WhatsApp: Voice-Calling Feature Rolled Out For Android Users

WhatsApp users on Android can now all tap into the app’s new voice-calling feature.

The feature has been teased for months, with the update hitting select users a few weeks ago. Rolled out in February to a small number of people, the call feature then expanded to invitation-only by those who were able to get the feature.

Now it’s available to all Android phone users.

There’s just one catch – you may not be able to get it from the version currently up at the Google Play Store. There are reports of the calling feature not working under older versions of WhatsApp too. Also, the update may not have arrived to all the regions where the wildly popular app is used, and even if it has, it may work intermittently.

But for those of you who have it, the latest version of WhatsApp offers a new, cleaner layout (as seen in the picture above), with 3 tabs for Calls, Chats, and Contacts. As you’d expect, you simply click the Calls tab and select a contact to chart talking.

I personally gave it a quick test run myself and so far, it’s as clear as voice calls can get, with not even a hint of lag. But that could be because both myself as well as the recipient were connected to WiFi at the time.

It should also be noted that these are app-to-app voice calls, unlike previous version of WhatsApp which have allowed users to call contacts by simply switching to their smartphone’s regular mobile services.

It’s only available on Android for now, but WhatsApp founder Brian Acton recently said it would hit iOS in the near future.

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#SpiderMan: Matthew McConaughey Rumoured To Join Reboot As Villain

It wasn’t too long ago that Matthew McConaughey proclaimed that he was open to the idea of joining the cinematic universes of Marvel and/or DC, but only if he was offered a suitable character.

Now, it seems like his wish has been granted.

According to That Hashtag Show, an inside source at Marvel claimed that both Marvel and Sony Pictures are eyeing McConaughey to join the reboot of “Spider-Man” as the famed villain, Norman Osborn.

In the comic books, Osborn is the head of Oscorp and father of Peter Parker‘s (aka Spider-Man) ex-best friend, Harry Osborn. He took a highly powerful drug which heightened his senses, but drove him to insanity. The formula also caused him to assume his alter-ego, the frequent Spider-Man antagonist Green Goblin.

This report came on heels on his recent interview with Variety, in which he expressed his opinion on the possibility of him joining the world of on-screen superheroes.

It’s very simple for me. I look at the script. Is the opportunity exciting? Is the money that comes with it exciting? Sure. Is it the possibility of going, “Hey you can get on a train and it can be a franchise and you could do 3, 4, 5, and have a great time as some kind of superhero or anti-hero.” But I would also look at something like that and say, “Hey, in success that means you are on the train for a while.” Contractually, you’re going to return to the character over and over. It’s something I asked myself is it something I’d want to return to. Would I be excited to go back and put the shoes on the character again? Going and doing the press tour with that group of people again? I always ask myself those questions again. It starts with the story and character.

The actor also conveyed his brief encounters with the executives of the studios:

I’ve read some Marvel and DC scripts and I’ve talked about working with them on some scripts, none of which I’ll share with with you what they are — or were. Yeah, I’ve circled some of those. Nothing has been right for me yet. But I’m sure open to it.

However, “That Hashtag Show” explained that if McConaughey were to join the cast of “Spider-Man”, there is a possibility that he will not be playing the role of Green Goblin.

The “Spider-Man” reboot is currently untitled and not much details have been revealed. 5 young up-and-coming actors, including Nat Wolff and Tom Holland, have been shortlisted to star in the titular role. However, various insiders stated that Asa Butterfield will most likely be the one to play the web slinger as he emerged as the top favourite.

No director has been attached to helm the reboot, but it is slated for release on 28th July 2017.


Kate Middleton Wants A Baby Boy

Maybe she’s trying to throw everyone off, or maybe she just really doesn’t know yet. It seems that the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton is keeping her fingers crossed for the sex of her baby. According to the Associated Press, she’s hoping for a boy.

Kate Middleton is about five months pregnant now and she recently appeared with her husband, Prince William at a St. Patrick’s Day ceremony at Mons Barracks in Aldershot, southern England. While presenting the 1st Battalion Irish Guards with traditional sprigs of shamrocks for their caps, she shared her thoughts on her baby with one of the officers.

The officer, guardsman Lee Wheeler apparently struck up a conversation with the Duchess, asking her whether her baby (who is third in line to the British throne) is a girl or a boy. To which Kate replied that she’d like to have a boy. She also mentioned that Prince William, however, is hoping for a girl. And as for whether or not they have decided on names for the baby, the answer is no, not yet.

Well, it’s kinda hard to decide on names when they “don’t know” the sex of the baby yet, no? Or maybe they know and they’re really trying hard not to give any leads, unlike that one other time.


And A Happy iPhone Day To You!

Finally, it’s here. So much speculation and so many rumours built up leading to today. Everybody (and we do mean, EVERYBODY) wanted to see what the tech giants would do to try to stay relevant to the changing times and the rise of the Titans (read: competitors).

Yup. Apple fans and teach enthusiasts have waited with bated breaths for this for as long as we can imagine. The iPhone5 was announced just today at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco.

Here are all the key points we’ve gathered from the live blogs that flooded the web at 1am:

Uh, out of all the above key points, we were most happy about one thing – we got the name right this time. It really is called the “iPhone 5”! Also, can you believe that Foo Fighters made an appearance and performed live at the official announcement? Randomly!

So? What do you guys think? Revolutionary or otherwise? Will you be one of the people to make a beeline for it or will you pass this one up?

For more information, visit Apple’s website.

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#HarithIskander: Malaysian Comedian To Compete In “Funniest Person In The World” Semi-Finals

Last month, it was reported that a total of 89 comedians from over 50 countries competed in Laugh Factory’s “Funniest Person In The World” contest, but only 20 comedians will advance to the next round.

And guess what? Harith Iskander, who received a score of 457,237 points, is one of the participants who will be competing in the semi-finals, along with Philippines’ Alex Caleja, Singapore’s Fakkah Fuzz, India’s Mino Van Nassau, and Indonesia’s Melanie Maras.

In the semi-finals, the top 20 will be held live in Helsinki, Finland in front of a panel of experts and celebrities. The competition will be held on 4th and 5th December, and the top 5 will proceed to the finals.

At the end of the competition, the comedian who ranks 1st will be awarded a prize of US$100,000; the 2nd with US$10,000; the 3rd with US$5,000.

Both Harith Iskander and Jason Leong were nominated for the contest but as only one Malaysian can qualify to the finals, Jason got disqualified despite having the 2nd highest points after Iskander.

You can vote for your favourite comedian here.

For more info, visit Laugh Factory’s official website and Facebook page.

Sources: The Hive, Laugh Factory’s website.


Too Soon? Liam Hemsworth Might Just Be Moving On A Little Sooner Than Miley Cyrus Would Like

Moving on a little faster than Miley Cyrus would like, ex-fiancé Liam Hemsworth was seen locking lips with Mexican star Eiza Gonzales!

Eiza who met ‘The Hunger Games‘ actor over a week ago at the XS nightclub in the VIP section in honour of the Floyd Mayweather boxing match, is rumoured to have totally fallen in love with the actor already. An anonymous friend of the 23-year old singer confirms that Eiza spent that Sunday night with Liam and the two never left each other’s side during the weekend in Las Vegas.

The images of them smooching hit the internet no less than 24 hours after the world learned of the split between Liam and fiancé Miley Cyrus. Sources however claims that the couple called it quits earlier but Miley did not want the news to go public.

Don’t be crying for Miley just yet though, as we hear things may have taken a romantic turn for her and her producer Mike Will Made It, after her performance at the iHeartMusic Festival in Las Vegas. The pair was seen getting a little too close for comfort while Miley was sporting her scandalous attire.


NCT Dream & WayV Returning To KL For Another Concert This Year?

It was an electrifying night at the SEEN Festival last night (Saturday 29th January)! The horrendous traffic (due to another concert by AR Rahman) and public transport setback (LRT disruption) weren’t enough to deter K-pop fans from the excitement of seeing their idols in person.

Held in Axiata Arena, the loudest cheers reserved for WayV (威神V) and NCT Dream (엔시티 드림). We could feel the energy shift towards the second half of the concert. There’s no doubt the majority of 5000 concert-goers in the venue paid good money to see these two boybands live.

If you’re following WayV members on socials, you’d notice that leader Kun (钱锟) took some time off to visit Pavilion Kuala Lumpur (with Chenle) and posted two photos standing near the iconic fountain in Bukit Bintang. Hendery (黄冠亨) also showed Malaysia some love by posting a photo of himself enjoying a meal at a local restaurant.

WayV only debuted in 2019, but these boys have been expanding their fan base throughout Asia. Despite only 5 members, WayV delivered a solid setlist, comprising of intense complicated choreography but also slowed things for some sweet intimate moments onstage.

#NCTDREAM members mentioned that they’re gonna come back here with other two members (HAECHAN & MARK)!!

That means NCT DREAM touring in Malaysia soon? 👀 #SeenFestivalinKL2023 #SeenFestivalinKL #SEEN_FESTIVAL #NCTDREAM #KARD #WayV #ALICE pic.twitter.com/OdWCIqTrZ0

While WayV teased that they will be back again “very soon”, NCT Dream flat out told the crowd that they will be back in Malaysia again – with two other missing members (Haechan and Mark). This does begs the question: are we getting a full world tour from NCT 127 either later this year or next year?

If SEEN Festival is any indication, NCT Dream and WayV’s upcoming world tour is something NCTzens can’t afford to miss out on. NCT Dream celebrated their 7th year anniversary not too long ago, and we know that the significance of “7Dream” is all about showcasing the synergy as a full group to fans.

NCT Dream performed a total of 5 songs, taken from their 2021 and 2022 albums. Renjun, Chenle, Jeno, Jaemin, and Jisung kicked off their segment the iconic line “hot sauce gibi dip that eh.” We’re probably not alone in feeling that NCT Dream’s segment went by too fast. Before we knew, they were already unto their final performance of the night.

