Fans Complain About BLACKPINK Malaysian Concert Charging Up To RM1888!

Malaysian BLINKs are you ready? K-pop global group BLACKPINK (블랙핑크) is set to bring their “BORN PINK” concert tour to our country this coming March.

The concert organiser, Live Nation Malaysia, has finally revealed the details of the much-awaited show. This includes the seating plan and also the ticketing prices. However, it appears that fans were less than ecstatic after knowing the overall price of the concert tickets.

A post shared by Live Nation Malaysia (@livenation.my)

Live Nation Malaysia took to their official Instagram to unveil the prices of the tickets, ranging from RM388 to RM1,888. Depending on the seats and package, the prices are RM388 (CAT 6), RM488 (CAT 5), RM588 (CAT 4), RM788 (CAT 3), RM988 (CAT 2), RM1,588 (CAT 1), and RM1,888 (BORN PINK VIP Soundcheck) accordingly.

After the information was released, many fans took to social media to share their opinions on the matter. Most of them think that the prices are super expensive. “RM1.8K are you kidding me? That’s not even minimum wage,” one fan commented. Others also criticised the concert organiser for “extorting” the fans’ money. To quote a fan, “They could’ve extended the stage so that the fans can get a better view.” Another fan commented, “This is not BLACKPINK, this is blackout.”

The “BORN PINK World Tour” Kuala Lumpur will be held at Bukit Jalil National Stadium, on 4th March 2023, at 8pm. There’s no doubt that the cheaper tickets and front zones will be snapped up the fastest when it goes on sale.


5 Reasons Why Joyce Chu Could Be The First Malaysian To Win CHUANG 2020

Joyce Chu (四葉草) is literally one step closer to winning “CHUANG 2020” (创造营 2020) on WeTV. It’s her final sprint to the finish line and we Malaysians need to help her claim her seat on the golden chair!

Joyce Chu, our only Malaysian hope has been consistent in performance since the start of “CHUANG 2020”. Her latest in ranking has progressed from #33 to#11 to #8! All she needs now is to be in any ranking between #1 to #7 to achieve her dream of being part of the international all-girl band.

Here are 5 reasons why Joyce Chu could win:

Joyce Chu is already a winner in our books thanks to her humble, sweet nature and most importantly her talent. She composes songs to win hearts and her angelic voice is able to move the audience, coaches and her competition every single time. Now, that is sheer talent!

The live audience, Malaysians and her fans from all over Asia have been voting for her. In the last few episodes, she truly captured the votes as she has soared up to position #8 this week. This is not an easy feat as “CHUANG 2020” started with 101 trainees who were all super-talented and ambitious.

A post shared by JoyceChu四葉草 (@syc_joycechu_)

Week after week, Joyce unleashed different sides and styles of performances. The Johor-born singer truly showed off her vocal chops and entertaining credentials with her impressive performance of “Sing It Once Every Morning” that got heads turning. She once again proved her versatility to the audience and fans. They rewarded her performance by getting her to her first ever single digit ranking in the show.

A post shared by 创造营 CHUANG2021 (@chuang_official)

As former members of EXO band, Lu Han and Zitao, former band leader of f(X) band, Victoria Song and the winner of the all-male singing competition “The Coming One”, Mao Buyi, they are all equipped with vast experience in the music industry, especially on the international stage. Joyce has managed to wow the coaches in every evaluation process from the training room to the stage!

She is best known for her viral songs “Malaysia Chabor” and “I Miss You” that made her an internet sensation. Within a short span of time since 2014, Joyce has collaborated with popular composers and performed many catchy tunes. She has acted in a couple of Taiwanese and Thai productions to expand her repertoire.

In 2019, she collaborated with Joe Flizzow for a mall opening campaign in Johor. The campaign spearheaded by both Johor superstars, have resulted in the winning of two awards in APPIES Malaysia Marketing Campaign Awards 2020 announced recently. Her excellent music background is the driving force for her determination to join the super competitive “CHUANG 2020”.

If she wins one of the 7 spots, she will be signed under the giant China entertainment company, Wajijiwa Entertainment.

Fellow Malaysians, you can make it happen. With all the chaos that has hit us over the past few months, this is the bright spark and good news we can actually make happen by voting via the WeTV app.

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#NiallHoran: 1D Member Set To Ink Solo Record Deal & Release New Single

Zayn Malik was the first pop star from One Direction to release a solo record, with “Mind of Mine” debuting at the top of the Billboard charts. We already know that Harry Styles has been recording new music but it seems that Niall Horan will be the first member from the current 1D quartet to release music in his own right.

According to The Sun UK, the 22-year-old is reportedly in negotiations with Simon Cowell’s company, Syco, about signing a deal for his own music, with his first single expected to be released in 2017.

“Niall is the band’s secret weapon – Modest Management and Syco believe he has what it takes to become a solo star. He has the songwriting and music talent, good looks and cheeky Irish personality which made him a favourite in the States. A deal with Syco is going to be signed in the coming weeks and Niall is already back in the studio writing,” an insider told the publication.

There’s a hit single there too, which will probably be released early next year.

Similarly, Daily Star also reported that Wayne Hector, a prolific songwriter who had previously worked with 1D on some of their biggest hits, has been spending some studio time with Horan. “We are writing together but he wants to do it for himself and not other people at the moment,” said Hector.

To Directioners who are still hoping for a One Direction album, sorry to burst your bubble, but it looks like the band isn’t getting back together anytime soon. The other bandmates are all currently occupied with their respective projects. Liam Payne is taking a break from showbiz and devoting most of his time to his new girlfriend, Cheryl Fernandez-Versini.

Louis Tomlinson is venturing into producing and presenting. “He is considering opportunities both in front of the camera, including documentaries, and behind-the-scenes as a producer,” a source explained.

Harry Styles, on the other hand, is currently filming Christopher Nolan’s new World War II epic “Dunkirk”.

Cowell, who was responsible for putting One Direction together, recently admitted his uncertainty if the boys will ever reunite again, saying, “I don’t know if it’s a hiatus or a break-up, to be honest. I don’t think they’ve had enough time to experience what it’s like not being in the group to really answer that.”

Sources: The Sun UK, Refinery 29, Mirror.


Calvin Harris To Star In The Entourage Movie – “Hyde”

Calvin Harris had added more clues to his role in “Entourage”. “The Entourage Movie” is based on the fictional, HBO television show that follows the life of Vincent Chase, a character loosely based on Mark Wahlberg. After the television series came to an end, an “Entourage” movie was announced.

Aside from the release date of the movie (June 12th, 2015), details of the movie have been kept to a minimum. However, our gorgeous and superstar DJ/producer Calvin Harris, has uploaded a photo of his involvement in the film.

On the poster, you’ll see Vincent Chase starring alongside Calvin Harris in a film called “Hyde”.

On the top of it, it reads: “From the producers of Aquaman and Medellin.” These are films that the character, Vincent Chase, has starred in earlier episodes in the television series.

Christmas came early for all of us because the official trailer has been released! Truth? It shows very little of the DJ/producer but as one would expect, Calvin Harris looks good in this one. Not that we’re surprised or anything ;)

Regardless of the speculations going around about other details, there is at least some evidence that Calvin Harris will have an involvement in the show, which honestly, is fantastic! We can’t wait for more details on the movie to come out :D

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(UPDATE) Hype’s Must Watch: Star Trek Beyond

We were supposed to be only getting our first look at the “Star Trek Beyond” trailer during the premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” but it just got released ahead of time!

There’s a valid reason for that, of course.

Apparently, a German-language version of the “Star Trek Beyond” trailer was leaked onto YouTube, a move that could’ve forced Paramount to just release the official one earlier than expected. Not that we’re complaining, really!

The trailer features Beastie Boys’ “Sabotage”, which is a nice touch and awesome callback to the song’s use in 2009’s “Star Trek”, the reboot that was directed by J.J. Abrams.

And since the “Fast & Furious” veteran Justin Lin has taken over the director’s seat for “Star Trek Beyond”, it looks like Trekkies can expect laugh-out-loud-worthy gags and a freewheeling action-adventure minus the “Star Trek Into Darkness” moodiness.

1:36 minutes is not enough! We want more.

Directed by Justin Lin, “Star Trek Beyond” is based on a script written by Simon Pegg and Doug Jung. It stars Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Pegg, Anton Yelchin, and John Cho.

“You spent all this time trying to be your father. Now you’re wondering..just what it means to be you.”

A new trailer for “Star Trek Beyond” has been released and it looks like new fans as well as the hardcore ones will finally have something to be really excited about. Premiered during a fan event over the weekend, the clip allows us to feast our eyes on a new set of dazzling images and scenes. We also get to see the Enterprise getting attacked by a torrent of alien vehicles, which is perhaps new bad guy Krall’s (played by Idris Elba) doing.

And yes, Krall finally gets some screen time in the trailer.

It’s also important to note that the new trailer is without a Beastie Boys soundtrack or any random/goofy pop soundtrack for that matter. Thank goodness! Major points to the terrific score that did wonders for impact and helped us finally take a “Star Trek Beyond” trailer seriously. Also, motorcycles. Let’s not dismiss the motorcycles.

“Our Captain will come for us. Mercy will be that last thing on his mind.”

“My dad joined Starfleet ’cause he believed in it. I joined it on a dare.”

In just under a month of the release of Justin Lin’s “Star Trek Beyond”, Paramount Pictures has dropped the 3rd and final trailer for the galactic adventure film. Featuring snippets from Rihanna’s latest single, titled “Sledgehammer”, the trailer focuses on James Kirk’s (played by Chris Pine) role as captain of his fleet.

P/S: If you like Rihanna’s “Sledgehammer”, you can Shazam it for the full song. Don’t say we didn’t share ;)

“Star Trek Beyond” is slated for release on 22nd July 2016.

For more information, visit the movie’s website or Facebook page.

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Providence Presents Tribute To Martin Garrix Feat. Eva T

This Saturday, Providence debuts a new monthly party series; a series that pays tribute to some the current biggest names in music. Every month, Providence will pay attention to one artist, one who is set to be on the Hall of Fame, by playing their 10 best productions, edits, and remixes throughout one night of partying.

