Interview: LANY’s Paul Klein Shares His Favourite Thing About Malaysia

LANY is currently making sure fans around Asia experience “A November To Remember” with their anticipated tour. The American pop-rock band have been building a steady fan base ever since heir 2017 self-titled album and it’s easy to see why.

Frontman and songwriter Paul Klein has a way of constructing lyrics that give listeners a deeper picture into love, breakups, and eventual acceptance. The 34-year-old musician said it best when he described making music and making albums is like “buying a gift and writing a card for someone you love: You want them to like the gift and know that this is why you got it for them.”

During their pitstop in Southeast Asia this past week, we had the pleasure of speaking to both Paul and drummer Jake Goss about the absence of former member, keyboardist Les Priest. “He felt like it was time for him to stay home and be a family man. I kind of felt it was coming… I wasn’t totally shocked, but obviously, we miss him so much,” Paul said in another interview.

We were pleasantly surprised to here Paul’s favourite thing about Malaysia, hearing the duo explain the thought process behind “Congrats”, a new song that has become a major crowd favourite during concert shows, and what they love about each other. Scroll down for our exclusive interview:

Q: This is your third time in Malaysia. What do you miss about Malaysia since you were last here?

Paul Klein: The crowds are always really really special, and so loud, which is one thing that we absolutely love. We love to have crowd participation and involvement – it just make for a better show. We did a little bit of a meet-and-greet sound check today, and it was already the loudest meet and greet sound check of the tour so far, so we’re really excited.

Jake Goss: And I know that Malaysia Paul’s favourite palm trees.

Paul: That’s true. The terrain here is stunning.

Jake: Every time we get here it’s like – oh yeah, forgot how beautiful it is here.

Q: There are a few cities that you are going to in Asia, so are there any special things that you have prepared for Malaysian fans tonight?

Paul: I mean, the show is pretty special, we’ve worked really hard on it. I don’t know if you’ve been in the arena yet but we’ve brought every single bit of our production, which is not a small feat to get the huge screens and the LED. We spent months preparing for this whole concert.

Q: What are the songs that you’re most excited to perform?

Paul: We have a new song called “Congrats” that will be on the new album, and it’s very big and very loud, the words will also be on the screen so it encourages people to sing along. It’s a very sing-along-esque type of song. That one is fun. Jake sounds awesome on the drums.

Jake: Yeah, I’m excited to see how crazy people go tonight. Cause we’re gonna be rocking out there, we’re excited to see them rocking out there too.

Interview with LANY: This is what #PaulKlein loves best about Malaysia.

♬ original sound – hypemalaysia – Hype Malaysia

Q: It’s just gonna be the two of you for now, did Les Priest’s departure affected your musical language?

Paul: I don’t think so. It’s gonna be the two of us forever. We’re so thankful for Les and the time that we had, and we were able to build something so special with him. When he stepped down, I don’t think it was like a surprise to either of us and I also don’t think that he expected us to quit the band when he did. This band is too special, too big, and there’s a lot of people all over the world counting on us to continue to make music so that’s exactly what we’re gonna do. I think we might look a little different just in photos but it’s gonna sound and feel, hopefully, around the same.

Paul: We were in the studio, where we wrote 27 songs beginning of this year. We’re already pretty far into the album-making process.

Paul: Oh yeah, well, probably half of them are terrible but we’ll see.

Jake: No, there’s a lot of good ones too.

Our favourite performance during #LANY Live In Kuala Lumpur #anovembertoremember #paulklein #jakegoss

Q: Speaking of the new album, how do ya’ll determine the track list and what makes the cut and doesn’t?

Paul: Honestly, if Jake doesn’t like it, it doesn’t make the cut and I don’t mean that in a bad way. We gotta be one hundred on everything cause we’ll then go and play a hundred shows around the world with these songs. So it’s important that we both are eye-to-eye on that.

I’ll go and write as many songs as possible, then I’ll sit down with Jake and we’ll listen to them. We’ll decide which ones we really believe in and think deserve a chance in the studio to really explore. The album flow is important too – we make albums, we don’t make singles – it’s crucial to have a nice flow to it, and that’s something that takes a little bit of time, but we’ll normally figure it out.