1. “Hot Sauce”
2. “Beatbox”
3. “Glitch Mode”
4. “Hello Future”
5. “Candy”

To the fan that asked me to twerk on stage. Im so sorry I forgot. Bring that sign again next time and im throwing it back just for you🍑

Malaysian fans are no stranger to KARD. The quartet has performed in Bukit Jalil numerous times over the past few years. BM (Matthew)’s charm is undeniable. He even considered twerking for a fan who requested it on a signboard. It must have slipped his mind due to the time constraint. But there’s always next time ;)

1. “Ring The Alarm”
2. “Oh NaNa”
3. “Whip!”
4. “Good Love”
5. “Bomb Bomb”
6. “Dumb Litty”

Rookie group ALICE (formerly known as ELRIS) made their debut performance here in Malaysia. Bella, Chaejeong, EJ, Hyeseong, Karin, Sohee, and Yukyung shared that the warm weather in KL was much appreciated after flying in from South Korea (which is currently experiencing winter). Some of the girls may have been nervous but they were still able to win us over with their cute and lovely charm.

1. “Jackpot”
2. “No Big Deal”
3. “Power of Love”
4. “Summer Dream”
5. “This Is Me”
6. “Dance On”

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#PeteTeo: Malaysian Actor To Appear In “Ghost in the Shell”

Guess what, you guys? A Malaysian is set to appear in the Rupert Sanders-directed sci-fi film, “Ghost in the Shell“.

Cinema Online reported that Malaysian multi award-winning filmmaker Pete Teo was notified of this opportunity by his agent in Hong Kong. After reading the script for a role, he was offered a spot in the film, which is based on the 1995 Japanese anime and manga classic of the same name.

Due to the fact that Teo has signed a confidentiality agreement with Paramount Pictures, the actor can’t reveal much details about his character except that he’s be playing someone named Tony. “I can’t really say much about the film, the producers asked us to not to, and we respect their decisions. So we have to keep everything very low-key,” Teo said

However, when asked about his on screen time with lead actress Scarlett Johansson, the 44-year-old actor shared, “She’s very easy to work with, very professional, very good at what she does, always comes prepared, and very easy to get along with. A very nice person; I really like her.”

“Working on the film is amazing, I mean it is like nothing I have ever experienced before, and I’ve been in this industry for a very long time,” said the seasoned movie star before adding, “I’ve done European films before but never Hollywood, so this is my first Hollywood film, and it’s on a totally different scale!”

Be sure to look out for this Malaysian actor when “Ghost in the Shell” opens in local cinemas on 30th March 2017.


Lazada Malaysia To Provide Full Refund To Customers Affected By The Fire Incident

Lazada Malaysia has issued a statement to address the incident of the delivery truck caught on fire recently.

As stated by the leading e-commerce platform, they are currently cooperating with the authorities to investigate the cause of the fire and will also evaluate the destroyed parcels.

The company also shared some positive news for the affected buyers. “For customers whose orders were damaged in the incident, Lazada will provide a full refund of the purchased item,” they stated in the notice. An apology rebate will also be provided for them to repurchase the same item.

Lazada also stated that they will give a “Free Shipping Voucher” as a token of appreciation for the customers’ patience during this unexpected circumstance. For now, the customer service team is working rapidly in contacting the customers to update them on the situation. They concluded the statement by assuring everyone that they will begin the reimbursement process soon.

For those interested, check out Lazada’s full statement here:


#SadakovsKayako: Your Worst Nightmare Has An Instagram Account

Remember Kayako, the white-faced wide-eyed antagonist of the classic Japanese supernatural horror flick, “Ju-on: The Grudge”? Oh, you know, the same one that effectively became your worst nightmare after the film was released in 2002?

Well, she certainly has been keeping up with the times because guess who now has an Instagram account?

A post shared by 伽椰子と俊雄のほのぼの親子日記 (@kayakowithtoshio)

According to the account‘s timeline, it was opened about 10 weeks ago but already, it has quickly amassed about 59,000 followers.

It currently has about 20 odd posts, featuring Kayako and her similarly creepy son Toshio posing in and around their home, in parks, on the sidewalk, and eating meals together, seemingly like a normal, loving family.

This is, of course, despite the fact that we know very well that Kayako is actually a murderous malevolent spirit who kills anyone who steps into her house.

Each post is captioned, “あ゛あ゛あ゛あ゛あ” (aah aah aah) because that’s the only thing that Kayako can say. To be honest, it’s almost funny and parody-ish if it were not for videos of Toshio staring into your soul like these:

The kayakowithtoshio Instagram account was created to promote the upcoming “Sadako vs. Kayako” (貞子 vs. 伽椰子) movie, an upcoming 2016 Japanese supernatural semi-comedy horror film directed by Kōji Shiraishi. It’s a crossover of the “Ju-on” and the “The Ring” series of horror films in which it is the 12th film in both franchises, and will pit Sadako and Kayako against each other.

“Sadako vs. Kayako” was first teased as an April Fools’ joke on 1st April 2015, but was later confirmed to be a real production.

We’ll leave you now with the ultra creepy “Sadako vs. Kayako” trailer:

“Sadako vs. Kayako is slated to be released on 18th June 2016.

For more information, visit the movie’s website.

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YG Posts Who’s Next, Again

They’ve done it before so they definitely have no qualms doing it again. Yesterday, YG Entertainment posted up a mysterious looking poster across various social media platforms. The poster bears nothing but a huge question mark and a headline which reads, “WHO’S NEXT”. Trust YG to give their fans almost nothing to work with!

Sure, it doesn’t explain much but already, excited fans are pressing for an answer and on a roll with guessing games. If we remember accurately, the last time YG pulled a stunt like this, it was a series of teasers that led to the release of 2NE1 leader CL’s first solo single in five years.

That having said, perhaps this time it could be for BIGBANG’s long awaited comeback? Or is YG finally going to debut the new girl group that they’ve been postponing for more than a year?

Well, that was fast! YG Entertainment has revealed that the mysterious “WHO’S NEXT” poster was actually in reference to BIGBANG member Taeyang’s (real name Dong Youngbae) new solo album. Taeyang means “Sun” and the new album will be called, “Rise”. Aptly named!

Incidentally. today is also Taeyang’s birthday so there’s no better time to announce the great news. In fact, Taeyang himself shared the poster artwork on his Instagram account. Here:

The last time he released a solo album was “Solar” in 2010. Who can forget “I Need A Girl” and “Wedding Dress”, right? Having said that, it’d be interesting to see what his new album holds considering the fact that he last single, “RINGA LINGA” sounded nothing like the musical style he had for “Solar”.

Also, Taeyang has been talking about working on a solo album for about two years now. It’s safe to say that we’re just as excited as everyone else! “Rise” is set for a 2nd June release so keep your eyes and ears peeled for it.


Mustard Pimp Hits Up Bedroom KL!

Known as a French production dynamic duo who continuously trail-blaze new sounds by breaking the music genres, Mustard Pimp blends the sounds from electronica, metal,rock, hip hop, and eclectic influences.

They are made up of two talented french duo namely The Baron and eKa. Baron roots can be traced back to his DJing days of techno music, while eKa is recognized for his beginnings as a Death Metal, Shinichi Osawa, Designer Drugs, Steed Lord, Partyshank, and Deftones to name a few.

Mustard Pimp‘s debut single “Oh La La Satan” captured the blogsphere by storm. Steve Aoki took a liking to the duo and signed them to his flagship, Dim Mak Records which released Mustard Pimp’s first EP titled “Rock, Paper, Scissors”. The same year, Mustard Pimp released a 12-hour mix-tape called Hercules Mixtape, which represent all of their mix-tapes put together.

[youtube id=”kbUJ1z6Su8c” width=”600″ height=”350″]

Mustard Pimp have released more than 30 mix-tapes within the last two years. Bedroom is bringing the talented french duo to you this month.

For more information, visit Bedroom KL’s Facebook page.


KLIA Opens One-Stop Medical Care Centre

Foreign and local travellers interested to know more about medical care services in the country can head to the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) concierge and lounge at the KL International Airport (KLIA).

Located at the arrival hall, the Chief Secretary to the Government Datuk Seri Dr Ali Hamsa said the one-stop-centre was a complete solution for all enquiries on getting medical care in Malaysia:

It is easily accessible not only to health travellers but also to Malaysians alike who wish to know which hospital to go to for treatment or procedures they require and who are the medical consultants they should see.

The setting up of the centre was timely as Malaysia was attracting more medical tourists, as local hospitals are providing value-for-money, high quality care and competitively priced treatments. Last year, we saw 671,000 healthcare travellers compared to 329,000 in 2010. This shows that there is a growing demand in healthcare tourism in Malaysia.

He added that the revenue generated through medical tourism last year was RM594 million, and the estimated target revenue for this year is RM630 million.

MHTC chief executive officer Dr Mary Wong Lai Lin said the MHTC concierge (at Gate 5 at the KLIA arrival hall), has brochures on medical procedures and treatments available in Malaysia. She said visitors could also get information on available medical facilities, specialists as well as appointment arrangements at the concierge.

The MHTC lounge (at Gate 8 of the KLIA arrival hall), on the other hand, complements the concierge as it allows medical tourists to rest while awaiting transport or to arrange for pick-up services from medical providers.

There are 72 hospitals and healthcare facilities registered under the MHTC.

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TEEN TOP To Tour Asia!

New-ish South Korean K-Pop idol boy group TEEN TOP, who just wrapped up their five-city European tour earlier this year, has big plans to continue dominating the world. They were the first idol group to have had their own solo Europe tour and their determination obviously didn’t stop there.

According to their entertainment company, T.O.P Media, “Fans in Korea have been requesting for their solo concert for a long time, and the members are all very excited for their tour. The members are spending busy days, running promotion schedules and concert preparation at the same time, so show them a lot of support”.