This August 23rd (Saturday) Providence pays tribute to EDM’s top young gun — Martin Garrix! 2014 has been a fantastic year of Martin Garrix so far and Providence is inviting you to dance the night away with Eva T. as she will be on decks spinning all of your favourite Martin Garrix hits mixed with your favourite EDM heaters.

Cover Charge (inc. 1 drink): RM 50 Ladies / RM 70 Men


Hype’s Now Playing: Britney Spears — Perfume

Britney hits close to home with Perfume.

The Work B*tch singer released her latest ballad Perfume, following her smash hit single Work B*tch. The song from her upcoming album Britney Jean was posted on her Facebook page earlier today with the single’s artwork.

“Perfume is incredibly special to me because it hits close to home, and I think the story is relatable to everyone,” Britney told E! News yesterday. “Everyone’s been through an insecure moment in a relationship that’s left them vulnerable and I think this song captures that.”


Malaysia’s K-Food Fair 2018 Presents Korean-American Star Eric Nam

It has been more than 4 years since we last saw Korean-American singer Eric Nam, and he is coming back to our shore for the exciting food festival, K-Food Fair, organised by South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korean Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation.

After its successful inception in Hanoi, Vietnam last June, the people behind K-Food Fair is now bringing the cultural fiesta to Malaysia this August to showcase the best of Korean food as well as to promote trade and cultural exchanges between Malaysia and South Korea in 2018.

Aight not a City but a Country. Starts w an M and heck ill just let ya know. Ill be in MALAYSIA NEXT WEEK #MALAYSIA #NAMNATION TURN UP pic.twitter.com/bHsCsYu1ag

— Eric Nam (에릭남) (@ericnamofficial) July 16, 2018

The 29-year-old oppa even personally announced the event on his own Twitter account! “Alright not a City but a Country. Starts with an M and heck I’ll just let ya know. I’ll be in MALAYSIA NEXT WEEK #MALAYSIA #NAMNATION TURN UP”

Taking place in Sunday Pyramid from 2nd to 5th August 2018, the event will also feature up and coming local sensation Ismail Izzani.

Apart from the performances, fans will also get to enjoy  hundreds of Korean dishes at the events open kitchen. There are also a gift-giving session and more Korean cultural performances at the event. Stay tuned for more updates!

Details of K-Food Fair 2018 are as follow:

Vietnam’s K-Food Fair presentedSouth Korean singer HyunA and boy group Highlight, as well as Vietnam’s 2015 The Voice winner Duc Phuc.


Lady Gaga Confirms Collab With BLACKPINK & Ariana Grande

It’s official y’all! Fans will be able to witness BLACKPINK’s (블랙핑크) collaboration with Lady Gaga for her much-anticipated 6th album “Chromatica”.

Back in March, rumours have been flying around that the multi-platinum K-pop ensemble will be collaborating with Gaga. In fact, home label YG Entertainment neither confirmed nor denied the news, further increasing everyone’s speculations.

1. “Chromatica I”
2. “Alice”
3. Stupid Love”
4. “Rain On Me” (with Ariana Grande)
5. “Free Woman”
6. “Fun Tonight”
7. “Chromatica II”
8. “911”
9. “Plastic Doll”
10. “Sour Candy” (with BLACKPINK)
11. “Enigma”
12. “Replay”
13. “Chromatica III”
14. “Sine From Above” (with Elton John)
15. “1,000 Doves”
16. “Babylon”

Target exclusive edition:
17. “Love Me Right”
18. “1000 Doves” (Piano Demo)
19. “Stupid Love” (Vitaclub Warehouse Mix)

As reported by Vulture, official store Target had accidentally leaked the album’s back cover, along with the artwork, revealing the entire deluxe edition track list and other interesting features. Some eagle-eyed BLINKs (BLACKPINK fans) spotted the “Kill This Love” hit-makers’ name on the list!

Following the spoiler, Mother Monster took to her Twitter to share with her fans the full list of new songs included in “Chromatica”. Based on the photo posted by Gaga, the name of their collaboration single is “Sour Candy”. Other featured artistes included in the “Born This Way” songstress’ comeback album include Ariana Grande and also legendary singer Elton John.

#Chromatica ⚔💓 #LG6 pic.twitter.com/nRG8AKuvK5

“Chromatica” was originally scheduled to drop on 10th April, but was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. For now, Gaga has yet to announce its updated release date.

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#WhatsApp: New Features Allow Users To Write & Draw On Photos & Videos

WhatsApp just bumped up their mobile app with new features that similar to both Snapchat’s and Instagram Stories’.

Now, users will have new ways to customise and enhance their photos and videos as WhatsApp has included the ability to draw, write, and slap emoji on them.

In their blog, WhatsApp explained, “When you capture a new photo or video or share one that’s already on your phone, you’ll automatically see the new editing tools. Whether you’re drawing a big red heart to show how much you miss someone or adding your favourite emoji – sometimes a picture really is worth a thousand words. Try adding text too, and change the colour and font style.”

Additionally, the WhatsApp camera feature also saw some much needed enhancements. It now supports the front-facing flash, which will improve the quality of your selfie photo in low light and at night. Users will also be able to zoom in and out while recording videos by sliding a finger up and down, and quickly switch between front and rear facing cameras by double-tapping on the screen.

The update has rolled out for both Android as well as iOS users. Woot. Time to get a-doodlin’, guys!


Hype’s Now Playing: Selena Gomez – Good For You

Think you’ve heard (or rather, seen) enough of Selena Gomez yet? Think again! She has just released the official music video for her latest song, “Good For You” (with A$AP Rocky), and it features more of her than you can ever imagine.

“Good For You” is the first single off her upcoming album and it starts with a shot of the 22-year-old artiste on the ground in a plain white tee before switching to a shot of her lying seductively in a dress on a couch, and finally alternating to a shower scene where she strips down (but totally safe for work).

In the song, Selena sings about wanting to “look good for you” and throughout the entire music video, she can be seen making plenty of eye contact. Oh you know, just looking effortlessly sexy and all that jazz. Just all in a day’s work for Selena, eh? ;)

For more information on Selena Gomez, visit her website or her Facebook page.


#LivescapeSessions: Megan Nicole, Andie Case, Max Schneider, & Mike Tompkins Live In Malaysia

This year’s line-up of concerts just keeps getting better for music fans!

Hot on the heels of the announcement that Sam Tsui and Kurt Hugo Schneider are gracing our local shores with their musical talents, the peeps from Livescape Group have just announced that 4 additional YouTube sensations will be thrilling fans with more music goodness this coming July. They are Megan Nicole, Andie Case, Max Schneider, and Mike Tompkins.

Many of you may know these talented musicians from YouTube for their popular song covers, medleys, and mash-up tunes. For those who didn’t know, Megan Nicole and Andie Case have previously performed in Malaysia before, but this will be Max Schneider and Mike Tompkins’ first ever appearance in the country.

With over 6.9 million YouTube subscribers between the 4 singers, fans are in for a treat as they bring their one-night-only show to Malaysia as part of their Asia tour. Both Megan and Max have been producing videos on their YouTube since 2009, while Mike’s acapella version of Nicki Minaj’s “Starships” has managed to garner a whopping 21 million views to date, thanks in part to the cameo by the cast of “Pitch Perfect”.

Brought to you by The Livescape Group, the details for “Livescape Sessions” featuring Megan Nicole, Andie Case, Max Schneider, and Mike Tompkins Live in Malaysia are as follows:

Concert tickets are available here. You can also check out The Livescape Group’s Facebook page for more information.


#CGV: South Korean Cinema Chain Aggressively Expands, Opens In Malaysia

In Malaysia, while we’re still riding on the all-time high of the Hallyu wave, we still “suffer” from the lack of other forms of South Korean entertainment i.e. movies. But it appears that all of that is set to change soon. Very soon!

South Korea’s CJ CGV is the largest multiplex cinema chain in South Korea, and also has branches in places around the world. CGV takes its name from the first letter of the three words; “Cultural, Great and Vital”. Its chain includes 85 sites, 681 screens, and 100 thousand seats in Korea. In 2013, CGV’s 106 theatres and 833 screens in South Korea accounted for 101 million tickets (worth a gross of USD751 million) of the record-breaking 213 million admissions sold nationwide.

“Now that we’ve become the fifth company to hit the 100 million ticket sales mark, we are more confident that we’ve got the formula right and can live up to our ambitions,” says Yun Ik-jun, CGV’s executive VP.

And ambitious, they most certainly are, because our source indicates that CJ CGV now has eyes on Indonesia, Myanmar, and Malaysia – all fast-growing economies in underscreened markets. Yes, you read right. Malaysia. The company’s aggressive international expansion plans have taken it into Vietnam, where it is the leading cinema operator, and even the US, where its toehold is tiny for the moment – 3 screens in Los Angeles’ Koreatown.

As mentioned, the next phase of expansion – into Indonesia, Myanmar, and yes, Malaysia – is already under way. In Malaysia, CGV has identified its first multiplex site in Kuala Lumpur in a partnership with local firm Empire (Empire City, perhaps?), and in Myanmar, it has a memo of understanding with an undisclosed local firm.

“In Malaysia, Myanmar, and Indonesia, it is clear that we first have to cooperate with local partners,” Yun says. “Long-term, the plan is to implant our philosophy, translate best practices, and increase our Korean content.”

You know what this means though, right? We will finally have access to all the South Korean movies that we’ve been wanting to watch, without having to wait for the DVD to be released or for a TV station to air it months after the movie has premiered.

You know what else makes this deal a whole lot sweeter?

On top of that, we might or might not also get special screenings on very special occasions such as during the annual Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA). We know this because the CGV Cinemas in the US have organised one-off screenings previously, based on what we found on their official Twitter account:

WATCH 2012 MAMA on the BIG SCREEN!!! Of course, only at CGV Cinemas ;) For Free tickets, visit CGV’s Facebook page.

— CGV Cinemas (@CGVcinemas) November 29, 2012

No information yet on how much the tickets will cost or if there’s an exact date for CGV Cinemas’ Malaysian launch. But this changes everything! And we can’t wait ;)

For more information, visit CGV’s website.

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SNSD’s Jessica & Rapper Eun Ji-won On Running Man!

K-Pop idol girl group SNSD Girls’ Generation’s Jessica rapper Eun Ji-won are set to feature in the upcoming episode of “Running Man’”!