Q: Your album, “Gg bb xx”, talks about appreciating precious moments in life. Have you been able to step back during your tour and absorb everything, or has everything just been a blur?

Paul: It has been a blur, and oftentimes I think we should take a step back and appreciate it – I mean, we obviously appreciate it – but like take a step back and take it all in. It is amazing to kinda go anywhere here, and we’re really far from Los Angeles and it’s just amazing that the songs can travel that distance. We feel incredibly honoured and we wanna make the most of this and continue to protect it and build it.

Jake: Yeah, we’re especially excited for the holidays cause we finally get to reflect on being a family, and appreciate what we have. It’s always really fun when you work up an appetite and you really miss something and can’t wait to get back to. So, that’ll be that feeling for me.

Q: We’re just starting November but what’s something you’ll remember this November?

Paul: This tour, for sure. And every city that we’re going to, these are our biggest shows in Asia ever. So obviously, we’re gonna remember this forever. I think there’s a stadium next door (Bukit Jalil Stadium) too. We’ve got our eyes on that, that’s where we wanna play next.

Jake: Yeah, none of this goes unnoticed. We’re sitting down – I think it was yesterday, we’re like – I can’t believe we get to play to these many people in Asia. We’re really far away from Los Angeles so it’s really really cool. We’re really excited.

A post shared by Hype Malaysia (@hypemy)

Q: We’re quite intrigued with your single “Congrats” – can you speak a little more about that?

Paul: So that’s one of the 27 songs that I wrote earlier this year, we just did a 33-day North American tour, called “Summer Forever” tour. And we had kinda bridged the finishing point from that song and we really wanted to play it live. So, we went ahead and released it, and just from a lyrical standpoint, I think we all know people who have had moments in life where someone does something just for the sole purpose of hurting your feelings or making you upset, or just breaking your heart.

We always hear the phrase, ‘stick and stones may break my bones, words can never hurt me’ and we act all super tough but that’s not true. A lot of times when people set out to hurt you, they do hurt you and I’ve never really heard someone say ‘Hey, you tried to hurt me. You did. Congrats.’ And so, that’s what that song is.

Q: Lastly, what characteristic or ability of your band member do you wish you have?

Paul: Jake doesn’t say anything negative about anything or anyone – I think that’s a very commendable trait.

Jake: Paul’s great about building a squad. He’s really good at that.

Shout out to our friends at Live Nation for making this possible. If you’re keen, check out our concert review here.

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#EXID: K-Pop Idol Girl Group Prepping For October Comeback

By now, any K-Pop fan would’ve heard about EXID (이엑스아이디), or at least Hani.

The K-Pop idol girl group made headlines when the popularity of their song, “Up & Down”, shot through the roof earlier this year. Since then, EXID has been busy with promotions (“Ah Yeah”) and the demands for more and more of the 5-member group hasn’t stopped.

Without skipping a beat, EXID is continuing to ride on the wave of popularity and is even preparing for a comeback!

According to a recent report by Newsen, EXID is currently working towards making a comeback in October. A source told OSEN, however, that there hasn’t been a specific time set yet although it is true that the group is aiming for a return this fall.

They’re looking at a comeback before winter gets here, but nothing’s been confirmed. The album’s format has not been decided either. They’re working hard on recording their album, so look forward to it.

On top of that, EXID member Solji also previously shared that the group were in the middle of working in the studio for their upcoming album. Apparently, LE and influental music producer Shinsadong Tiger are working on it together!

We’re keeping an eye out for more details ;)

We’ll leave you now with this way awesome live mashup performance of “Ah Yeah” and “Up & Down” by EXID. Enjoy:


AirAsia’s Free Seats Promo Is Back! 5 Million Free Seats Up For Grabs

If you’ve been on the fence undecided whether to buy flight tickets, we’ve got good news for you – the highly-anticipated AirAsia’s Free Seats promotion is back! Wanderlusters are already snapping those free seats like hot cakes as we speak.

The low-cost carrier broke the exciting news earlier today that there are 5 million free seats up for grabs to travel across many popular domestic and international destinations across Asean including Langkawi, Penang, Johor Bahru, Krabi, Phu Quoc and Singapore.