Yes, fanboys and fangirls, TEEN TOP will be going on their first Asia tour since their debut this coming May!

So far, the only details that have been released are their South Korea and Japan dates. TEEN TOP will kick off their tour at Seoul’s Korea University on 11th May and 12th May. Following which, their concert will move to Kobe, Japan on the 18th May, then Tokyo on the 21st and 22nd May. They’re still finalizing the dates and locations in other parts of Asia as we speak so keep your fingers crossed!

Meanwhile, check out their new song, “Miss Right”, which was released on 25th February:

[youtube id=”TaGCTbqJKO0″ width=”600″ height=”350″]

For more timely updates, hit up their Facebook page.


The Linkin Park Boys Are Ba-aack

Hold on to your seats because American rock band, Linkin Park, is back! Or rather, will be back soon.

Through their official website, they have announced a 25th June 2012 release date for their new album, “Living Things“. We know, we know, the boys have been alarmingly quiet and we’re pretty sure you’ve heard rumours about them leaving the band.

Linkin Park has come a long way for a band, having spent about 16 whole years together. Seriously, 16 years later and they’re still cool? Mind. Blown.

Aside from being known for their multi-platinum albums, chart-topping and chart-breaking songs, awards, and nominations, they band have also received high praises for staying true to themselves.

Over the years, Linkin Park (headed by Chester Bennington and Mike Shinoda) have “played with” and incorporated nu metal and rap metal genres into the songs. Which resulted in award-winning albums such as “Hybrid Theory” and “Meteora“.

“Hybrid Theory” was certified Diamond by the RIAA and multi-platinum in countries around the world – it also won Linkin Park their first Grammy award. “Meteora”, on the other hand, sold more than 800,000 copies during its first week. It also earned the band multiply accolades and mentions such as MTV Awards and Radio Music Awards.

And the rest (read: touring, collaborations, side projects, later albums, more award-winnings and nominations) as they say, is history.

(Side note: Look how much they’ve grown!)

In June last year, Chester Bennington revealed that Linkin Park has begun working on new material for their upcoming album. In an exclusive interview with “Kerrang!”, he said, “We’ve been working on a new record for the past two months. The music is great and we’re well ahead of where we’re expecting to be. There aren’t a whole lot of noises going on, but there are a lot of good songs.”

He also added that the band aimed to produce a new album every eighteen months, and that he would be shocked if a new album did not come out in 2012. We’d be shocked if a new album didn’t come out SOON because we’ve been waiting for it for as long as we can remember:

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

Their new album, “Living Things” is named as such because, according to Mike Shinoda, the album is more about people, personal interactions, and it’s far more personal than their previous albums. Word has it that they’ve been writing a lot about relationships.

And if that’s the case, we really, really can’t wait to hear it now.

“Living Things” will be co-produced by Rick Rubin, the man behind Adele and Metallica, and of course, Mike Shinoda himself. So expect to be pulled back to “back in the day” with Linkin Park with this new album.

For more information, visit their official website and remember to subscribe to their YouTube channel!

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(UPDATE) #Malaysia: Royal Malaysian Air Force Jet Loses Contact With Base; Feared Missing

A Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) plane has lost contact with the Kuantan base and is feared to be missing currently.

The Hawk 108 training jet, which departed from the Kuantan air force base at 11am today (Thursday, 15th June), lost contact at 11:30am somewhere in the north of Kuantan, more specifically around the Pahang-Terengganu border.

Royal Malaysian Air Force says a Hawk 108 fighter jet is feared missing around north Kuantan after losing contact at 11.30am pic.twitter.com/gWCBKJlwgL

RMAF informed the public of the news via a press statement released at 12:35pm. A search and rescue mission has been launched but news is still scarce as of press time.

The RMAF has 19 Hawk aircraft, with 4 as training aircraft and the remaining ones as combat aircraft. Several Hawk 108 aircraft were also deployed during the 2013 Lahad Datu standoff.

We’ll update the post with more info as soon as we have them.

The 2 RMAF personnel who were on board the Hawk 108 training jet has been found dead. According to The Star Online, their jet crashed 51km from their air base in Kuantan.

The 2 pilots, identified as Yazmi Mohamed Yusof and Mohd Hasri Zahari, were found dead in a swamp near Chukai, Kemaman, Terengganu and around 2.30pm today.

Sources: Twitter, Channel NewsAsia, The Star Online, Malaysiakini.


#CNN: Malaysia Ranked 6th For World’s Best Food

For more than a decade, the topic surrounding food in Malaysia has been brought up more than once whenever this question pops up: “Which destination that has the best food in the world?” As we are living in a nation that’s a melting pot of culture, traveling foodies always make it a point to ensure that they’ve tasted almost every local cuisine before leaving our country.

Our nation is, after all, considered as a food haven.

And now, according to a survey conducted by CNN through an open Facebook poll, Malaysia has been ranked 6th among destinations in the world with the best food.

Garnering 265 votes, Malaysian cuisine is described as “the sum of many delicious parts” as its influences include Chinese, Indian, and Malay.

In some ways it’s similar to Indonesian food, with the two nations sharing many of the same dishes. (Warning: debates over dish origins can turn nasty in these parts — such is the passion of the region’s food lovers.) Regardless, once you’re in Malaysia and slurping a bowl of laksa, you’ll quickly dispense with historical concerns and wonder instead where your next meal is coming from and how you can you get to it sooner.

CNN also noted that Asian food is clearly one of the most sought-after cuisines in the world as more than half of the destinations shown in the list are in Asia. Taiwan is the country with the best food in the world as it earned 8,242 votes. According to CNN, Taiwan is a country with a simple culinary philosophy: “Eat often and eat well”.

Coming in 2nd place with 1,528 votes is Philippines, which was described as a nation “blessed with an abundance of seafood, tropical fruits and creative cooks”. Even though Italian cuisine has “enslaved taste buds around the globe for centuries”, Italy ranked 3rd with 810 votes, making it the only non-Asian country to be listed in the top 3 spots.

Thailand ranked 4th with 470 votes while Japan landed at 5th spot with 443 votes. Hong Kong ranked right behind Malaysia with 236 votes, as the survey said the nation “has a passion reserved just for Hong Kong food that eclipses their love for politics, shopping, gambling and even stocks”.

India, Greece, and Vietnam took the last 3 spots with 205, 167, and 162 votes, respectively.

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(UPDATE) #Setapak: Honda Driver Shot In The Middle Of The Road By Masked Motorcyclists

A shooting has occurred in the middle of a busy road in Kuala Lumpur.

The shooting, which happened earlier today (Wednesday, 27th July) at around 3pm, took place in front of Setapak Central Mall (previously known as Festival City Mall).

According to a CCTV clip circulating on the interwebs, 2 motorcycles can be seen approaching a Honda at a cross-junction. Traffic was halted as there was a traffic light. 2 passengers from each of the motorcycles then alighted and proceeded to open fire at the unsuspecting driver.

No details of the victim have been released as of press time, but according to certain sources, the man was fatally wounded. The car in question was also riddled with bullet holes, while the motorcyclists managed to escape.

Netizens on Twitter and Facebook are also reporting that the incident has caused a massive jam around the area. Those coming from Bulatan Pahang are expected to face traffic slowdown.

Details are scarce now, but we’ll update this post with more information as soon as we get ’em.

More details about the victim have surfaced.

According to reports, the man, only known as Kana, was a moneylender. It is believed that he was on the way to have a drink at a mall nearby. Around 16 shots were fired at his direction, with 3 to 4 shots on the left and 12 on the left.

When asked if it was a gang-related case, City CID chief Senior Asst Comm Rusdi Mohd Isa said “there is a possibility”, as the 43-year-old man had prior experience in gang activities. He also added that the victim was previously arrested in 2014, but stressed that they were looking at other avenues too.

Meanwhile, a family member who was interviewed by The Sun Daily said that the man had been in hiding for several months as the victim knew he was wanted by gang members. He had shaved his head and according to an unnamed friend, the victim had sold off his Toyota Camry and bought a Honda Accord just 2 weeks ago.

Those who were at the crime scene that witnessed the shooting are encouraged to visit the nearest police station to aid in investigations.

Sources: Facebook (1) (2), Twitter, The Star, The Sun, New Straits Times.


6 K-pop Groups That Sadly Disbanded In 2021

Nothing good ever lasts forever, and the same goes for your favourite K-pop groups. That being said, disbandment news can be considered one of the most disheartening ones that die-hard fans should get used to.

In prior years, regardless of the fame and success these idols achieved over the course of their careers, K-pop groups tend to disband due to several reasons. Find out the list of K-pop groups that have already (and will) bid their fans farewell for good this year:

IZ*ONE’s disbandment news didn’t come as a surprise for many fans, as most of them already knew that the 12-member girl group were slated to promotion for 2.5 years. The group consists of Korean and Japanese members from different entertainment companies and was formed through the Mnet survival show, “Produce 48”, similar to their senior groups like I.O.I and WannaOne.

The girls’ management team, Off The Record and Swing Entertainment revealed in their statement, “As officially announced on March 10, the IZ*ONE project will end in April. IZ*ONE’s official fan cafe, content, and social media will operate until the end of the project, and future plans (for these platforms) will be announced.”

They added, “We once again thank WIZ*ONE (fandom name) who always show support, and we will always support the IZ*ONE members to grow further as artists. We ask that you show much anticipation and support for the IZ*ONE members.”

Update: The group has already disbanded on 29th April 2021.

The boy group debuted on 27th March 2019 with five members, including Rubin and BC, who participated in YG Entertainment‘s survival show MIXNINE. The line-up also consisted of 3 talented idols, Jinwoo, Jehyun and Junghoon.

1TEAM’s label, Liveworks Company, broke the news about the group’s disbandment on 10th March 2021, after “putting considerable amount of time before reaching this decision”. They stated, “After long discussions with 1TEAM members and Liveworks Company, both sides have come to terms to end the official activities for 1TEAM as a group by 14th March 2021, and decided to terminate the contract with the company as a group.”