The two guest stars join the main cast members in what will be an “Animal Kingdom” special on location at the Everland Resort theme park in Yongin, Gyeonggi in South Korea. It is home to tigers, polar bears, horses, rhinoceroses, giraffes, birds, monkeys, birds, seals, sea lions, penguins, and more.

The challenge involves everyone seeking out an animal partner and everyone has to wear headgear of an animal that most resembles themselves. Jessica, who joins Running Man for the third time, dons an adorable rabbit headpiece, and demonstrates her passion to win by leading the team, while Eun Ji-won puts on a panda.

Despite this being Eun Ji-won’s first appearance on the urban reality adventure show, he hits it off very well with Lee Kwangsu and Haha and to great comedy, with Yoo Jae Suk noting their excellent chemistry as a trio.

Meanwhile, Kwangsu whose partner is a giraffe will have everyone in stitches with his comical imitation of a giraffe while wearing the giraffe headpiece.

Catch SNSD Girls’ Generation’s Jessica and rapper Eun Ji-won in action on Running Man, premiering 10th May 2013 (Friday) at 11:45pm, first and exclusively on ONE/ONE HD.


Giveaway: Win A Shiseido TechnoSatin Gel Lipstick Set Worth RM625

You’d be surprised to learn how much a person’s lips influence their expression. If you haven’t had the pleasure of trying Shiseido Makeup’s new TechnoSatin Gel Lipstick, now’s your chance. Using ultra-comfortable formula that comes with a satin finish, it’s time to give those puckers the attention it deserves!

A flexible-yet-resilient formula, the cutting-edge Stretch-Flex Technology weightlessly wraps the lips comfortably in colour, like a second-skin without cracking, feathering or flaking. Housed in a sleek, Shiseido-red case, come experiment and express yourself with this collection of eye-catching and confidence-bosting red hues, vibrant berries and shocking brights as well as safe pink and nude colours.

Ready to slay the day in these lipsticks? Since sharing is caring, we’re giving away our favourite products from Shiseido to add on to your vanity. There are 5 sets of TechnoSatin Gel Lipstick up for grabs – each set is worth RM625. How to win? Simply follow these simple steps:


Hype’s Now Playing: Ashley Tisdale & Vanessa Hudgens – Ex’s & Oh’s (Elle King Cover)

“High School Musical” fans, rejoice! Ashley Tisdale and Vanessa Hudgens have finally released a duet :)

With the help of Tisdale’s musician/guitarist husband, Christopher French, the former co-stars performed a stripped-down version of Elle King’s 2015 hit single, “Ex’s & Oh’s”.

The 2 pop princesses maintained good friends even after their Disney days. Hudgens was even one of Tisdale’s bridesmaids during her wedding in 2014.

In the video, which was uploaded on Tisdale’s YouTube channel, Tisdale explained that many of her fans wanted to see her sing a duet with Hudgens. She said, “I read all your comments and you guys wanted one very special guest. So I brought her in, my best friend Vanessa Hudgens!”

Tisdale continued, “We’re really excited to do this because this is actually our first duet together. We did not have a song in ‘High School Musical’. Just the 2 of us. We always wanted one too. So now we are here and we decided to do ‘Ex’s & Oh’s’ by Elle King.”

The performance was part of Tisdale’s “Music Sessions” series on YouTube. She previously uploaded an acoustic version of “It’s Alright, It’s Ok” and a cover of Paramore’s “Still Into You”.


This Is How MySejahtera Looks Like After Completing The Vaccination

Malaysia’s National Covid-19 immunisation programme has already started with almost 400,000 frontliners have obtained their first dose since yesterday. Curious as to what happens after completing your vaccination? Here’s what Malaysians can expect.

One of Sarawak General Hospital’s frontliner, Brian Lian, had shared a screenshot on Twitter showing his vaccination page on the MySejahtera app. The frontliner received his 2nd dose yesterday. Following that, a digital certificate has been issued to prove his vaccination process.

Looking at the checklist, Lian registered for the vaccine on 25th February. The next day, he was eligible for the vaccine. Lian also got his first dose on 26th February. He’s one of the first frontliners to receive the vaccine.

Next, the digital certificate will showcase the vaccination location as well as details of the two doses. Lian’s certificate also states the time and date of the vaccine injection with a batch number.

Lian received COMIRNATY. This is a brand of the vaccine created by Pfizer-BioNTech. These vaccines require two shots with a 21-day interval.

Malaysians aren’t only using Pfizer vaccines, but also Sinovac vaccines which require two doses as well. For Sinovac vaccines, ultra-low temperatures aren’t necessary for storage. Moreover, they have a 14-day interval between the two doses. This is shorter than the Pfizer vaccines.

The Covid-19 immunisation programme is currently in Phase 1 and will cover 500,00 frontliners first. It will end next month.

Phase 2 will begin in April until August this year, which will cover the remaining frontliners, senior citizens, chronic disease patients, and disabled individuals. Finally, Phase 3 will cover all the remaining adults starting in May 2021 until February 2022.

The vaccines are free for everyone including both Malaysians and non-Malaysians. For those who haven’t registered yet, you can visit the MySejahtera app, Malaysian’s vaccine website, or you can even dial in 1-800-888-828.

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Alicia Silverstone Endorses Eco-Friendly..You Know What

Alicia Silverstone is one of the many celebrities that support eco-friendly products. When we talk about going green, we don’t just mean food. The nature lover, vegan and activist is endorsing an eco-friendly vibrator sex toy called the “Leaf“. Yes you got that right, you’re not hallucinating.

The Leaf personal massager is totally inspired by nature and it comes in different shapes and sizes. It’s green, waterproof and it has seamless silicone. Don’t judge a book by it’s cover, tho it’s small it’s really powerful.

If you wanna bring your eco-friendliness to another level, then you know what to do.


The Highest-grossing Franchise Of All Time Is Not Star Wars Or Marvel, But This…

When it comes to famous media franchises, huge names like Marvel, Star Wars, or even Harry Potter will come to mind, but you’d be surprised, because the franchise that tops the list is none other than Japan giant title Pokemon!

Sure, Marvel Cinematic Universe may be the highest-grossing film franchise at the box office, but its total media revenue is nowhere near the Pokemon franchise.

When it comes to media franchise, sales from every aspect of the particular franchise will be taken into account. This includes box office, sales from merchandise, home entertainment, and revenue from video games, books, TV series, and other related things.

It is estimated that the Pokemon franchise has earned $59.1 billion USD since its creation in 1996 by Satoshi Tajiri. The franchise becomes the world’s top-selling toy brand, the top-selling trading card game, and the most successful television show based on a video game.

Coming in second place is George Lucas’ Star Wars with a total revenue of $42.9 billion, but despite being in second place, the franchise has a huge gap of $16.2 billion with Pokemon even though it was released almost 20 years earlier than the Japanese franchise.

Meanwhile, coming in close third is another Japanese behemoth in the form of a cute white cat, Hello Kitty with a total of $41.1 billion, while the Wizarding World franchise (AKA Harry Potter) comes in fourth with $26.4 billion.

In case you’re wondering, Marvel is 7th highest on the list with an estimation of $21.7 billion, but considering that the franchise began in 2008, the numbers are quite remarkable, and we expect that it will go higher in the coming future as the company has quite a lot of projects in hand and in plan.

So, what do you think of the rankings? Are you surprised that Pokemon tops the list?


Hype’s Exclusive: JustKiddingFilms; Beyond Just Being Asian American Comedians

Over the weekend, we had the opportunity to meet and speak with 3 YouTubers who are household names in not only the US states (where they’re from) but also around the globe. Do the names Bart, Joe Jo, and Geo ring any bells for you? ;)

Yes, indeed we mean JustKiddingFilms aka JKFilms! The phenomenal YouTuber trio rocked up to sunny Kuala Lumpur as they were part of the “Reach Out 2015” event lineup, armed with an arsenal of witty words/phrases enough to leave any hardcore fan in stitches from laughter.

Luckily, we managed to snag an exclusive interview with ’em comedic peeps before their show because let’s be real now, who’d say no to that, right? Here’s what went down:

Hey guys, how’s it going? You guys alright? Not feeling jetlaggy or anything like that?

Joe: I actually don’t get jetlagged haha! We woke up at like 6am or 7am and we immediately went back on our natural schedules.

Geo: Yeah but we’ll see what happens at 7pm though.

Oh right, I saw Geo posting up a picture on her Instagram over breakfast?

Bart: Did you see the picture I posted of breakfast? Mine was better. I have my angles and they’re better angles.

Geo: I took my own picture so credits to me for mine.

I’m not even going to argue with filmmakers right now haha! So, JustKiddingFilms have always been known to push boundaries of the Asian stereotype. Has that always worked in your favour or otherwise?

Joe: Oh yeah, definitely it’s controversial because when you do something that makes people offended and when we do things that are always challenging what people think is normal..like for example, we use accents in a lot of our videos and some people just hear the accents and they say, “You’re making fun of Asians, this is not funny!”, right? But other people go, “Oh, this reminds me of how my Mom is.” There’s a reason behind the accents and it makes people feel like this is a character, a true character. My Mom has an accent so this is real, cause it wouldn’t make sense if the Asian mom is was speaking perfect English or has a Mexican/British accent or whatever. We’re trying to create characters that are realistic and then push the boundaries through examples of what types of upbringing we had and share with the rest of the world..Asian American culture.

Bart: When I think about it, Asian Americans are portrayed in the media as a little bit more conservative and I think we represent another group out there who are a little bit more liberal and a little bit more outspoken. So that way, people can have a more accurate view..we’re not saying that we’re the only view..but I think in every culture, you have the timid ones, the loud ones, the shy ones, and also the geniuses, and I think it’s important for Asian Americans of all types of personalities to come out so that people won’t pigeonhole us as “just quiet and timid”. It’s like you said, it’s kinda like a double-edged word. We are able to represent an entire sector of Asian Americans, but sometimes yeah because we’re pushing boundaries, we also get backlash.

Joe: I don’t know if there’s a stereotype here in Malaysia but in America, Asians are looked upon as (physically) small, nerdy, quiet, timid, unattractive, desexualised..