Dubbed as the biggest ever FREE Seats campaign, the promo period is from now till 25th September, while the travel period is between 1st January 2023 and 28th October 2023. Do note that this FREE Seats promotion is available exclusively on the airasia Super App and website.

Travelers longing to spread their wings further can also opt for longer haul AirAsia sister airlines AirAsia X and Thai AirAsia X that fly to destinations such as South Korea, (Seoul), Australia (Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Auckland), and India (New Delhi). Flight tickets start from RM499 for economy seats and from RM1,499 for premium flatbed seats for travel between 3rd October 2022 and 28th October 2023.

In addition, AirAsia X also announced that there are now new direct flights from Kuala Lumpur to Jeddah in the Middle East and to Tokyo (Haneda), and Sapporo in Japan. Tickets to travel in November and December are now on sale. The Kuala Lumpur to Jeddah route starts from RM1,799 for economy and RM2,999 for premium flatbed for a travel period between 14th November 2022 to 25th March 2023. One-way flights Tokyo (Haneda) and Sapporo are priced at RM599 for a travel period between 21st November 2022 to 24th March 2023 and 1st December 2022 to 1st February 2023 respectively.


From BVLGARI To Pandora: This Week’s Beauty & Fashion Drops You Gotta Cop!

A huge number of new beauty products and fashion pieces are hitting shelves as we approach the height of the hot season. Every other day, there seems to be a new skincare launch or new fashion drop, making it impossible for you to decide what products are actually worth your hard-earned money. But, don’t fret. Here are the hottest new launches from beauty and fashion brands that you should check out:

When your complexion starts to look dull and your skin needs a little pick-me-up, you know you need to add some vitamins to your routine! Add some zing to your mornings with Drunk Elephant’s C-Firma Fresh Day Serum, designed to be mixed by you before its first use, which maximises the potency of its delicate yet powerful ingredients, while keeping the formula fresh. Most importantly, always wear sunscreen when you’re using Vitamin C serums. When the C-Firma Fresh Day Serum is worn under your sunscreen, it works hard to ward off pollution and UV-generated free radical damage.

The Drunk Elephant C-Firma Fresh Day Serum retails at RM355 and is available exclusively at sephora.my and select Sephora stores.

Dermistry+, a new brand by Rohto-Mentholatum, specializes in serums for difficult-to-solve skin problems. Backed by Rohto’s hundred years of pharmaceutical standards, the formulas use high concentrations of safe ingredients in optimal proportions. The brand’s commitment to a clean, minimalistic skincare approach offers precise dosage, using different compositions to achieve effective results.

As “The Serum Expert”, they offer a comprehensive range of concentrate serums that addresses various skincare concerns. Currently, they have five variants you can choose from, such as the Pore Refining & Spot Correcting Concentrate Booster Serum, Ultra Illuminating Concentrate Brightening Booster Serum, The Intensive Hydrating Concentrate Booster Serum, Restorative Radiance Concentrate Age Delay Booster Serum, and Prebiotic Activating Concentrate Barrier Repair Booster Serum.

Dermistry+ Concentrate Booster Serums are now available for purchase at Watson’s pharmacy and Lazada and Shopee at RM90.

If you’re searching for your next signature musky scent, the new BVLGARI MAN Rain Essence might just be right up your alley. Like that beautiful moment when the last raindrop falls and all changes, the BVLGARI MAN Rain Essence is an invitation to experience the force of this natural occurrence through a new, energising mineral signature. It has a fresh woody musk character with a translucent and fizzy trail, a masculine fragrance that will definitely leave a deep impression on anyone wherever you go.

The BVLGARI MAN Rain Essence retails for RM436/60ml and RM594/100ml. Available in-stores at Parkson, Isetan, Sogo & Aeon. It will also be available in Sephora starting the mid of July.

Our skin is subjected to a variety of environmental stressors every day, especially if you live in an urban setting. Formulated for most skin types, including sensitive, the Aesop Parsley Seed Anti-Oxidant Intense Serum delivers intense hydration while imparting a protective film barrier. It’s lightweight, fast absorbing, and leaves the skin hydrated with a pleasingly matte yet supple finish, making it an astute choice for those seeking an alternative to cream or oil-based moisturisers. The serum is distinguished by an non-occlusive film which forms on the skin thanks to extracts of Red Algae and Tara Gum, imparting an imperceptible yet effective barrier. This formulation delivers impressive anti-oxidant benefits, supported by nourishing Vitamin E.