We In The Zone (also known as WITZ) debuted on 27th May 2019 under Choom Entertainment, with the song “Let’s Get Loud”. The boy group consisted of 5 members; Eson, Jooan, Kyeongheon, Shihyun and Min. The latter departed from WITZ a few months after that due to personal reasons.

Kyeongheon took to his Instagram account to announce that the group unfortunately disbanded on 15th January 2021, as all of the members terminated their contracts. Their last comeback as a group was a single called “Loveade”.

Seven O’Clock (or SOC in short) made their debut in March 2017, under Staro Entertainment. In September 2018, it was revealed that the group was signed under a new label, Forest Network. Their final line-up consisted of 7 members – Han Gyeom, Andy, Hyun, 2soul, Jeung Gyu, Tae Young, and Rui. The group officially disbanded on 2nd March 2021.

“Although the group activities are over, we are currently discussing the members’ future activities, and we will do our best to support their various individual activities. We sincerely would like to apologise for the sudden news, and once again, we thank R.O.S.e (as fans were lovingly called) for cherishing Seven O’Clock. Please continue to show your love and support for the members in the future as well,” the boy group’s entertainment company wrote.

ENOi (short for wE caN dO iT) debuted in April 2019 under Kithewhale Entertainment and disbanded in January 2021, after nearly 2 years of promotions. In addressing the unfortunate news, the entertainment agency revealed that they have terminated the exclusive contracts of 3 members of the group; Avin, J-Kid and Jinwoo. While the remaining members, Laon, Dojin, Hamin and Gun will remain in the company.

“It was a decision they had to make carefully, so they thought a lot about it. And in the end, we have decided to respect the opinions of the ENOi members. We concluded that the disbandment of the group and termination of their contracts was necessary,” the company stated.

The 6-member boy group debuted on 29th October 2014 with their single “Take A Shot”. The line-up consisted of Choi Junhyuk, Yoon San, Kim Timoteo, Noh Tae Hyun (“Produce 101” season 2 alum) and also former Wanna One member Ha Sung Woon.

In a statement provided to the press, HOTSHOT’s agency Star Crew Entertainment revealed that the members have decided to wrap up their group activities as of 30th March 2021. They shared, “HOTSHOT’s activities as a group have officially come to an end, but we will provide abundant support for the members so that they can each display their abilities.  We once again thank you for your support, and we genuinely apologise for bringing such sudden news to the fans who love HOTSHOT.”

We wish all the members in the K-pop groups the best in their future careers. Thankfully enough, fans could also witness some of the members of the now-defunct boy groups listed above to re-debut again in an upcoming group called Omega X. Get to know the members here.

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Naughty Mel B Moons Neighbours Via Instagram

She’s known for her raucous behaviour and off the wall antics. So when her “Spice Girls” bandmate Mel C dared her to flash her Los Angeles neighbours and the singer isn’t one to back down to a challenge!

“Spice Girls” star Melanie Brown aka Mel B candidly wrote to her thousands of Twitter followers on Friday evening from the luxury of her Los Angeles abode, “Omg it’s sooo friggin hot outside feel like taking all my clothes off and busting out some hip hop moves”. The comment caused trouble as her page was then littered with requests from her fans to go ahead with her teasing comment.

But it raised a few eyebrows after she appeared to share a photograph of herself on Instagram, naked and mooning her neighbours:

She then tweeted to her cheeky “Spice Girls” bandmates, “@GeriHalliwell @MelanieCmusic ok ladies ya both got your dares can’t wait!!!!! Hahahahahaha double triple dares”.


#B1A4: JAWI Admits, “No Legal Authority To Compel Girls To Turn Themselves In”

Does this mean that the controversial B1A4 fanmeeting in Kuala Lumpur case is officially closed and K-Pop is safe again?

On 11th January, it was wildly (and perhaps wrongly) reported that K-Pop idol boy group B1A4 were seen hugging tudung-clad fangirls in a heavily circulated viral video. Uploaded by media outlet Sukan Star TV on their Facebook page, the 3 minute odd video titled, “Perempuan melayu dicabul atas pentas oleh mat kpop semalam”, suggested that Malay girls were “molested” on stage by the idols.

Needless to say, with a title like that, it quickly gained traction as well as a lot of attention. It sparked heavy debates amongst K-Pop fans in Malaysia as well as internationally, and even prompted certain parties/authorities e.g. PAS, JAKIM, JAWI to react, calling for the girls involved to turn themselves in to assist investigations.

JAKIM (Malaysian Islamic Development Department) had directed JAWI to take action against those involved. After which, JAWI (The Federal Territories Islamic Department) said that it would investigate the 3 Malay girls for public indecency and outraging Muslims, under Section 29 of Shariah Criminal Offences (Federal Territories) Act 1997. Section 29 of the Act allows for a fine of up to RM1,000 and imprisonment of no more than 6 months upon conviction.

As a matter of fact, last week, Utusan Malaysia had quoted Paimuzi as saying that the religious body will apply for an arrest warrant if the Malay girls allegedly “molested” by the band members refuse to cooperate with its investigation and do not turn themselves in.

However, just today, MMO is reporting that JAWI has admitted it cannot pursue the 3 Malay girls despite previously saying it would seek their arrests for public indecency. JAWI director Paimuzi Yahya confirmed that the girls have not turned themselves in as directed and that the religious authority’s one-week deadline for them to do so has since lapsed.

“There is nothing we (JAWI) can do. Nothing. If they turn up, we can give them advice. But if they don’t, and for now, they have not turned up, we cannot do anything,” he told Malay Mail Online when contacted here.

Paimuzi also conceded that JAWI has no legal authority to compel the girls, who remain unidentified, to come forward to aid in the department’s investigation.

“They have not come here, so we feel that perhaps they (the girls) have been advised by other people,” the JAWI official added.


#TokyoDreams: Japanese AV (JAV) Producer Seeking Out Malaysian Talents?

Hot on the heels of holding their Singapore audition in a bid to discover new talents, Japanese AV (JAV) producer Tokyo Dreams (夢精スタジオ) have now set their sights on Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

In a Sunday Register article, it was said that Tokyo Dreams is currently on “an aggressive recruitment spree” and is “optimistic in discovering the prospects” that other Asian countries may offer as the JAV industry has long faced a shortage of male actors. In fact, recently (like, 19th May 2017), Tokyo Dreams held a “recruitment drive” in Singapore’s famed red light district, Geylang (how apt), and dropped clues regarding the details in days leading to the audition via Clubs of Asia’s Facebook page.

Press Union quoted Tokyo Dreams’ head of recruitment Mr Shime Tashiaki said that the audition subjected men to a comprehensive session with one of the studio’s JAV actresses, adding, “We had a full camera rig set up next to a bed, as we do in our Tokyo studios, and our actress and director guided the men through a number of common scenes featured in our movies. We asked the men to act out their favourite JAV scenes, and there were some very creative positions involved.”

Apparently, it was attended by 25 men in total but alas, only 5 men (who were later offered contracts and a full 3-month training program at Tokyo Dreams) satisfied the JAC producer’s requirements. Mr. Tashiaki offered praise to the actors who were able to “maintain” what was needed for the full 90-minute audition.

“I was very impressed with some of the applicants who were able to last for the whole session. A couple admitted to taking a herbal remedy to help them last longer in bed, but I’m fine with that if it improves their stamina. The actress was also very pleased with their performance,” he said.

And that’s not all. In a surprising twist to the story, Mr. Tashiaki also made it a point to mention that a casting has been scheduled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for June this year. “We welcome actors to attend the KL auditions, and we’ll be releasing more details soon,” he said, adding that the timing and location will be announced when a venue is booked.

While some Malaysians (male species of the species, mostly) are rejoicing over the mere idea of being able to audition for a Tokyo Dreams “talent role”, we first need to question the authenticity of this piece of news.

For starters, it doesn’t look like any of our regional new outlets have picked up on the story of the so-called auditions (yet, as at time of writing). Secondly, the websites that did pick up the news are fairly new: Mississippi Herald’s domain was registered on 2nd November 2016 while Sunday Register’s domain was registered on 24th January 2017.

But if you paid any attention to Sunday Register’s “About” page (refer to the above screenshot), it says, “We are renowned for our team of experienced freelance journalists who are based in almost every nation around the world, and who go to any length to bring you stories that matter. With a long history and coveted awards in the field of journalism, Sunday Register keeps you on the pulse of world media.”

However, a Google search (Sunday Register, Sunday Register awards, Sunday Register newspaper) turns up nothing about Sunday Register or their “awards”. Surely such a celebrated international newspaper would at least turn up in Google’s search results?

Let’s not forget that the “clues” about the “audition” were shared via Clubs of Asia, a Facebook page that also very recently started posting content like:

That having said, while reading about a potential JAV audition in Kuala Lumpur shines a beacon for hope for some, we’d take it with a pinch of salt.

Sources: Press Union, Sunday Register, Foreign Journal, Mississippi Herald, United News / Featured image: Korea Times.

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(Photos) Malaysia’s First Hybrid Zoo Has Just Opened In Kuantan!

Has it ever crossed your mind to be able to witness pre-historic animals? Exactly, neither did we.

But Taman Teruntum’s Mini Zoo is giving you the chance to do so! Not only will you be able to see pre-historic giant lizards, you can even step into a whole ‘nother universe with them.

Taman Teruntum’s Hybrid Zoo is apparently the first hybrid zoo in the world, not just in Malaysia! Like we have mentioned, a hybrid zoo does not simply showcase you the usual animals you often see in zoos. But you will also get the chance to see extinct pre-historic animals — wait, wait, wait. Hold up. “Pre-historic animals? Dinosaurs, you mean? Is there some “Jurassic Park” thing going on in there where they cloned the DNAs?” you may ask.