Bart: Like for example, if you go to a stand-up comedy show in the US, other ethnics races will have no problems telling jokes about Asians immediately – versus if there were like black folks in the audience, a white comedian would be a little bit more hesitant about saying jokes about them.

Geo: Yeah, I’m Mexican but what really connected to JKFilms in the beginning was, Unco Same and Unco Chin..they have accents and they’re Asians but outside of those 2 elements..they really weren’t your sort of typical Asian guys. They listen to funk, they’re really loud, and I thought, “Hey, that’s really cool because I actually know Asians like that” minus the accent and crazy attires that they wear. And that’s really cool because now you’re talking about the Asians that I grew up with and not what the media often talks about, like the super geeky and nerdy Asians.

What’s the working process like for the JKFilms fam? How do you brainstorm for ideas to feature in your videos?

Joe: A lot of skits that we came up with in the past, they’re inspired by life events that happened to us during childhood or whatnot. Usually the way the brainstorming process goes is, we’re basically telling each other stories of happened when we were 3 years old or “just the other day” or something like that. And then we go, “That’s a great idea, let’s put that into a skit!”

You’ve cemented your brand as Asian American comedians, but what are some things you wish your subscribers knew about you?

Bart: Actually I wish they knew less. I don’t think there’s anything that they don’t know!

Joe: We share a lot of our personal lives! But you know, we have a lot of channels and all of them have different purposes. On top of that, we all have personal channels (laughs). We started as JKFilms (group channel) first before we moved on to start our own channels for our more personal stuff. They (Bart and Geo) also own a gym and a clothing brand. The gym is called Barbell Brigade.

Geo: And Joe also owns 2 different companies, and a blog, and he also produces music.

Bart: (teases) Joe is an international DJ.

Joe: We do a lot of things and a lot of people see us as comedians and filmmakers but in reality..in essence, what we really are..are serial entrepreneurs. Whatever idea we have, we turn into reality. So we don’t really have a step-by-step for how we do things. We just.. “Hey, that’s a great idea. Let’s do it!” and that’s how it has always been for all of us.

In what ways do you think that being part of the fam has changed you individually?

Geo: Oohh, yeah that’s a great question. I know for me personally, cause they’ve been my friends before JKFilms started..

Joe: She was the “business woman” and we were not “business” enough.

Geo: I never looked down on them! I just thought that the films that they were making were really dumb. Like, why are you guys showing me this? Why are guys wasting your time? Why aren’t you guys studying? Why aren’t you guys focusing on school?

Geo: No! You guys would give it to me and I’m like..so, at that time, I was going to college and I was working full time, and then..like I was just kinda blind to everything in terms of what I can pursue and what I’m supposed to do with my life. Because I was so fixated on these are like the steps you’re supposed to take as an adult: you finish high school, then you immediately go to university, after getting your degree then you immediately start in the workforce, you work for a few years, you get your stability and money, you get married, have kids, the end. And that was what I thought the path was but then..you know..growing with JKFilms, it was like well actually no, that’s not the path because it doesn’t have to be that way. That’s personally what I learnt from being part of this. I think I would be miserable if I had that cookie cutter lifestyle.

Joe: The thing that I love about all of this and how we turned JKFilms into something real is that it proved to me that no matter what, as long as I put my mind into it, I can make it happen. And from JKFilms, I think that’s where they were able to build Barbell Brigade and I was able to build all these other channels.

Joe: (laughs) It becomes like a domino effect thing. And for those out there who want to pursue something and achieve whatever, I’ve met so many people who have achieved greatness and its all the same formula. Once you start working towards something and no matter what achieve that goal by any means necessary, you’ll start to realise that you have more control over your life than you ever thought. So, a lot of people don’t understand how much responsibility or control they have over their own actions, their own emotions, their own lifestyles, and they always narrow it down to just “luck”. Like “These people are successful because they’re lucky” or “I have bad luck, that’s why I can’t make it”. They don’t understand that every single action that they do everyday turns into what the future is going to be.so that’s the biggest lesson for me. I’m really thankful that I went against my fears and was able to build something out of it. I heard this from a speech and this guy said, “Everybody wants a good life, but no one wants to work for it”.

Bart: For me what I really love or what I got from JKFilms is..I think like, in a lot of industries, there are already all these preset routes to success, and most people..they find that and they try to make themselves fit that route. But at JKFilms, we’re very non conventional in the way we do things and I think to us, family is very important. We’ve turned down really big opportunities that would’ve, I guess, skyrocketed or launched our careers, for the sake of our family. And we’ve done things the way we wanted to do them since day one and we’ve never made any sacrifices, and what that has taught me..what I learnt from that is..like Joe said, you can have full control of your life, be 100% accountable for your actions, do things the way you want to, and still be successful without having to fit into one of those presets.

Joe: To put it all together, don’t ever let anyone tell you how your life can pan out. If you have a desire for something, you can break all the rules as long as it’s not illegal. For example, when people say, “Don’t do business with your friends, you’re gonna mess it all up”..we’re doing business, and we’re friends. And when people say, “Don’t do business with your girlfriend”..Bart and Geo are boyfriend and girlfriend. When people say, “You shouldn’t have relationships in the company”, well, we have 3. We break all those rules because we know that we can make it work.

Last one for the road, and a fun question at that – do you remember any crazy fan moments? What are they?

Bart: The craziest fan moment I’ve ever had, was actually not a personal one. Because when I think that when I deal with a people one-on-one like in person, it’s different because they’re accountable for their actions and if it comes down to it, I’d just beat them up or whatever (laughs). But..one of the craziest ones that happen was um, so we use our homes a shoot a lot, and one time, I see this post-it on my doorknob that said, “Hey, I just want you to know that I’m your biggest fan and I know where you live!” I didn’t know how to take it at that time like was I supposed to take it as a compliment or should I be scared? So, I just flipped the post-it over and I wrote, “If you ever show up at my house again, I’m gonna kill you” and I taped it back on the doorknob.

Geo: Yeah, we didn’t get anymore post-its after that.

Joe: I think the craziest was probably when we were filming JustKiddingNews and all of a sudden somebody thumped at our door it felt like there was a police officer outside. We were like, “Wait, did anyone invite someone?” and our office is in a warehouse so it’s very hidden. We opened up the door and there was this guy who was like, “Hi, I brought my kids and they’re big fans of you guys. We found your address on your Internet..” and I was just thinking like, no dude..we’re filming right now sorry. Apparently, the mom was outside filming it and the kids were out there, and the guy was like, “Really? You can’t just come out for 2 minutes to take some pictures with us?” and we’re like, “What? We’re filming, we’re working. What are you doing?”

Bart: I think to people outside we look like we’re just goofing around on JustKiddingNews, but we’re actually on a schedule when we’re filming. They don’t understand that it’s almost like going into a doctor’s office and going, “Stop the surgery! Take off your mask and take a pictures with us!”

Yikes! Not only that. It’s also an invasion of privacy.

Joe, Bart, & Geo: Yeah, definitely! Exactly.

Thanks for sharing that with us, you guys. And thanks for taking time off you schedule to speak with us!

Joe, Bart, & Geo: Thank you! Those were really good questions.

We’ll leave you now with one of their latest videos featuring the hunt for a new JKFilms HQ. Don’t stalk them though ;)

For more information, visit their website.

Don’t forget to subscribe to their YouTube channel!

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Datuk Picks Fight With Datuk Seri Over Parked Helicopter In Puchong

Datuk’s and Datuk Seri’s seem to be trending a lot nowadays. While the last altercation took place in a restaurant, this one happened in front of a house.

Another drunk Datuk took offence to a helicopter parked in front of his neighbour’s house in Jindu Town, Puchong. The incident occurred on 27th January (Wednesday night) at 10pm.

Datuk Seri Lim Lean Soon, the founder of Desire Fly, explained that he was using the helicopter for a commercial. With the ongoing epidemic affecting his business negatively, DS Lim created a new service; towing small helicopters. As MCO restricts flying, he transported the helicopter to his house using a tow truck on the 24th.

“It is not like I flew it into my house nor was it obstructing anyone’s house,” he commented. The helicopter was scheduled to be moved back to the airport on the 29th. On the 27th, his friends and relatives dropped by to celebrate his birthday and took the opportunity to snap pictures with the helicopter. As he was wiping the helicopter clean, his neighbour, a Datuk, approached him while shouting profanities.

DS Lim said that the Datuk had been drinking in front of his house but he hadn’t expected the Datuk to accuse him of showing off his wealth. “Me parking the helicopter here is none of your business. You are only a Datuk, don’t be arrogant,” DS Lim was heard saying in Hokkien. The verbal argument dissolved into a physical one when the two men started shoving each other. A young man, believed to be DS Lim’s family member broke up the fight and advised the two to calm down.

Both men were unaware that their neighbours had recorded the confrontation and uploaded it on social media. The footage quickly went viral and DS Lim was surprised to discover his overnight fame. He joked that while he was grateful to his neighbour for giving him such a ‘big gift’ on the eve of his birthday, he didn’t think it was worth it.

The men are reportedly friends and the matter has been resolved.

“They are friends who were drinking last night and it was just a misunderstanding," Serdang district police chief Razali Abu Samah told FMT.

It is also not against the law to park a helicopter in one's own home. https://t.co/a1zljM2EBB

A police report was lodged by the management of the gated community, as they were against him parking the helicopter at his house. However, the police have confirmed that it is not an offence. Serdang district police chief Razali Abu Samah also stated that they will not investigate the fight as the two men are actually friends and the incident was merely a misunderstanding.

DS Lim has released a video stating that the Datuk and his family came to his house on Thursday to apologise to him. He has no intention of pursuing the matter further as his neighbour had been drunk when the incident occurred.

Sources: China Press, Free Malaysia Today, The Sun Daily


Hype’s Exclusive: Day Trippin’ With Grammy-Nominated DJ/Producer Kaskade

Kaskade (real name Ryan Gary Raddon) has a lot to show for. In just 2 years he has set off on countless tours taking over the main stage at major music festivals around the globe, started his own label, and put out tonnes of new music. He’s an undeniable crowd favourite and in fact, his schedule is packed right until the year-end, with an “It’s The Ship” headline gig squeezed in for November.

We know, right? Where he even finds the space to breathe is beyond us!