The Aesop Parsley Seed Anti-Oxidant Intense Serum is available at Aesop stores and https://malaysia.aesop.com

Get ready to sparkle wherever you go this summer with the new Anastasia Beverly Hills Cosmos eyeshadow palette! Inspired by explosively sparkling, star-filled galaxies, the palette is decorated with 12 stunning shades that range from everyday wearable mattes to intense reflective metallics. Whether your long-awaited vacation plans include all-day beachside lounging or back-to-back parties at all the hot spots in the city, you’ll find a trusty companion in the Cosmos Palette that seamlessly takes any beauty look from day to night.

The Anastasia Beverly Hills Cosmos eyeshadow palette will be launching exclusively at sephora.my and in-stores nationwide from 15 June 2023, retailing at RM255.

If you’re a fan of the Korean glass skin trend, then you’re gonna love this. Wardah Beauty has revamped its prized Perfect Bright collection, featuring an array of easy-to-adapt skincare products like the Bright + Smooth Glow Creamy Foam Cleanser and the Bright + Tone Up Micellar Water. Now, they are back with a new formula with added benefits of brightening and nourishing results, thanks to the infusion of 4 superfood bright berries (Cranberry, Acai Berry, Goji Berry & Amethyst Berry), complemented with multiple essential vitamins like Vitamin B3, Vitamin C and Vitamin E.

To learn more about Wardah‘s Perfect Bright range, head to Wardah Beauty Malaysia’s Instagram and Facebook page for more information.

This summer, Pandora is exploring creativity and the art of self-expression with a new drop of the Pandora ME collection. The new designs are inspired by powerful amulets from ancient times and represent protection, luck and hope.

Each Pandora ME dangle carries its own meaning. The new attractive Compass Medallion, a symbol of motivation, represents defiance and finding one’s real self in the world. The new Pandora ME Tarot Card Medallion is rectangle-shaped with cut corners and supposed to bring luck. It combines three symbols not typically found in a deck: a piercing purple eye, a horseshoe, and a clover.

Each wearer’s choice of dangle embodies elements of their innermost self, whether it’s exploring freedom via symbols like the butterfly or radiating wisdom and strength through the radiance of the crescent moon.

In celebration of G–SHOCK’s 40th anniversary, Casio has launched the Recrystallized series with three new models, GMW-5000PG, GMW-B5000PS, and DW-5040PG to commemorate the first ever G–SHOCK debut in 1983. They are made in deep hardened stainless steel which is almost three times harder than its ordinary form.

The gold ion-plated GMW-5000PG and silver GMW-B5000PS both incorporate special features – the 40th anniversary logo on the case back, the phrase “SINCE 1983” on the dial, and a star on the Mode button on the lower left side of the case.

In the same series, Casio has also released the DW-5040PG, which features a dial engraved with the words “PROJECT TEAM ‘Tough,” the name of the team that worked to develop the very first G-SHOCK. This model features a bio-based resin bezel and band, recrystallized and hardened stainless steel applied to the screw-lock case back, buckle, and band loop.

They are now available in Malaysia on Casio E-commerce Website, G–SHOCK Store, G-Factory and Casio Authorised Dealers, retailing at: GMW-B5000PG (RM4,495), GMW-B5000PS (RM4,345) and DW-5040PG (RM1,645).

Swiss Haute Horlogerie manufacturer Audemars Piguet has unveiled the second part of its collaboration with Marvel that began in 2021, the Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon “Spider-Man”. Combining ancestral expertise with futuristic technology, this 42mm titanium and black ceramic timepiece is a feat of openwork and highlights the manufacturer’s boundless creativity in complications. Limited to 250 pieces, the Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon “Spider-Man” comes in a white gold case decorated with a spider leg motif.

The case is first laser-engraved to create the spider’s legs, which are then filled with luminescent hybrid ceramic. It is then polished and finely engraved by laser once more to form a spider’s web in the background. It is combined with a black ceramic bezel with ceramic also adorning the caseback that bears the words “Royal Oak Concept Unique Piece” in white. Spider-Man appears on the dial in a black suit, a reference to the one worn by the Super Hero in several 1980s comics.