No, silly. It’s all thanks to their creativity in creating the animatronic-form of the dinosaurs, and their collaboration with “Dinosaur Encounter”. It is well-known to tourists that Kuantan is famous for its beaches. However, Chairman of Pahang’s Local Government and Housing Committee, YB Dato’ Abdul Rahim Muda, stated how they hope this brand new hybrid zoo will be a fresh attraction to visitors.

Not only will there be animatronic dinosaurs, but the area will also house themed cafes, dinosaur laboratories, and more. What’s even more exciting is, “Lord of The Rings” fans, brace yourself, there’s also a Hobbit House!

How exciting is this? You get to see actual cute animals, but you also get to learn about pre-historic animals along with indulging yourself in the fantasy world; all in one place. All this convenient fun only costs RM25 for adults, and RM22 for kids.

Will you pay them a visit when you’re in town? Because we sure would!


#Neopets: This Popular 90s Game Is Making A Comeback, Apparently!

Neopets has been going for over 15 years now. You might’ve encountered it growing up, but when was the last time you thought about it?

In case you’ve never played it, Neopets offered a benign and heavily moderated world for children to vanish into in after-school hours. Trust us when we say that it was a warpy world, an alternate universe of its own which was practically a black hole for all (real life) logic and time because it all vanishes each time you get on/in it.

But beyond this it also offered the thrill of early experiments in capitalism: to play Neopets was to see your time as money, and every activity was woven into the Neopian economy. On top of that, the adorable imaginary creatures which were heaps better than real pets – didn’t have to clean up after them, could ethically make them battle each other, some of them were like half-dragons or something.

Needless to say, Neopets captivated 92 million users at the site’s peak – but now its regular user base is only at several thousands.

According to Motherboard, the site is trying to remedy that dramatic drop in users.

After being bought in 2005 by Viacom and then again last year by a company called Knowledge Adventure, it needs some serious TLC. Users reported that it’s virtually broken on mobile, and the decision in recent years to enable users to pay real-world money for Neopets items ultimately divided the fandom.

David Lord, the CEO of JumpStart – a subsidiary of Knowledge Adventure which now owns Neopets – spoke to the future of the site:

After the acquisition of Neopets by Jumpstart, we took some time to analyse and decide the best course of action for modernizing the technology behind the site… Once we made the decision to upgrade the technology, the effort was a bit bumpy at times.

JumpStart acquired Neopets from Viacom in April 2014. Server migration began in September 2014 and JumpStart-owned Neopets was immediately characterised by glitches and site lag. On 6th March 2015, much of the Neopets Team remaining from Viacom were laid off for as-yet unknown reasons.

In case you missed it, the lay off announced via Neopets’ Facebook page on 10th March.

What do you think? Would you ever go back to Neopets?

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#JPJ: Road Transport Department Malaysia Releases Dress Code Following Viral Post

Yesterday, The Star Online reported about a woman who had a shock at the Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan (JPJ) Malaysia (Road Transport Department Malaysia) when she was forced to wear a sarong or be refused service.

The woman, one named Suzanne G L Tan, wrote on her Facebook that she was at the JPJ office to transfer the ownership of her car after selling it. Her post included pictures of herself inside and outside the office, at first wearing a white-and-pink blouse paired with a skirt that ended just above her knee, then wearing a sarong and sitting at the JPJ counter.

As seen in the screenshot of the Facebook post which went viral, she wrote, “I had to go to JPJ personally to sign the transfer form for the car I sold. That in itself is already a pain. I go dressed like this. Indecent meh? At the number counter, they hand me a sarong to wear or they will not entertain me.”

However, Suzanne did not say which JPJ office, nor the time or date she was there.

According to The Sun Daily, a JPJ public relations officer said investigations are currently underway to identify which one of its branches was involved in the incident. “We were just informed of the matter and are currently doing our own investigation,” he said. But he also added that, “Whatever it is, we have to dress accordingly, based on the dress code of entering a government building.”

Then, late yesterday evening, JPJ uploaded a “dress code” image on their Facebook page, seemingly in response to the issue:

Take note, peeps, to avoid from facing inconveniences in the future! It won’t hurt to put on a pair of jeans and a decent top if you ever need to make that trip to a government office, be it JPJ or the Department of Immigration :)

Sources: The Star Online, The Sun Daily, JPJ’s Facebook page.


#RobinHood: Taron Egerton In Early Talks To Star In Origin Story

Taron Egerton may not be a Hollywood A-lister, but he has certainly become a rising star through his breakthrough role in this year’s “Kingsman: The Secret Service“.

With one major movie already under his belt and several other high-budgeted movies (“Legend”and “Eddie the Eagle”) on the way, the young British star appears to be on his way to Sherwood Forest for another huge role. According to Empire Online citing Deadline, Egerton is in early talks to star in Lionsgate‘s “Robin Hood: Origins“.

Deadline revealed that both sides are nowhere near a done deal yet, but should he sign the contract, he will be the next actor to portray Robin Hood, the Sherwood Forest’s finest outlaw that was previously portrayed by Russell Crowe and Cary Elwes.

Traditionally depicted as being dressed in Lincoln green, Robin Hood (or Robyn Hode) is a highly skilled archer and swordsman from Sherwood Forest. After finding out that his beloved town is shrouded by evil and crime, he forms his own band of “Merry Men” and becomes a heroic outlaw by “robbing from the rich and giving to the poor”. Due to his immense popularity, the folk figure was widely represented in modern literature, films, and TV. Titled “The Adventures of Robin Hood”, the 1983 film adaptation is considered by many to be the best and the most popular Robin Hood movie, followed by Disney’s animated adaptation with a cast of woodland creatures.

Multiple studios including Disney, Warner Bros., and Sony are in contention to bring the movie to the big screen, but Lionsgate is one step ahead of the rest, as the film has already acquired the script written by “Knights Of The Round Table: King Arthur” scribe Joby Harold. The studio has appointed director Otto Bathurst (of “Peaky Blinders” and “Luthor” fame) to helm the project while Leonardo Dicaprio-owned production company, Appian Way will produce it alongside Jenniffer Davisson, Tory Tunnell, and Harold.

Slated to begin production by early 2016, the new film is said to be a “gritty reboot”. With further details being kept under wraps, Egerton’s involvement may bring anticipation for fans.

So, would you like to see Egerton playing Robin Hood? Who else do you think should join the cast? Let us know in the comments section below.


8 Places In Kuala Lumpur To Enjoy The Perfect Date With Someone Special

Love is in the air: A common phrase that comes to mind whenever we’re in a place that exudes romance and wonder. These are the type of places that will make any love struck couple feel like romancing each other to their heart’s content.

And ever since the Covid-19 pandemic gave us no choice but to date within the confines of our own home or through a digital screen, being able to actually visit a romantic spot for the perfect date has become an act of courting that’s truly cherished by all lovers.

So now that the public is starting to go out and about (while strictly abiding by the Covid-19 SOP’s, of course) we’re certain that every romantic is keeping an eye out for the best place to visit for the perfect date with their loved one.

Well, look no further, because we have created an exciting list of places that are perfect for a date. If you’re head over heels for each other, you should definitely head over to these idyllic places together!

For all the plant moms and dads out there, these garden themed cafes are some of the best places to romance each other while surrounded by gorgeous flora and fauna. Isn’t there something very special about being able appreciate each other while appreciating the beauty of nature? From hanging plants that happily float over you to gorgeous floral walls, these garden themed cafes are ideal for picture perfect dates.

While KL has more and more garden themed cafes that open for you to visit, our personal favourite is Listette’s Cafe and Bakery located in Bangsar. With a refreshingly open and airy seating space, the only thing their plants and flowers will have you wondering about is which looks more beautiful, your partner or the flourishing garden!

Everyone knows that the go-to place for a romantic meal has been a fine dining restaurant since pretty much the beginning of time. But today’s generation is all about breaking the norms and shattering the cliches, so of course we want to up our romance game too! It’s time to switch from perfect table manners under restaurant lighting to relaxing on soft grass under the golden sun.

So to enjoy some cute couple time outdoors, you and your partner can organise an intimate and refreshing picnic at one of your favourite parks. Kuala Lumpur has many parks around the city areas that are ideal for laying out a blanket and enjoying some yummy snacks out of a basket. Desa Park City, for instance, is a popular picnic location that is well-maintained, comfortable and pet friendly. You’re sure to have a happy picnic experience here, and maybe this time your furry friend can join the date too!

There’s something special about art that is used to revitalise an otherwise ordinary street or lane. This sprinkle of specialness can be seen at Kwai Chai Hong, a creatively restored lane with historic architecture nestled nearby Jalan Petaling. The hidden lane was restored due to the works of Project Kwai Chai Hong, which helped showcase beautiful murals depicting the daily activities of early Chinese settlers who lived in the area in the 1960’s. Now, you can also see varying art installations set up during different festivals and celebrations.

Kwai Chai Hong gives couples the opportunity to walk down memory lane together while experiencing the modern technology incorporated into its history. This is because visitors have the opportunity to scan QR codes on the walls to obtain an in-depth and immersive experience of history and art. Kwai Chai Hong is a scintillating location that allows you to reminisce over the years past while capturing new moments with your partner for the years to come.

Sometimes the best thing couples can do on a date is take in the sights of art galleries and museums that have pieces just as beautiful as their partners. One such place like this, which is home to the most creative art in Malaysia, is the National Arts Gallery located in Jalan Tun Razak. This art gallery showcases a stunning collection of over 2,500 local and foreign works of art created by celebrated artists. Additionally, as it’s the official venue for art workshops and exhibitions in Malaysia, you and your date can also attend any event that suits your interests!

Another popular location that showcases extensive work of art and heritage is the Bank Negara Malaysia Museum and Art Gallery. This iconic museum has six permanent galleries that patrons can visit to enjoy a range of multifaceted themes. Namely, these galleries are the Children’s Gallery, the Bank Negara Malaysia Gallery, Economics Gallery, Islamic Finance Gallery, Numismatics Gallery and Art Gallery. For those who would like to take a virtual tour of the gallery in preparation for their date, click here.