We last spoke to Kaskade sometime back in 2013 so it was high time to find out what he else has been up to! We caught up with to the 44-year-old DJ/producer on Tuesday (22nd September) when he rang us up real quick for a chat.

Hi Kaskade! Thanks for calling in. Where are you right now and what are you up to?

I’m here in Los Angeles, at home. Just winding down finishing my day. Which is actually the complete opposite of you guys because you guys are still getting started, right?

Yes, haha. It’s lunch time now in Kuala Lumpur. “Automatic” drops 25th September, congrats! Before we get into the album, what can you tell us about it?

Thank you! New album, lots of new material, it’s the next chapter to my story. This album has more collaborations on it that I’ve ever had in the past and I think that was just due to the fact that I’ve always wanted to try new things. You know, get out there and try some different stuff. I worked with CID, a good buddy of mine and a talented producer, and Galantis, John Dahlback, Two Nations..quite a few people!

Yes, I saw that Galantis is on it. That’s great! Which tracks were your favourites to work on and why?

Oh, I don’t know if I have a favourite. They were all a lot of fun! Haha. Favourite song..the Galantis one was a long time in the making, I mean this whole album was a long time in the making. “Atmosphere” is almost 2 years old now..

You’re right. There were 2 whole years between “Atmosphere” and “Automatic”. What happened in those 2 years?

I kinda took my time making “Automatic”. In the world of the electronic dance music, to wait a couple of years between albums is..for me, it seems like awhile. But the whole thing was fun to make – it was a blast. I’ve been touring non-stop since the success of “Atmosphere” so I think that’s why it took me a little bit longer. Not for any particular reason, it just took me a little longer to get the bits and pieces together, and finish the material.

Actually, in between “Atmosphere” and “Automatic”, you did come to Kuala Lumpur. That was the last time we spoke, at Zouk Club KL.

Oh right, right! Yeah yeah, that’s right!

Are there any plans to release a remix album for “Automatic” in the near future?

There aren’t any, no. No remix albums planned. Actually, right now the goal is to get as many people to hear “Automatic” as possible. I have a massive tour here in North America scheduled through the month of October where I’ve got 18 stops. And then I’ve got like another 15 or so shows after that, that are just kinda like post-“Automatic” tour right before the end of the year. Yeah, it’s going to be a pretty busy last quarter for me.

You also recently started your own label, Arkade. Tell us a little bit about that.

Yeah! Arkade is still really young and new..actually, I was trying to think of the exact start date just the other day and I couldn’t remember it (laughs). It’s still new, it’s not even a year old, and it has some absolutely great releases coming up. We’ve got a release by CID coming out and another release that we just put out, “Work It” by Digital LAB..that came out last Friday. So yeah, you know, I think that the idea was to..I’m in a position where a lot of people are listening to my live shows and I have a lot of friends giving me music and..I’m able to share their music and help my friends out. I share my music and I share theirs by putting it out on the label. There are a lot of incredible talents out there right now so it’s a good time.

What kind of up-and-coming artistes are you looking to sign with Arkade? What kind of stand out qualities should they have?

Hmm, stuff that sounds new, fresh, and distinct. It’s always a bonus if it works in my set but even if it doesn’t work in my set, if I think it’s something beautiful and musical..and something that I like listening to, I’ll sign it. So it’s kind of like a criteria. I don’t sign a specific genre or a specific style. It’s kinda all over the place ranging from super deep stuff like deep house, to minimal and deep space house stuff, to stuff that’s really pounding and main stage stuff. It’s all over the place stylistically but it’s kinda like the common thread or theme to the music that I really like and love, and that inspires me. It could be stuff that are clubby or it could be stuff that are not.

I’m not sure what it’s like in the US now but over here in Malaysia, we’re all kinda like still in the whole “EDM bubble”. Which direction is dance music moving towards over there?

It seems like it has kinda found its space right now, for a minute there it didn’t have any footing..like people didn’t know if it’s underground club music or commercial music like, “What is this?” (laughs) I think people were really confused for a little while but I think it has kind of finally found its footing and people are starting to understand it. It’s maturing a little bit here in North America and it’s starting to gain some respect, and certainly have a lot more momentum. I mean, the shows are huge, the festivals are huge, and the concerts are very big. So it’s still really popular. Sound-wise, I think it has also matured a bit because it’s not as loud and noisy as it was a few years ago, you know? It has become more musical. And really, I still think that this is kinda just the beginning. I feel like there are a lot more talents out there that are undiscovered..that will surface over the next few years, and that there are still a lot more acts that will cross over to the more commercial and pop side of things.

We hear that you’ll be headlining on “It’s The Ship” in a couple of months. What can you fans expect from your set?

My sets are unique in a way that are..I’ve really written, produced, and remixed so much music over the last 20 years that I’ve this massive catalogue so..what makes my sets unique is that I play so much of my own music. You’ll hear me playing a lot of my own music.

Complete the following sentence: “Automatic” is the kind of album that I’d listen to when..

Thanks Kaskade for the chat! We look forward to seeing you on “It’s The Ship”. And thanks to our friends from Warner Music Malaysia for arranging it :)

We’ll leave you now with the official music video for “Disarm You” by Kaskade featuring Ilsey. Enjoy:

Kaskade’s new album, “Automatic”, is set to be released on 25th September. Pre-order it off iTunes here.

For more information on Kaskade, hit up his website or Facebook page.

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#MH370: DCA Declares Ill-Fated Flight “An Accident” + Compensation Process To Start

On 8th March 2014,  Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, enroute to Beijing, China with 239 passengers and crew onboard went missing. It was reported to have last made contact with air traffic control at 1:19am, less than an hour after takeoff. The aircraft disappeared from air traffic controllers’ radar at 1:21am.

A massive search mission was conducted with several countries taking part led by Australia.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak confirmed on 24th March that the ill-fated MH370 “ended” in the southern Indian Ocean. The conclusion was made after searches used a new form of data analysis – never used before in a search for a missing plane to determine that the plan was lost in a remote area of the Indian Ocean west of Perth, Australia.

Since then, the operation shifted its focus on underwater search in a 60,000 square kilometre priority area in the Southern Indian Ocean, coordinated by the Australian Joint  Agency Coordination Centre.

However, earlier this morning, it was confirmed that the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) was to hold a press conference to update on the MH370 tragedy at 3:30pm at the DCA headquarters in Putrajaya. But alas, it was called off after being delayed for an hour. The Star reported that the press conference was called off because of the presence of the next of kin.

In a statement, the DCA said that the briefing was for the media only and that separate arrangements had been made to communicate with the next of kin. “Due to the presence of next-of-kin at the briefing, it was not appropriate to continue and the briefing was cancelled,” said the DCA. Following which, arrangements were made for the DCA Director General to record the statement, which was aired by RTM at 6pm.

During the pre-recorded statement, the DCA officially declared Malaysia Airlines’ Flight MH370 an accident in accordance with Chicago convention and all 239 passengers and crew on board are presumed to have lost their lives.

The Government of Malaysia acknowledges that this declaration of the MH370 accident will be very difficult for the families and loved ones of the 227 passengers and 12 crew on board to consider, much less accept. Thirteen nations have also lost sons and daughters to this tragedy. It is nonetheless important that families try to resume normal lives, or as normal a life as may be possible after this sudden loss. Without in any way intending to diminish the feelings of the families, it is hoped that this declaration will enable the families to obtain the assistance they need, in particular through the compensation process.

Read the full statement from the press conference here. Interim statement will be released on or around the one year anniversary (8th March) of the incident.

Meanwhile, the underwater search for MH370 is still ongoing at this time and the exercise is currently being performed by 4 vessels, namely the Go Phoenix, Fugro Discovery, Fugro Equator and Fugro Supporter. To date, the search has covered over 18,600 square kilometres (as of 28th Jan 2015).


Teddy Geiger Releases 1st Single Since Becoming A Trans Woman

You may remember Teddy Geiger for the 2006 hit “For You I Will”. A lot has changed since then.

For starters, Geiger came out as a trans woman last year and has made a name for herself as an establish songwriter in the music industry. Some of the famous A-list artists include Shawn Mendes, Christina Aguilera, Maroon 5, 5 Seconds of Summer, Anne-Marie, DNCE, and more.

But now, Geiger is stepping back into the spotlight with a brand new single, “I Was In A Cult”. Instead of the typical radio-friendly anthems that she’s used to producing for other pop stars, this singer-songwriter is rebranding herself as edgy alt-rock queen. “I Was In A Cult” was recently released under the pseudonym “teddy<3”.

In a statement, Ms Geiger shared that her new tune doesn’t address any specific “cult,” but rather “acting from a place of freedom”. “Whether it’s family, friends, work place, partner, country, etc., these little systems of thought/belief can sneak in and it’s easy to lose ourselves in the whole,” she wrote.

Geiger’s 3rd studio album, “LillyAnna”, will debut later this year.


#Luhan: Casted As Male Lead For Upcoming Chinese Film, “I Am A Witness”

Despite his lawsuit drama with agency SM Entertainment, there’s no stopping ex-EXO member Luhan as of yet. Since he has already achieved box office success with the release of Chinese movie, “Miss Granny“, he might as well continue to ride the waves – and apparently, he will!

On 13th Feb, it was reported that Luhan will be back on the silver screen as the male lead of another Chinese movie tentatively titled, “I Am A Witness”. The movie is said to be a remake of a 2011 Korean thriller and crime-based award-winning flick titled, “Blind“, which starred Yoo Seung Ho and Kim Ha Neul. The “Blind” plot revolved around 2 witnesses of a murder, who collaborate to hunt down the murderer.

Starring alongside Luhan as the movie’s main couple is Chinese actress Yang Mi. Yang Mi will play a blind witness who is blind whereas Luhan was chosen for his role with his befitting age, aura, athletic abilities, and appealing appearance suitable for the male lead’s character. The movie is to be co-produced by New Clues Film based in Beijing and Jaywalk Studio based in Shanghai. “I Am A Witness” is scheduled to start filming in March.

This would be the second “Chinese remake of a Korean movie” project that Luhan will be involved in, the first being “Miss Granny” aka “Back to 20”.

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Water Supply Disruption To Hit 59 Areas In Klang Valley

Just when we think it can’t get any worse in Selangor, several districts in the state will see an unscheduled water disruption today (16th October).

