they appreciate good music of all genres and expressions. To have such an eclectic crowd is truly a blessing. The outmost love and passion that Malaysian fans hold towards these amazing stars makes fans here even more excited and eagerly awaiting another new year that is filled with even more outstandingly organised and executed musical events.
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