After being stuck at home during MCO, we’re all going to want a fresh breath of air and a change in scenery. Thankfully, we don’t need to go too far to experience this! There’s a long list of hiking trails around KL that are perfect for either taking a relaxing nature walk or working some muscle on an adventure trek with your loved one.

A few of our favourite hiking spots include Bukit Broga, Semenyih for the refreshing view of nature and Bukit Sri Bintang, Kepong for the captivating view of the city. And if you’re looking for a date activity that’s more easy-breezy but still located in the heart of nature, we highly recommend visiting the KL Forest Eco Park. The park is the oldest forest reserve in the heart of the KL and is fondly known as the green lung of the city. There’s also a famous aerial bridge known as the Canopy Walk, which is perfect for enjoying the view of the KL skyline and also taking a cute couple pic!

That’s right, dates are no longer limited to the ground because now you can be floating up in the sky! My Balloon Adventure is the first company in Malaysia to obtain an Air Operating Certificate and provide commercial hot air balloon rides. These balloon rides are a unique and exciting way to experience Malaysia and its beauty with your partner. Many couples have held their anniversaries, birthdays, and even proposals on the hot air balloon rides!

The balloon takes off at several sites nearby Kuala Lumpur, including Broga Semenyih and Putrajaya Precinct 2, and each ride lasts for about 45 minutes to one hour. The ride’s duration will vary according to weather conditions and will land wherever the wind takes you! Each hot air balloon ride comes in packages, with a minimum basic price of RM3,500 per basket. So, if you’re in the mood to feel like Jasmine and Aladdin on a magic basket ride, this is your chance!

The Saloma Link Bridge and Elmina Iconic Bridge are two perfect locations for couples to take an insta-worthy picture because of their unique architectural designs. The Saloma Link Bridge hosts a colourful design decorated with over 4,000 LED lights. It also has a stunning view of KL, which is perfect for you and your partner to enjoy together after a vibrant photoshoot on the bridge.

The Elmina Iconic Bridge is an eye-catching walkway that glides over the Elmina Central Park in Taman Tasik. This bridge has a unique structure and rainbow design, making it unlike anything you have seen before. Many couples have enjoyed memorable moments here due to its unlimited opportunities for a great photo op!

These are for the adventure junkies that need a little thrill on their dates. Whether it be on a roller coaster ride or water slide, couples who want an adrenaline rush should definitely visit a theme park! And while there are many theme parks located around Malaysia, our best options for fun and exciting theme parks in Klang Valley are Sunway Lagoon and Berjaya Times Square Theme Park.

Sunway Lagoon has a wide array of wet and dry rides to choose from while Berjaya Times Square is home to the largest indoor theme park in Malaysia. Both these locations provide fun games and rides that everyone enjoys! If you visit a theme park for a date, you and your partner are bound to experience some of your most exciting moments together!

All in all, no matter what type of couple you are or what activities you like to enjoy together, there is always a special place that will suit anyone’s idea of a perfect date. Each of these ideas cater to various interests to help you make your date special and your partner feel loved. So, choose a place according to your heart’s desire and start creating loving memories that will last a lifetime!

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Interview: Ryan Tedder On Being Done With OneRepublic & Why “Human” Was The Most Difficult Album To Make

It’s been over five years since American pop-rock band OneRepublic released their last album. However, that will be ending soon. The band is slated to unveil their latest album “Human” on 27th August. For now, they’ve released five tracks from the album which are “Rescue Me”, “Wanted”, “Didn’t I”, “Better Days” and “Run” to hold us over.

OneRepublic has produced countless albums since their hit-single “Apologize” got a Grammy Award nomination in 2007. There may be a gap between their last album and “Human”, but songwriter and lead vocalist Ryan Tedder has stated this album marks the “second chapter” of the band.

We got the opportunity to join Tedder during the OneRepublic Southeast Asia Press Conference where he spoke about the development of “Human”, what makes a OneRepublic song recognisable and why radio is necessary compared to streaming.

1. It’s been five years since your last album. How long has this album “Human” been in the works?

There’s only one song on this album that was written during (the) previous tour. You know, I’m always writing the next album on tour. By the time “Oh My My” came out, I was already completely fried. I almost thought I was done with the band, to be honest. In 2016-2017, the promotion tour schedule that we did for “Oh My My” was so soul destroying. I was on the road for nine months. I was on the road from 1st May to 22nd December of 2016, and by the time I got to October, I’d seen my family, maybe, four days out of four or five months, and I still had three months to go. And I was done.

I remember telling my manager, “I don’t care what happens, I can’t promote any more songs”. By the time (I) got two kids, which was (by) the second single, I was already done. And I didn’t have anything left in me. The first single, “Wherever I Go”, was shot in Korea, and then in Los Angeles, (which was) one of my favourite videos (that) we’ve ever done, (but) I just didn’t have it in me. I had been going nonstop from 2007 to 2017. And so, I walked away in January 2017, and I told the Vandals what’s going to happen to us. We did some Asia tours- the only real tours we did in a three year period- (in) 2017, 2018 and 2019. We did one American tour, and we did two Asia tours, and I didn’t have it in me to do anything else.

I didn’t start writing for this album until- I honestly felt like it was 2019. There might be like one or two songs on this album that were started in like 2018 or something, but it was really the beginning of 2019. I had done an album for the Jonas Brothers and wrote “Sucker” which went on to become a huge hit for them, and that kind of got me re-energised. I was doing Miley Cyrus’s albums, Sam Smith’s, a bunch of different artists, and that got me back in the saddle. Every time I was with an artist, they were like, “What are you doing with OneRepublic? Like why are you not doing more music? What, are you crazy?” And so, I can honestly thank all those artists that I worked with for making me want to do an album again.

I had enough time off, enough time with my family and being home and not touring that I wanted to tour again. I had something to say and I wanted to go back out there and make music again so I see this- the next 9 or 10 years- as the second chapter of this band. I always thought this was a 20-year band from day one. And I told the band in 2019, “I’ve got another 10 years in me”. And then Covid hit and gobbled up 18 months of it, so. But this is the second chapter and I’m excited to start it with this album.

2. Your newest album was intended for release way back in November 2019. But with songs on different hard drives, timing and of course, the dumpster fire that was 2020 that required all of you to be apart from each other, would you say this was your most difficult album to produce and create?

I would say it was the most difficult to produce. I mean, “Oh My My” was tremendously difficult too, because we made it in so many countries (and) in so many places. This one was the most difficult because the plan just kept changing. It’s funny, when we released “Rescue Me”, we thought “Well, we should put an album out after this.” (That) was (at) the end of 2019, and “Rescue Me” had come out, and done really well but we wanted to drop one more song and hopefully do even better. By the time we got around to doing it, Covid hit.

It was like, let’s just move the album by six months, and we were going to time (it) to release for the summer tour in America, (and) the Europe tour in the fall. There’s all these things you have to plan around an album that have nothing to do with the album, and that’s why we moved the album to April-May of 2020. Then Covid-19 (hit), so that’s why it moved. It was hard (because) it just moved around so much. It was a pain in the ass. Frankly, in my mind, “Human” has been out for a year, I’m already on to the next thing.

3. Can you describe “Human” in three words?

4. Any collaborations that we can expect from the album?

No, this is OneRepublic. This is (a) very traditional OneRepublic album. The only collaboration on this album is Kygo for one song.

5. 2020 was all about synth-pop and disco. What do you think about this trend and can we expect these vintage vibe songs in “Human”?

There’s only really one song from “Human”. And it is a song that we did recently, so it’s probably a little bit influenced by what’s happening now. There’s one song in “Human” that I would say has that kind of retro vibe. I wrote and produced the new Bastille single that came out (on 24th June) actually. And it’s very aggressive, 80s synth. A lot of their album is like early 80s. You know, Simon and Garfunkel, Phil Collins, Genesis, and Peter Gabriel- it’s very that. I’m doing the DNC album which is very disco. MGMT and the Jessie J album (are) very disco, 70s and 80s; Donna Summer and Whitney Houston. So, I’m very much a part of that wave of where music is going or where music is, but by the time you chase that stuff, it doesn’t work.

You have to be careful how you ride those waves, and you need to catch it just at the right time. I’ve been a part of a lot of those waves in the last 15, 16 years. When “Counting Stars” came out- People don’t remember that time very well, but in 2013 (or) 2014- and I had no idea that this was happening, I just kind of sensed that this is where music was going- Avicii comes out with “Wake Me Up”. And (it had) that sound, that kind of tempo, you know, folk acoustic guitar sound. Well, Avicii’s “Wake Me Up” was number one everywhere in the world, and the very next song (which was) number one everywhere in the world was “Counting Stars”. And then it was Mumford and Sons, and like, it was this wave of folk-like band music. If we had mistimed that, (if) “Counting Stars” had come six months later, or even six months earlier, then we would have been too far out ahead of the wave, or too far behind it.

So, when you’re releasing music as an artist- I’m writing music in real time. The songs that I have coming (from) other artists, whether it’s Lil Nas X or Miley, I’m very careful that I’m not chasing any current trend. But, I’m making sure that the drums are modern, (that) the drums sound like 2021. And it’s really hard for me to say in an interview, what that means, you just know it when you hear it.

It’s no different than a fashion designer (like), when you watch the documentary on Halston or Balenciaga or Tom Ford, when they’re picking colours in fabrics. They (can’t) explain why they’re picking certain colours and fabrics, (they’re) instinctively picking them because (they) feel that that’s the next thing. So, that’s the long winded answer. This album is not chasing anything that’s currently out musically, but I’m aware of everything that’s out. And so, I tried to make sure that the songs, the production feels modern, but it doesn’t feel like we’re chasing what’s out.