Air Selangor recently provided a press release about a burst pipe caused by a third party, which has disrupted the flow of water supply in Klang, Shah Alam, and Kuala Langat.

Formerly known as, SYABAS, Air Selangor, issued the statement on its Facebook page, stating that the Worldwide construction works at Seksyen U11, Shah Alam, had caused a pipe to burst. Due to this, a total number of 59 areas in the districts, will be affected.

Air Selangor stated, “Water supply assistance using water tank trucks will be sent to the areas involved to support those affected.” Check out all the areas affected below:

The statement added, “Air Selangor will keep on updating about the repair works from time-to-time through their official communication channels – Air Selangor Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The status of the repair will also be updated through the Air Selangor app and website.

Water disruption is turning out to be a norm for those living in Selangor. Read the full statement from Air Selangor here:

Just last month, over a million people living in Klang Valley had their water disrupted for 4 days.


#Vape: Higher Education Minister Bans Vape In 20 Public Universities In Malaysia

For awhile now, vaping has been the current issue in Malaysia nowadays. This is largely due to the fact that the Health Ministry has been in talks to either ban or regulate vaping.

The vaping habit is quickly becoming immensely popular, especially among college students. The main reason is because colleges do not currently have any policies regarding the usage of the vaporizer.

In Malaysia, most colleges ban the smoking of cigarettes near campus buildings or indoors. However, there are no regulations towards the usage of the vaporizer. Therefore, students use e-cigarettes as it is much more convenient compared to smoking normal cigarettes.

Now, according to The Star Online, the Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh says that vaping and smoking are banned in 20 public universities in Malaysia.

He also said that the universities’ vice-chancellors have reached a joint decision towards the matter at a meeting on Friday.

The Higher Education Minister mentioned that even though a few of the vice-chancellors have banned vape within the borders of their campuses, he still felt that the joint decision was appropriate as universities are widely known as “green zones”.

Speaking to reporters after opening the Sixth Malaysian Educational Institutions Games at Dewan 2020, he said:

Before we only banned smoking of tobacco but now we are extending it to vape as well.

Also present at the opening were Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Mary Yap Kain Ching, Perlis Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azlan Man and Community College Education Department director-general Datuk Amir Md Noor.

So what do you guys think? Do you think it was an appropriate decision? Write your thoughts in the comment box below.

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“Shazam! Fury Of The Gods”: Review & Post-Credits Scene Explained

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you probably know that Warner Bros Discovery’s DC Universe (DCU) is about to see some major shake-ups. Heck, they even dropped the “E” in the DCEU! With James Gunn and Peter Safran at the wheel, fans can look forward to a brand new vision of beloved heroes with new films and TV shows set in a universe after the events of “The Flash”. As exciting as it is to get to witness an in-universe cinematic reboot before our very eyes, this has certainly left some of the other DCU films still slated to come out before “The Flash” in an awkward position. Namely “Shazam! Fury of the Gods”.

Without the intertextual pull of the wider DCU, Billy Batson’s second outing will have to stand squarely on its own two feet. Does “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” manage to rise above the tricky internal situation of its franchise to deliver some super-powered fun? Does the film’s ending land on a definitive full-stop or does it leave room for more future magical adventures for Shazam and crew? Let’s find out!

In case any of you were wondering if “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” would be mired by the behind-the-scene upheavals of the DCU, don’t. Unlike “Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania”, the film isn’t trying to play a glorified building block to the next phase or chapter of a franchise. Well, it doesn’t have much of a choice in that department.

While the plot of the film would have you believe that Zachary Levi’s Billy Batson is the main star of the film, a solid half of the film is actually dedicated to Jack Dylan Grazer’s Freddy. Since 2019’s “Shazam!”, Freddy has always struggled with feelings of inadequacy and insecurity. So when he finally gets his powers, he tries his darndest to make up for lost time by (you guessed it) trying to impress a new girl in his school. This eventually leads to a conflict of interest when Rachel Zegler’s Anne reveals herself to Anthea, one of the daughters of Atlas, a group of demigod sisters trying to revive the age of the gods.

Picking up with Billy’s breakthrough in the previous film, he now struggles with feelings of anxiety with regards to him losing his family to time or to the daughters of Atlas, Hespera and Kalypso. It doesn’t quite have the same emotional punch of Billy learning to open himself up to love again but it does allow for some pretty comical and heartfelt situations. This brings us to the film’s greatest strength: its writing. Too many times we’ve seen comic book films try to inject levity in the midst of over-serious world-ending melodrama only to have it fall flat. Either due to tonal inconsistency or a lack of understanding of their characters’ core.

Here though, the film is very clear that it’s about kids getting superpowers and so when our heroes say or do ridiculous things, they feel completely organic to who they are as characters. Admittedly, with the film’s dramatic spotlight mainly fixed on Freddy, Billy and Anthea, it does leave some of the character arcs of Mary and the other Shazam siblings hanging. At the very least though, they’re given plenty of fun lines to keep us rooting for the crew as a whole. Heck, even Djimon Hounsou as the Wizard gets a few good zingers in there. His chemistry with Freddy is definitely one of the highlights of the film.

Director David F. Sandberg intelligently pivots “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” as a family comedy first and a superhero film second because the action set-pieces are a bit of a mixed bag. The film opens strong with Helen Mirren’s Hespera and Lucy Liu’s Kalypso causing delicious chaos that is as visceral as a PG-13 film would be allowed to go. Sadly, the film never quite reaches that high point again. Though, we are treated to a bevvy of fun superpowered antics set to some pretty killer soundtracks. Darla’s ride of the unicorns is sure to leave folks in the cinema smiling from ear to ear. Also, there’s a pretty awesome cameo of a Justice League member at the end of the film that will have old-school DCU fans hanging from the rafters.

David F. Sandberg’s “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” delivers irreverent comic-book fun without ever losing its solid, sappy heart. Perhaps more than Dominic Toretto, and not quite as obnoxiously expressed, the film is unabashedly about the power of family and how it inspires the DCU’s littlest heroes to be their true selves. What it lacks in visual flair and dramatic stakes, it more than makes up for with clever writing and really enjoyable character moments. The best compliment we can pay to this film is our sincere hope that Gunn and Safran find some way to incorporate the Shazam family into their new status quo. If not, then this will be fondly remembered as a warm memory before Flash inevitably destroys the timeline.

With Gunn and Safran using “The Flash” as the event to jumpstart the new DCU timeline, it does make us wonder what the post-credits scene of “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” mean for the future. In the scene, we see Jennifer Holland’s Emilia Harcourt and Steve Agee’s John Economos going into the woods to meet with Billy Batson as Shazam. All of this is done on the orders of one Amanda Waller. Upon meeting Shazam, both of them offer him a spot in Waller’s Justice Society team. The scene ends with Shazam suggesting that the idea of having two superhero teams with the word “Justice” in them is confusing.

After the underwhelming reception of 2022’s “Black Adam”, it was announced that the sequel to the film, and presumably the potential Justice Society film, would not be going forward. That being said, Gunn and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson have expressed interest in finding ways of incorporating the character into future projects. We know that Viola Davis’ Amanda Waller from “Peacemaker” will be getting her own series, “Waller”, in the new official timeline. If Waller gets to stay, we can assume that the characters on her team like John Cena’s Peacemaker, Harcourt and Economos get to as well. Gunn did personally create the series after all so he’ll probably find a way to have them survive the Flashpoint event.

This, however, raises another interesting question: If “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” won’t be part of the new timeline, why bother including a post-credits scene in the film? That is unless Shazam, Black Adam and the Justice Society could still appear in the DCU, though they won’t be given any individual solo projects in the current slate. Does this mean we could see Zachary Levi’s Shazam cracking jokes next to John Cena’s Peacemaker in the upcoming “Waller” series? We certainly hope so! Till then, stay tuned for more DCU news!

David F. Sandberg's "Shazam! Fury of the Gods" delivers irreverent comic-book fun without ever losing its solid, sappy heart. Perhaps more than Dominic Toretto, and not quite as obnoxiously expressed, the film is unabashedly about the power of family and how it inspires the DCU's littlest heroes to be their true selves. What it lacks in visual flair and dramatic stakes, it more than makes up for with clever writing and really enjoyable character moments.


Rockin’ Out With New Heights

About two months ago, we raved and raved about USA band and part of the International Secret Agents (ISA) concert series, New Heights. And now, as the date draws close (it’s only a month away!) we thought we’d finally let all y’all have a piece of the boys Travis (lead vocal) and Chris (guitarist).

But first, you absolutely have to watch this. Look what happens when Travis gets together with a bunch of his bros (fellow YouTubers David So, Paul Kim,  and Jason Chen):

[youtube id=”YlcJnbf_05I” width=”600″ height=”350″]

We know what you’re thinking – there must be something Travis and his entourage of talents isn’t good at. Right? Let’s find out!

We take it you’ve known each other since your late teens. Which begs the question, how different do you think your life and career would be if you didn’t meet each other?

“We started the band at such a young age that it’s pretty hard to tell where we’d be if we hadn’t met each other. We’d like to believe we would still somehow be involved with music in some way.”

What instrument that you don’t already play, that you wish you could master in?

“For me (Chris), I always regretted not doing piano lessons when I was younger. I play a little bit here and there for some of our songs that have piano in it, but definitely am no piano player by heart. I think Travis always wished he could master the piano as well and drums.”

What was it like to be part of the ISA (International Secret Agents) Seattle?

“The ISA concerts as a whole (Seattle, San Jose, and LA) were incredible. Everyone involved (from the staff to all the performers) were so nice and welcoming. It really felt like a big family and every time we got together for an ISA event it felt good to be back with everyone. The ISA Seattle concert was probably the most nerve wracking experience for us because it was the first ISA concert took part in and it was in our hometown. It was also our first time meeting Ryan Higa, Kevin Wu (KevJumba), WongFu Productions, Cathy Nguyen, and Far East Movement (among many others) so it was a bit surreal to meet these people that you watch from a computer screen more throughout the week. But we got along with everyone and are happy to call all them friends now.”

Are there any ISA acts that you more often than not draw inspiration from?