To learn more about the Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon “Spider-Man”, head to Audemars Piguet’s Instagram and Facebook page.

Tiffany & Co. has just unveiled the Blue Book 2023: Out of the Blue, the latest expression of Tiffany’s esteemed high jewelry collection. Celebrating Jean Schlumberger and his fascination with the sea’s fantastical creatures, each masterpiece draws inspiration from the legendary designer’s imagination and design philosophy.

The collection will debut in two phases over the course of 2023 with various themes embodying aquatic life. The summer collection will launch with seven distinct themes: Shell, Coral, Jellyfish, Pisces, Starfish, Sea Star and Star Urchin.

Skechers is back again with another exciting collaboration. This time around, they have embarked on a mission with the widely loved franchise, Transformers! Made in partnership with Hasbro, the new Skechers X Transformers: Rise of the Beasts collection features stylish footwear, as well as a full apparel collection of tops, bottoms, jackets and accessories like socks, caps and bags.

For adults, the athletic Skechers Stamina V3 (RM499) style comes in five new footwear designs. Featuring repeated silver metallic debossed print of Transformers faction icons on the shoe’s outer layer, the eye-catching designs are inspired by each of the iconic Autobots characters: Arcee, Bumblebee, Mirage, Optimus Primal, and Optimus Prime.

Check out the full collection at Skechers.com.my. The new Skechers X Transformers: Rise of the Beasts collection is available on Shopee, Skechers.com.my and in-stores at Pavilion Bukit Jalil, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, Mitsui Shopping Park Lalaport BBCC, Suria KLCC, 1 Utama Shopping Centre, Sunway Pyramid and more.

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#EXO: K-Pop Idol Boy Group To Make A Comeback With Double Title Tracks

EXO will make you swoon with the double title tracks from their new winter-themed album this December.

On 3rd December (today), EXO’s talent agency SM Entertainment offered fans a glimpse at the group’s comeback concept with a new teaser image.

SM Entertainment revealed that the group will be making their comeback with 2 title tracks which are titled “Sing For You” and “Unfair”.

“Sing For You”, which is revealed to be a pop-ballad track, is about the “expressions of love that people often find embarrassing to confess”. The song is accompanied with an acoustic guitar sound that suits the members’ voices.

Paired with a keyboard, “Unfair” is a medium tempo pop song that has a trendy and bright melody. Its lyrics are about the boys telling their feelings to the person they love in a witty manner.

EXO’s upcoming Christmas special album is highly anticipated by fans because it will mark their first winter-themed album in 2 years since the release of “Miracles in December” in 2013. It is expected to receive warm responses from fans because “Miracles in December” performed well both domestically and internationally.

The album is due to be released on 10th December through various music sites.


11 Ways To Immerse Yourself In Everything Japanese At Pavilion KL’s Tokyo Street

Konnichiwa! Pavilion KL’s award-winning themed precinct, Tokyo Street, recently celebrated its 11th anniversary! From its kawaii fashion, jewellery and accessories stores to simply mouthwatering Japanese cuisine, there’s clearly plenty to do here.

So if you’re ever in town and would like to experience pieces of Japan while shopping in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, here’s a rundown of 11 exciting things you do with friends and family at Tokyo Street on Level 6:

Flood your social media with Instagram-able OOTDs at cool Japanese-inspired spots. A trip to Kuma Yukata offers a fantastic variety of authentic Japanese kimonos (or yukatas for a less formal look) to bestow longevity and good fortune upon the wearer! After that, embark on a shopping spree for hip and trendy looks with streetwear from Miira Mew and Simple Bean.

Fellow foodies, rejoice! Indulge in Japanese cuisine at Harajuku Street with pop-ups selling sushi bentos, Yatai Ramen, green tea, and Asahi beer from now till 26 August. There’s even cotton candy to enjoy while strolling around the award-winning precinct and fun arcade games to play with friends and family!

Tokyo street is home to some of the most authentic Japanese restaurants in town. Hot steamy udon, fresh sashimi, warm Japanese curry, the sizzling of okonomiyaki, sukiyaki, teppanyaki… the list is endless.