6. What was the most difficult song that you wrote on the album?

The hardest song for me, the hardest one to write or to finish, is a song called “Sunday”. That (has) one of the best lyrics and concepts on the whole album. The lyrics just punch you in the gut, like emotionally. We were working on “Sunday”, up until a week ago, and we’re at our deadline right now because I just couldn’t- I wrote it in Thailand. We actually wrote it in Phuket and in Bangkok and finished (it). And actually, it still sounds very much like how it sounded in Thailand.

Covid gave us another 15 months (and) when you have too much time to mess (and) to think about something, you overthink it. And then you create problems that didn’t exist. So, with “Sunday”; I loved it when we did it in Thailand. I loved the week after we left; it was like done, the song was done. And then we had time to look at it and think about it and listen to it. And then we did 30 versions of it. So now, I’m not even sure the version on the album is the right version, but “Sunday” was easily the hardest song because we worked on it for basically two years.

7. Which is your favourite song from the upcoming album?

For whatever reason, my favourite song- it might not be the biggest song in the album- but my favourite song is a song called, “Take Care of You”. That’s the one that kind of has the cool synth tempo. It’s almost like a Drake record. Yeah, it’s like an emotional Drake record, honestly, and I don’t know, I love the hell out of it.

8. What was the inspiration behind the song “Run”? Was it inspired by any real life experiences?

I mean, a hundred percent it’s about real life experiences. Right before this interview, I just ran 10 kilometres about an hour ago. And I’ll do it again tomorrow and I did (it) yesterday. So, anyone that knows me; I run, that’s what I do, I’m a runner. I love exercising, I do it before concerts, I do it every time before a show. And so, that’s partly why it’s called “Run”. I’m not making this up, this year, not counting treadmills, I run on treadmills all the time. But, let’s see here, I ran 2000 kilometers this year, and you could probably double that, if you add in the treadmill. So, that is what I do.

From a very young age, I’ve (been) very inspired all the time. I’m very curious and creative, and I’m always thinking about; “Where’s the next place we can go? Let’s go there. Let’s do that. Let’s try that.” I’m involved in 30 different businesses, and I’m doing five, six albums at the same time. So, this song is about someone like me who kind of wants everything in life, and wants to see it all, taste (it) all, try it all, travel to all of it. But obviously you can’t; it’s impossible. So, it’s that constant search (for) that high paced energy, which is what I have. And it’s that constant search for something new, exciting and different. “I want to meet that person. I want to try that food. I want to go to that city,”; that’s just how I’m wired.

To me the song is telling you, “Get up, get off your butt. Life is short, you’re not guaranteed another day. Get out there. Run, wake up. Look at the sun, chase it down. Grab life by the horns and own it.” That’s really my philosophy for life. The other thing about running is, when you’re running and you’re moving fast, so much of the negative, depressing, distracting or stupid stuff in life; from social media to the bad news- all news is bad. So, when you’re just like this, focused and going after something, that stuff just goes by you. You don’t see it, you don’t hear it, it’s just gone. So, that’s why I’m always telling people, “Look up, put on horse blinders, don’t worry about all that stupid nonsense, and just run”, and that’s really the thesis behind the song.

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9. What’s the significance of shooting the entire “Run” MV (music video) on a Hollywood movie set?

Well, we’ve never done that before. I don’t even know how many music videos I’ve done at this point but probably around 20 to 25. And we’ve shot them all around the world. We’ve shot them in Europe, we’ve shot them in Mexico and all over the United States.

(For) a lot of our videos, I write the video treatment. I come up with the idea of what the video should be. “Rescue me” was a prime example; that was my video treatment. And I didn’t have an idea for “Run” that made sense to me. I just didn’t have an idea, and (when) the director, Tomas, pitched us the idea, (it) was so brilliant that I just instantly said, “Yes, I want to do this”. (Tomas) is a very successful commercial director for television commercials, big companies. And I think Brent, our bass player, helped part of the idea for the video.

(About) shooting it on video set- I was so busy wrapping albums; the OneRepublic album, Bastile’s album, Jessie J’s album and DNCE. So, I was doing four albums at the same time for different projects, and I only had this much time to shoot the video. So, it had to be in Los Angeles and it had to be within like 30 minutes of my studio. So, at the end of the day we just ended up shooting it at the CBS Seinfeld’s big backlot, and it was really cool because that’s where- if you come to Los Angeles, and you do the Hollywood tour, you can tour the famous TV sets and movie sets (of) famous shows, and that’s one of those sets, so it was really special to be on that because those are not cheap to use.

10. The song “Run” seems to give a message of inspiration. What is OneRepublic’s direction to make this a better world?

I think it’s very simple. (“Run”) is a very aspirational (and) inspirational song. I’ve realised that the purpose of this band is to, through music, make our fans and the listeners of our songs feel inspired and feel a sense of connection and emotion that they strive for something they want. Something better for their life, for family, (and) for themselves. And I tried to do that in a way that isn’t cheesy, that isn’t just too obvious.

(In) a lot of these songs, I’m writing these notes to myself (in) these lyrics that I’m writing. Our lyrics are really so specific to this band; the songs that we put out, other bands could not put out, other artists could not put out. And it’s mostly me thinking about life, thinking about living in this world, being a human and how (I) should approach living.

I think that how to make this world a better place is quite simple. I think that you actually have to care about others, at the very least, as much as you care about yourself. And even better, care about them more than you care about yourself. I think that empathy and kindness are the two most valuable assets in the world.

I mean, look, if the world was full of Mother Teresas, it’d be the nicest place on earth but you also wouldn’t have Elon Musk. You wouldn’t have people inventing spaceships and rocket ships and you wouldn’t have a lot of the industrialists and people that change the world through other ways. So, I don’t think we all have to walk around being Mother Teresa, but I think it’s important to have empathy and show kindness, and those are the two most valuable things. If everyone just dialled that up a lot, I think that it would be a much improved planet.

11. How has the “Human” project evolved in terms of music direction compared to your previous releases?

More than half of the album, I think, will remind people of whatever our sound is. I’ve never been aware of what the OneRepublic sound is, as weird as that sounds to say. I think our sound is me singing and (the) guitar and (the) piano- I don’t really know what the sound is. It’s hard to describe your own sound when you’re in the band. You can’t really define it because you’re making it up as you go. It’s not like I woke up one day and was like, “We’re going to sound like this”. I knew the bands that I liked growing up and the different songs and the artists that I like. And I was really just trying to find something unique that didn’t sound like anybody else.

So, I think “Run” will remind people a little bit of “Native”, which was our 2013 album. I think people that like “Native” will love this album. People that liked “Waking Up” or even “Dreaming Out Loud”- There are songs that all connect to those first three albums. “Oh My My” was our more experimental, vast album. It’s my favourite album musically, but it’s definitely a lot more adventurous and experimental. “Human” is more of a return to those very emotional and heartfelt songs. Yeah, that’s the best way for me to put it. So I think that it’s a return to that sound.

And then I think on album six- we already have enough songs for two albums- but the next album, we’re going to evolve the sound even more. We already know what the direction is for the next album, we already have a few songs. And yeah, we’re excited. This one was supposed to come out a year ago, and then Covid happened, and we didn’t want to release an album that we couldn’t promote. So, here we are a year later and we’ve maybe changed three of the songs on the album, but mostly it’s still the same album.

(You didn’t write a song about Covid, did you?)

No, no, I mean, we have a song called “Better Days” on the album that was finished the week the shutdown happened, so, it’s a little bit about Covid.

12. In your eyes or ears, what makes or defines a OneRepublic song?

I’ve learned this about (the) band because when I tried to do things that don’t fit to our formula, they don’t work. They just don’t connect in the way that I want them to. OneRepublic cannot do super pop relationship songs for instance. I’m friends with this band and the singer so I’m not making fun of them, I’m using him as an example. Anything that Adam Levine sings, I could not get away with singing. I’ve written songs for Maroon 5 and we’ve toured with them, we’re friends with them. They’ve been a band for 10 years, longer than us. I couldn’t sing “Payphone” (or) “Beautiful Mistakes”. “Memories” is maybe the only song they put out in 20 years (that) I could sing, and people would believe it coming from me.

A lot of this super catchy pop stuff (that’s) like super trendy, doesn’t work with us. I’ve tried it, (it) doesn’t work. I wish it did. It’d be so much easier to be in this band, if I could call up 20 other songwriters and say “Write our shit, send me great ideas that are mostly done and I’ll just finish them.” That would be a dream come true, if we could do those. I almost wish we had started doing really pop stuff, a long time ago because then we could just keep doing it. So, the blessing and the curse of OneRepublic is: if I don’t write the lyrics, the songs don’t work. So, my weird angle on life or lyrics or songs is what makes it work. So, I don’t ever get to phone it in and that’s part of why it takes so long, and that’s part of what frustrates me.

That’s the secret; number one is the lyrics have to come from me through my very, very specific lens. The way I turn phrases and use certain phrases and words is very specific to me, and the songs can’t be about hooking up in a club like, you know, “Shape of You”, by Ed Sheeran. (It’s) amazing, I had a song on his last album “Happier”. The moment he played me “Shape of You”, I was like “That’s a number one record, that’s a smash.” And he was like, “Oh, mate, it’s too pop. I don’t know, I think it might be too pop.” I was like, “Dude, you’re overthinking it. It’s a hit.” If I sing “Shape of You”, as big (of) a song as that is, 4 billion streams later, it would have flopped because people would have been like “Oh no, that’s OneRepublic. They can’t do that.” I can’t get away (with) singing about (something) like, the club is the place to find something.

I can’t get away with that stuff, so, that’s the formula for OneRepublic. The lyrics have to mean something on a deeper level, than other pop songs. And I have to do the lyrics, and they have to be soulful. The music has to be soulful, there has to be an emotional quality to it. A lot of the best OneRepublic songs, people say (the songs) make them feel happy and sad at the same time, or inspirational like “Counting Stars” (and) “I Lived”- those are inspirational songs.