“I think our biggest inspiration out of all the ISA acts would have to be Far East Movement. They’ve done so much for the Asian-American community and their hard work has made them better musicians, entertainers, and human beings. They’re probably some of the most humble people you will ever meet. They’ve already made such a huge impact in the music industry and it inspires us to work harder and be as humble as they are.”

What were the oddest jobs you’ve ever had? Pray tell!

“My first job growing up was working at a Thai food restaurant and Travis worked for years at a cell phone accessory online store. Both are pretty random jobs and have nothing to do with what we’re doing now! Haha.”

If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?

“If we could change one thing about the music industry it would probably be to go back in time and bring back the era of ‘albums.’ It feels like we’re living in a ‘song’ generation and not an ‘album’ generation. There’s something very nostalgic about listening to good records from start to finish and going through a journey with it. Those days are long gone and mostly what we see is the ‘hits’ by artists. This, too, is great because fans are able to hear exactly what they want but we still miss when the music industry focused on records.”

We’re really excited about your debut performance in Malaysia! What can we expect to see and hear at Bentley Auditorium come July 2012?

“We’re so lucky to play with some amazing musicians and it definitely helps for a great live show. We’ll play a ton of our own songs but also try to incorporate some popular covers that people might know. We’ll also be trying out some new songs that we’ve been working on and haven’t released yet!”

Fact: The boys from New Heights are coming to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on the 13th July 2012 (Friday) for the first time ever. Fact: This is all thanks to the ever so hardworking troopers of M.E Malaysia. Fact: You need to be prepared to be amazed by these amazing YouTube talents:

[youtube id=”aVHO90m4QPc” width=”600″ height=”350″]

And, fact: Hype Malaysia (that’s us!) will be taking you through a play-by-play. Yay!

Venue: Bentley Music Auditorium, Mutiara Damansara

Ticketing: RM65 (General Admission), RM95 (VIP)

For more information, hit up M.E Malaysia’s Facebook page and remember to LIKE New Heights while you’re at it.

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#Malaysia: National Diver Cheong Jun Hoong Wins Gold At World Aquatics Championships

It’s another historic moment for Malaysia!

National diver Cheong Jun Hoong won the country’s first ever diving gold medal in the women’s 10 metre platform event at the World Aquatics Championships in Budapest, Hungary on Wednesday (19th July).

Cheong came in first with 397.50 points, beating China’s Si Yajie and Ren Qian, who took silver and bronze with 396.00 points and 391.95 points respectively.

“My god, I’m a world champion! I hoped for a medal, but I didn’t think I could beat the Chinese divers,” shared the Malaysian diver.

According to The Star, the 28-year-old sportswoman, who has been struggling with injuries, is a surprise entry for the individual platform and was ranked 4th after the first 2 dives. “It was an unexpected comeback for Jun Hoong considering she was the 7th ranked diver in the final based on the results from the semi-finals stage,” reported the daily.

Prior to her historic win, Cheong and fellow teammate Pandelela Rinong cinched bronze in the women’s 10m platform synchro final at the championships on Sunday (16th July).

Congratulations, Cheong Jun Hoong! We’re so proud of you :)

Sources: NST, The Star, MMO / Featured image: MMO.


#Passengers: Chris Pratt Reveals He Was Fully Naked During Shower Scene

Ladies, listen up. If you’d like to see Chris Pratt completely nude, then perhaps “Passengers” should be on your must-watch list.

The world got to see a snippet of Pratt’s impressive posterior during a hot shower scene. It’s clear that the steam rising in that scene wasn’t just from the water temperature. Turns out that the “Passengers” crew got to see a whole lot more than they expected when the actor’s “modesty sock” kept slipping off.

“There was one moment where I’m in the shower. It was the last scene we shot at the very end of a long week. I just remember I had this like dance belt on which is essentially glued or taped to the front to cover up that part. And the water was rolling down and it kept coming undone. And so I was like, ‘Just stop, forget it.’ And I did the whole scene. I was actually fully naked. And I knew everyone could see it. I didn’t care, I wanted to go home,” the 37-year-old actor told USA Today.

To wrap up the scene, Pratt decided to make do with the sock for the greater good. “It was like, what was I going to do, dry me off, apply another thing and take another 10 minutes to do that? Or just shoot the scene. So, everyone saw…” the “Guardians of the Galaxy” star explained his decision to go au naturel.

Here’s a snippet of the aforementioned scene:

In 3 days, Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence will wake up in the Avalon. Buy your #Passengers tickets now!!

A video posted by Golden Screen Cinemas (@gscinemas) on Dec 25, 2016 at 9:40pm PST

I'm so proud of this movie. It's beautiful, moving, original, entertaining, controversial and you see my butt. What else can you ask for? https://t.co/k1ODQlSEqD

— Chris Pratt (@prattprattpratt) December 18, 2016

Would you have paid good money to be on the movie set that day to witness Pratt’s junk-baring sacrifice?

“Passengers” will hit Malaysian theatres this Thursday (29th December 2016).

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NIKE Drops Armstrong, World Reels In Shock

Clothing and sportswear titan Nike will cut ties with the world-famous ambassador of cancer charity and former cyclist, Lance Armstrong.

41-year-old Lance, who has been disassociate of his seven “Tour de France” titles, has also stepped down as chairman of his cancer charity ”Livestrong”. The three companies pledged to continue to support Livestrong.

According to Nike,“Due to the seemingly insurmountable evidence that Lance Armstrong participated in doping and misled Nike for more than a decade, it is with great sadness that we have terminated our contract with him. Nike does not condone the use of illegal performance-enhancing drugs in any manner. Nike plans to continue support of the Livestrong initiatives created to unite, inspire and empower people affected by cancer”. (Source)

Nike’s relationship with Mr. Armstrong began in 1996, and when previous allegations that Mr. Armstrong doped surfaced, Nike had consistently backed Mr. Armstrong following his denials. Even last week, after the report, Nike issued a statement that it was standing by the athlete.

Just last week, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency released a tremendous report detailing allegations of widespread doping by Armstrong and his teams when he won the Tour de France seven consecutive times (1999 to 2005).

Armstrong, who overcame life-threatening testicular cancer, retired from cycling a year ago. In August, he announced that he would no longer fight the doping accusations that have dogged him for a year. (Source)

Lance Armstrong has since been stripped off seven of his Tour de France titles and banned from the competition for life.

The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) send 1,000+ pages of report findings to the International Cycling Union (UCI) which contains testimonials from 26 witnessed, including 11 former Armstrong teammates. All of it points to allegations of Armstrong and his teams using steroids, the blood-booster EPO, blood transfusions, and testosterone in a highly sophisticated doping scheme during his Tour de France title run.

Following the report, UCI President Pat McQuaid said in Geneva he was “sickened” by the USDA findings, adding, “Lance Armstrong has no place in cycling.… He deserves to be forgotten”. (Source)


Songwriter Spends $100,000 To Look Like Justin Bieber

Belieber fanatic, Toby Sheldon blew his life savings on surgery to look like Canadian pop star Justin Bieber.

The thirty three year old songwriter who reportedly spent $100,000 on the doppelganger transformation is now happier than ever. Toby who underwent numerous surgeries, including botox injections, a chin reduction and eyelid surgery, said his transformation began with $8,000 worth of hair transplants for his thinning locks.

“Once Justin shot to fame his face was everywhere and I all I kept thinking when I saw his picture was, ‘I want to look like him'” said the superfan who took photos of Justin Bieber to his surgeon as an example of what he wanted to look like.

“It took three transplants and a total of $21,000 to accurately lower my hair line, close off my temples and grow back my bangs,” he said.

It wasn’t long after that Toby began to restructure his look to maintain a more youthful appearance. After completing his Bieber hair style, Toby had his features done with Botox and Aquamid injections to his face and lips and he reportedly spent $5,000 on eyelid surgery before undergoing his other procedures. He also admitted that he has a phobia of aging, not Bieber-philia.

“I didn’t necessarily listen to his music or fawn over him as a celebrity, but his face was just so flawless every change I made was modeled after him,” When I first sought out to look like Justin I only paid attention to specific aspects of his boyish look like his hair and the structure of his face,” he said.

“But the more I started studying Justin and young people in general it’s really their smile that gives them their youthful glow.”

Toby’s obvious dysmorphic disorder has cost over $100,000 in saving spent to look like the youthful Heartbreaker singer, but Toby is not done yet. Toby told Daily Mail that he knows there is more work to be done in order to make a complete transformation into Justin Bieber’s doppelganger like a nose job and jaw reduction, as suggested by his surgeon.

Despite the expensive procedures, Toby said he could not be happier about looking like his teen icon.

Ashely Horn Blows $25,000 On Plastic Surgery To Look Like Her Famous Half Sister Lindsay Lohan

The Power Of South Korea Gives The World A South Korean Miranda Kerr

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Movie Review: Divergent (2014)

Directed by Neil Burger, this science action film, Divergent is based on the best-selling series of young adult novels by Veronica Roth. Set in the dystopian post-apocalyptic Chicago, where people are divided into distinct factions created to foster peace based on different human virtues, the entire plot of Divergent revolves around this segregation of mankind.

To be more precise, the society is divided into five factions – Dauntless, for the brave ones, Erudite, the smart ones, Candor, a faction that upholds honesty, Amity, fostering peace and finally, Abnegation, for the selfless people, the faction into which the main character was born.

Shailene Woodley, playing the lead character, Tris, the movie opens strongly with an introduction to the whole faction system. As the movie goes on audiences get a closer look at Tris, her family and the biggest decision she had to make — choosing the faction she would want to belong in for good.

Watch this video for more in-depth review:


Zouk Singapore Might Shut Down By End 2014

Currently ranked #7 in the world by DJ Mag, Zouk has become an internationally recognised name on the global club circuit. It has won the Singapore Tourism Board’s “Best Nightspot Experience” award six times, between 1996 to 2007. It’s also ranked #10 on DJ Mag’s list of Top 100 clubs in the world in 2006, 2007, and 2010.

If that’s not enough, the club (which has been in operation for 23 years) is a permanent fixture in artistes’/DJs’/producers’ tour grids – the biggest names in the music industry has played in the club. Some more than once.

It’s also an iconic landmark on Singapore’s Jiak Kim Street. Locals and tourists know the name and probably the directions to the club by heart.

However, as of recent, there has been speculation as to what will happen to the much-loved award-winning Zouk Singapore. And today, news is rife with the closure of Zouk Singapore.

According to Straits Times , Zouk might shut down by year end. Founder Lincoln Cheng said that he will close the club for good by the end of the year if he doesn’t get a three-year extension on the lease. While he has no desire to retire, he also felt the need to be responsible to his staff. He also commented that he’s tired of getting short lease extensions for the iconic club.

What does this mean for all the partygoers in Singapore? We can only keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best! They do throw some of the best parties in the region, after all.

A petition has gone cray cray since the announcement first went live. On this website, Zouk Singapore is publicly appealing to fans of the iconic Singaporean nightclub to help #SaveZouk. The almost 3-minute long video features several media icons and celebrities talking about their best memory of Zouk Singapore. It’s almost heart wrenching to watch:

“We’re planning our last ZoukOut this year + a series of big bang parties before our lease on Jiak Kim Street expires at the end of this year. Yes, just 6 months. No extension. No new venue despite our best efforts to secure one.”

If you love Zouk Singapore (and we know you do), help them save the club. Tweet your messages and best memories of Zouk Singapore and hashtag #SaveZouk. Share it on your Facebook too, peeps!

One World. One Music. One Tribe. One Dance.


English Boy Band Blue Is Planning A Comeback For Their 20th Anniversary

Get ready, 90s kids! English boy band Blue – known for their unforgettable hits like “All Rise” and “One Love”, is making a comeback in 2020.

Member Duncan James, known for his role as Ryan Knight in British soap opera “Hollyoaks”, revealed the news in an interview with Celebs Now.

The 40-year-old singer said that the band plans to do something special in 2020 which would be the band’s 20th anniversary.

“2020 is our 20-year anniversary, so we’re going to do something special. We love getting in the studio and singing together,” he said.

Formed in 2000, the band is known for several iconic hits like “Fly By”, “Get Down On It”, “U Make Me Wanna”, “Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word”, “If You Come Back”, and more.

Comprising of James, Lee Ryan, Antony Costa, and Simon Webbe, Blue went on a hiatus in 2005, but regrouped at the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest.

Though the band never officially broke up after that, the members have been involved in several solo projects of their own.

According to James, all this while, the members have stayed as good friends and still keep in touch with each other.

“We’re super close. I never had any brothers or sisters, but they are my brothers, and we all really care about each other. We’ve got our little WhatsApp group, which we send funny things on and cuss each other about,” James added.

James also revealed that Blue will be going on a tour with with British dance-pop group Steps, Danish eurodance group Aqua, and Finnish singer Saara Aalto this June.

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#FMFA2014: Deaths At Music Festival Revealed To Be Caused By Heatstroke, Not Drugs

It took a long time but finally, the cat is out of the bag.

Drugs were not the cause of the deaths of the 6 people at Future Music Festival Asia (FMFA) last year.

Like everyone else, we were told that the FMFA 2014 deaths were due to drug overdose. This is because the authorities didn’t make the results publicly known. In fact, according to The Star, even the organiser had been kept in the dark over the cause of deaths of six people at the event. Livescape Group CEO Muhammad Iqbal said all information about the deaths had been through verbal communication with the police and requests to see toxicology reports of the victims were denied.

Like everyone else, they too were kept in the dark.

Over the past year, several major events in both Malaysia and Singapore were cancelled with the “serious concerns over drug abuse” excuse, such as “Life in Color” in April 2014, “FMFA15” in Singapore in March 2015, and the recent “Thirst 2015: We Are All Stardust” in April 2015. The tragedy cast a gloom over the Malaysian live events scene, particularly those that were linked to dance music, and the abrupt cancellations that followed undoubtedly cost organisers huge financial losses, the trust of the gungho ticket buyers, and above all, left thousands unhappy and weighed down by disappointment.

The repeated call for transparency and truth over the FMFA 2014 were unheeded. Without real solid proof, there was no fight for the organisers e.g. Livescape Group, Future Sound Asia.

However, according to an exclusive story by Nicholas Cheng of The Star, post-mortem results issued 2 months after the deaths showed the cause to be heatstroke, with drugs playing a negligible role.

In fact, a pathologist involved in the case said that 1 out of 16 revellers brought to hospital in critical condition did not even have any trace of illegal substance, contradicting police statements that all the deaths were linked to drugs. The impression created from the police announcement was that they had taken large doses of drugs, and it remained way for the past year despite the fact that several detailed reports correcting the police statements had been sent.

According to University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) forensic pathology department head Prof Dr K. Nadesan told The Star, “Generally, the police did not show much interest in the reports. Unfortunately, they made statements without proper scientific reasons, which is not the right way. They should have spoken to us and encouraged an inquest into the case because it is a matter of public interest to prevent similar incident.”

The 6 who died after the concert at the Bukit Jalil Stadium on 15th March last year were Kamal Zekry Kamal Basha, 22; Victor Wong E Hern, 26; Sabreena Kamaruddin, 21; M. Suresh, 28; Syazana Sohaime, 23; and Nor Faizza Mohd Wazir, 27.

Dr Nadesan said UMMC handled the post-mortem for 3 of the dead and also treated 9 others. He said those who died tested positive for ecstasy or MDMA, but it was much lower than the average recreational level of 0.1 to 0.25 microgram per millilitre. Autopsies on the “virtually dried up” bodies, including one which had a temperature of 39°C, led Dr Nadesan to rule the deaths as caused by heatstroke.

I was surprised because when I came in, the impression created from the police announcement was that they had taken large doses of drugs. Even the clinicians at the trauma centre were under the impression that these people were heavily intoxicated with drugs and were treating them for overdose instead heatstroke. The autopsy and clinical findings were not on par with drug overdose. The police had no grounds to say it was. It was a wrong assumption.

It was also revealed that 2 of the 9 heatstroke victims had no traces of drugs in their system while the rest tested positive for MDMA, ketamine and morphine.

Dr Nadesan said that the conditions during the second day of the festival (ASOT 650), a combination of choking haze, high humidity and 35°C temperature were the main causes of the tragedy. He said the stadium where they were from 10am to 1am, without sufficient fluids and dancing for hours, provided the conditions for heatstroke.

Some of the victims, especially those who taken MDMA, became uninhibited and overexerted themselves physically, causing their bodies to lose control in regulating temperatures. The victims stopped sweating while their bodies experienced disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (DIVC) which causes internal haemorrhaging, blood clotting, and lower oxygen delivery to organs.

“This led to multiple organ failures, a shutdown of the body,” he said.

Dr Nadesan said the drugs might have in some small way contributed to the deaths but they were not the main cause. He felt the tragedy could have been averted had the organisers provided adequate access to water and information on how to stay healthy in the harsh weather.

On that note, Iqbal clarified to The Star that FMFA 2014 had sufficient measures in place to keep concert goers healthy and hydrated, refuting Dr Nadesan’s comment that there was lack of access to water during the festival. He said the festival had adhered to an international event organising standard under the Code of Practice and Event Management Guide, adding that the organiser also had 34 paramedics, 7 ambulances, and an onsite emergency trauma centre.

To add on, KL Criminal Investigation Department chief Senior Asst Comm Datuk Zainuddin Ahmad confirmed that the sudden death reports for the 6 had listed heatstroke as the cause. But Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Hospital (HUKM), which handled the autopsies for 3 other victims, declined to reveal the results.

Alas, after an entire year, the truth is finally out. But is anyone really listening, or rather, reading? Will this finally change the fate of live events in Malaysia? Can those who were previously none the wiser now shake off the impression that all music festivals/dance music events are linked to drug abuse?

Sources: The Star Online (1), The Star Online (2).

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(UPDATE) #QZ8501: Items Resembling Emergency Slide & Plane Door Spotted

Items resembling an emergency slide, plane door and other objects were spotted during an aerial search Tuesday (30th Dec) for missing AirAsia Flight QZ8501, Indonesian officials said.

“We spotted about 10 big objects and many more small white-coloured objects which we could not photograph,” Indonesian air force official Agus Dwi Putranto told a press conference. “The position is 10 kilometres from the location the plane was last captured by radar.”

He displayed 10 photos of objects resembling a plane door, emergency slide, and a square box-like object.

An AFP photographer on the same flight that spotted the debris said he had seen objects in the sea resembling a life raft, life jackets and long orange tubes.

#BREAKING Debris ‘from AirAsia plane’: Indonesian civil aviation

Indonesian officials coming off a helicopter on Borneo island said they have recovered several bodies floating in waters near where the missing AirAsia flight was last seen. The bodies, swollen but intact, were brought to an Indonesian navy ship, National Search and Rescue Director SB Supriyadi told reporters in the nearest town, Pangkalan Bun.

The corpses did not have life jackets on. But the bodies, just like the debris, is likely from the missing plane, Air Chief Marshal FH Bambang Soelistyo of BASARNAS, Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency told a press conference. “At 13:25 … we spotted a floating object believed to be one of the passengers’ bodies,” Mr Soelistyo told the press conference.

A dive team of 11 personnel is on the way to the site which is in about 25m to 30m of water, Mr Soelistyo said.

Relatives of the 162 people missing on the flight gathered in Surabaya in Indonesia from where the flight originated hugged each other and burst into tears upon the news.

Soelistyo said that earlier an air force plane spotted a “shadow” on the seabed believed to be the missing AirAsia jet. “At 12:50 the air force Hercules found an object described as a shadow at the bottom of the sea in the form of a plane,” he said.

Navy spokesman Manahan Simorangkir confirmed the discovery to TVOne, saying several victims were found, but he did not indicate whether they were dead or alive. Air Force spokesman Hadi Tjahjanto told MetroTV at least one body was found.

#BREAKING Body found in sea search for AirAsia Flight #QZ8501: Indonesian search and rescue — Agence France-Presse (@AFP) December 30, 2014

AirAsia Bhd Group CEO Tan Sri Tony Fernandes tweeted that he’s currently rushing to Surabaya, pledging to do whatever they can do:

I am rushing to Surabaya. Whatever we can do at Airasia we will be doing. — Tony Fernandes (@tonyfernandes) December 30, 2014

Source: CNA, The Star (1), AP, WSJ, The Star (2).

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