13. Juggling between producing for others and being a singer-songwriter yourself, how do you ensure to not mix up between the two when you’re producing for others and OneRepublic?

I don’t really mix up between the two. It’s rare that (that) ever happens. “Counting Stars”; I came up with that idea initially while I was writing for Beyonce. And, I had the idea maybe a couple months before I wrote “Excel” for the album. I was writing for her, and then I stumbled across something that inspired “Counting Stars” and I remember coming up with the chorus melody and the idea (and) the phrase “counting stars”. And then (I was) just thinking, “This feels like a huge song, but I don’t think she can sing this.” Like, it didn’t make sense for her and I thought, “Well, I’ll just keep that.”

So, that’s maybe the only time in history that I’ve ever done that simultaneously. It’s really simple to separate because when I’m writing for an artist, 90% of the time, I’m writing with that artist. So, if I’m writing for Ariana Grande, which I just did a few weeks ago and I’m doing off and on right now, or for Miley, there really aren’t any songs that Miley Cyrus is going to sing that I would sing. Like I said, OneRepublic, the stuff that I can say is so little. Like, there’s only 5% of topics that I can sing about that people believe coming from me. And so many of the artists I work with are big female artists anyway, so it’s extremely rare that I would ever want to keep a song for OneRepublic. Like “Sucker” (by) Jonas Brothers, I had that song for a year. I’m singing the demo. In theory, I could have finished it and branded it as a OneRepublic song, but I don’t think people would have believed that song coming from me.

14. You revealed on “The Ellen Show” recently that you’re producing seven major albums right now, from Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers, Lomax, and others. Would you ever think of maybe working with these artists on your albums or upcoming albums?

I think (I would) where it makes sense. You know, I’m actually on Jessie J’s upcoming album. We did a song together that I’m singing on- it’s crazy. And I just wrote a song with Marshmallow that I love. That would be amazing if that came up because it’s really, really good. Trying to think who else I would collaborate with… You know, for our last album “Oh My My” we had Santigold, Peter Gabriel, Cassius- we had a lot of my favourite artists on there, not the big obvious pop artists. I think Miley would be incredible. She’s got such a great voice. We’re writing a lot together so she’d be amazing. I’m singing the background vocals on an upcoming Lil Nas X record that I’m excited about. So, you’re gonna hear a lot of me on that.

I don’t know, in terms of features… My voice tends to lend itself to electronic musicians and DJs a lot. So, for whatever reason, I’m sure you’re gonna see me doing some more work with future dance records and DJs and things like that just because I love that music. The last record, the single (we did) with Kygo, “Lose Somebody”, did really well internationally and so- I don’t know. I like working with DJs a lot.

15. You have an ongoing songwriting masterclass. What are some of the most important things that you want your students to learn from when writing songs?

Well, I think the most important thing to learn when you’re writing songs. First up is, nobody starts out as a great songwriter. Some people are naturally gifted early on, with melody or lyric. I think if you’re naturally a poet or really good with words; that helps. I was a big reader growing up, so that helped me a lot because my vocabulary was big by the time I started writing songs. And I think you don’t have to be great at an instrument or even know how to play an instrument. If you just want to do lyrics and melody, then you need to find someone who’s really good at an instrument.

I was forced to take piano since I was three. And then I fell in love with piano when I was like 13. (I) taught myself guitar (and) drums, so by the time I started writing songs, I was 15, and I had already learned so many popular songs and hit songs that I kind of knew how they sounded so I was really good at imitating what I thought sounded like something that I wanted to hear on the radio or whatever.

You really have to put in the time and not be too hard on yourself, in the beginning because you will be terrible. When you start, and then eventually you suck less and less and. And then one day, you write something amazing and impress everybody.

16. In this time of the pandemic, do you think the music business has turned a corner? There’s a real need to adapt to this climate of change in order for artists to earn a living. If so, how? Or do you think it would just all go back to the way it was in a year or two?

I think touring will go back to the way it was. I’m a little nervous currently, if I’m being honest. Not to get off on Covid, but just when I thought it was done- because in America for the most part, it’s done now. In our country, as of one week ago, exactly last Tuesday, all the Covid restrictions were lifted. So, the only place in the country where you’re required to wear masks is if you’re in a hospital or in a school with little kids. Everywhere else- it’s just open, there’s no masks. The reality is: there should be.

I’ve been going to Asia for 13 years. The first time I saw masks in my life (was)- it would have been in Kuala Lumpur or possibly Singapore. We didn’t know at the time that the person wearing that mask (means) they’re sick with a cold. And they don’t want to get us sick, so out of respect (they took) to wearing a mask. No one explained that to us, so we just thought “Oh, Asians like to wear masks.” We just made this general assumption because no one (told us) what it was. Now I get it, and- I actually got a little sick. I got an actual cold or whatever the other day and I threw a mask on, because I didn’t want someone to get a cold.

I think we’re out of the woods. But I know that like Israel, I think, it’s shutting down because of the Delta Covid variant. There’s a lot of countries now that are shutting down again because of this new variant. So, who knows if it’s going to 100% go back to normal? I want to be optimistic and say that by 2022, it will be, as long as this weird variant doesn’t cause health (issues), then I think we’re going to be fine. And I think that touring will be turned back on. I think the bigger issue at hand is that songwriters and artists are still not fairly compensated for streams. Streaming is where everybody is going now. Radio, obviously, is still impactful and valuable as well. But, you know, if people aren’t listening to radio, they’re streaming. (For) songwriters or artists who write their songs, the only real way that we get paid is from radio, so thank you radio for playing our stuff!

That’s how we get paid. I’m sitting in my recording studio now, (and) I didn’t pay for the studio with streams, I paid for (it) with radio. And so, until streaming pays writers and artists (fairly)- I’m not even asking for like the majority, I’m just saying, just even a fair amount- I don’t think artists will be happy. I think that we are still a ways off from writers and artists being compensated fairly for streams, so I think that has to change. I think it will change- very confident- I have reason to believe it will change in the coming years because we’re in an age of transparency and fairness. We’re entering into that time where the blockchain is coming for everybody. (It’s) that age of transparency, when everyone can see how everything is operating and where all the money goes for everything. People start to go, “Wait a minute. Well, that doesn’t make any sense. Why is the artist doing this? They don’t own anything, like what’s happening?” And I think that all these things will naturally evolve.

I think that touring is turning on in America, like, really heavily right now. But, starting in September, it’s really turning on and it’s going to be a big test to see how many people actually come out. We’ll see what happens.

While we eagerly wait for OneRepublic to drop their album, check out their other songs, “Didn’t I”, “Rescue Me” and “Wanted” in the meantime.

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#ShutDownSungaiBesi: Planned Protest At Sungai Besi Toll Declared Illegal

Those who are planning to join the protest against the toll hike at the Sungai Besi toll plaza tonight will be charged with a fine or arrested by local authorities.

In a report by The Star Online, Serdang OCPD Asst Comm Razimi Ahmad officially announced in a statement that the planned #ShutdownSungaiBesi protest on New Year’s Eve (31st December) is an unlawful assembly.

Razimi said that the event, which is organised by Parti Amanah Negara’s Youth wing, is not authorised by the police and thus, participants may be charged for joining the illegal assembly.

He explained that the protest may cause serious traffic congestion and disturb public order, especially since motorists will be using the toll to participate in some of the New Year’s Eve events taking place in the city centre.

Thus, the public is advised not to participate in this event because this event is unlawful under Section 9(1) Public Assembly Act 2012 as it was not authorised by the police.

“Whoever participates in this event can be charged under Section 9(5) Public Assembly Act 2012, whereupon conviction may result in a fine of no more than RM10,000,” he added.

The peaceful rally was supposed to take place at the Jalan Duta toll plaza. However, its organiser Shazni Munir Ithnin later announced in a statement that the venue was changed to the Sungai Besi toll plaza after discussion with committee members from non-governmental organisations, motorcycle representatives, medical personnel, and activists. He said the decision was made due to “stern response and feedback from the police”.

The protest is being held to demand the government cancel plans to increase toll rates at selected highways next year. Shazni said that the toll hike would “further compromise the rakyat who are already facing difficulties”.

Sources: The Star Online, The Sun Daily.


#FitbitAlta: Suh-weet! A Fashionable Fitbit For The Style Conscious

Fitbit goes fashion forward with their latest product, the Fitbit Alta.

Fitness trackers are all the rage these days and the market for stylish wearables that record data of your activities is getting increasingly crowded.

Whether it’s used to tell the time, monitor your workouts, or track how well/not well you’re sleeping, people are slowly gravitating towards these magical wrist gadgets. And because they’re things that require you to wear them all the time, wearable tech companies have gotten busy developing non-rubbery/non-plasticky designs that are more versatile for every day use.

The just-announced Fitbit product is a new style conscious fitness tracker that’s launching in the US in March. It features a large OLED screen that’s capable of showing select notifications from your smartphone – incoming calls, text messages, and calendar alerts.

While the Fitbit Charge HR motivates you to achieve 10,000 steps a day, the Alta breaks it down to a mini-step goal of 250 steps each hour. If the goal hasn’t been reached 10 minutes before the hour is up, the Fitbit Alta will remind you with a gentle vibration. It’s great to help you keep your metabolism up.

It also claims to have a long battery life as you will be able to wear your wristband up to 5 full days and nights without needing a charge.

The best part is that its sleek design makes it look very low-key but its interchangeable straps allow you to personalise the Fitbit Alta to match your #ootd or #ootn and, if you’d like, turn it into a fashion statement. Leather band by day and metal band by night? Sure, why not! You might actually want to wear this one when you go out partying :)

The Fitbit Alta is currently priced at USD130. Our best guess is that it’ll probably arrive in April for other places in the world i.e. Malaysia.

For more information, hit up Fitbit’s website or Facebook page. Fitbit is also on Twitter so follow them for updates!

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