If you are already salivating, it’s time to take your tastebuds straight to Japan. Meshiagare!

A post shared by Sushi Zanmai Malaysia (@sushizanmaimalaysia)

You can’t go wrong with slices of excellent sashimi if you’re in the mood for something fresh, clean, and utterly mouthwatering. Check out Sushi Zanmai for an amazing selection of sashimi. It is beautifully served, every mouthful is divinely good, and it simply melts in your mouth.

Devour these moreish morsels – Okonomiyaki is a Japanese pancake that combines vegetables, carbs and protein all in one. Perfect for a snack or a meal, they are served fresh and crisp at Okonomi by Tokyo Don with the perfect thickness and a well-balanced flavourful punch topped with the chef’s special sauce. This grilled dish is decadent enough to keep you wanting more!

A small hidden gem in Tokyo Street, Matcha Hero Kyoto is matcha-heaven! Whether you want to cool down with a scoop of creamy matcha ice cream or go traditional with their Organic Cultivated Matcha—you can’t go wrong with Matcha Kyoto’s authentic selection of beverages and ice creams!

A post shared by Shojikiya 正直屋 (@shojikiya)

If you’re feeling adventurous and seeking amazing snacks to fix your cravings look no further than Shojikiya — your one-stop store with a sweeping variety of more than 1000 imported Japanese food products!

We recommend Calbee Pizza Potato Chips with emmental and cheddar cheese topped over thick and cut potato chips – simply delicious! If you’re a Doraemon fan, scoop up the Tohato Doraemon Puku Potato Cheese Aji simply because it’s crunchy, cute, and cheesy!

You can’t miss this cute store if you’re taking a stroll around Tokyo Street. Displaying shining, shimmering rhinestones on phone cases, keychains, and clutch bags, Bling Bling Paradise’s selection of bedazzled everything will definitely brighten up your life.

If you want to accomplish that delightfully undone late-nineties or early-2000s French twist updo, you need something large, sassy, and strong. Jazz up your updo with these kawaii bows from Bomnal, where each piece is delicately handmade with love and style.

Looking for something understated you can wear every day? These simple accessories from Minimalist Lab may be right up your alley. Make a beeline to The Keys if you are a fan of gorgeous crystal danglers to elevate your look. Even better? They make perfect gifts for someone special, too!

Everyone deserves a relaxing trip to the nail salon. Whether getting a standard mani-pedi or acrylics, it’s always fun to do something special and treat yourself.

Walking into Bling Bling Nail is like walking into a Pinterest board with it so aesthetic and cosy. Whether you’re into minimalistic nails or a more cutesy style, slap on some acrylic bows you can trust to have them done well for you here.

Are you looking for a new hobby or way of expressing yourself? Perhaps an activity you can share as a family? Why not try your hand at the ancient art of bonsai?

Tucked along Tokyo Street, this little gem is a wonderland of Bonsai. Zen Bonsai offers a starter kit for beginners and consultation to ensure your journey is easy and stress-free. They have thousands of bonsai collections from all species, so stop by!

Whether you are a Sanrio lover, a Pokemon buff, or a Shin Chan fan, stepping into Karafu is like stepping into heaven. This small store is filled with everything cute – it is impossible not to walk away with a shopping bag in your hand.

11. Stand a chance to win a brand new Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain

There are many things to do and buy at Tokyo Street! Spend over RM200 through a combination of two receipts at Tokyo Street or one receipt mall-wide, and you will be eligible to participate in a Lucky Draw contest. Stand a chance to win more than RM160,000 worth of prizes from Isuzu, with the grand prize winner driving home a new Isuzu ride!

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All That Jazz With Karen Mok

Hong Kong superstar Karen Mok was in town recently for her “Somewhere I Belong” album promo tour. Lucky us, we got to speak to the lovely artiste shortly after her fanmeeting held here in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Hi, Karen! So good to finally see you. You haven’t been back in Malaysia for a really, really long time. What were you most looking forward to prior to coming back?

“Durian! (laughs) Seriously. I never liked durian before but the first time I came to Malaysia someone was like, you must try it, it’s great! And then one bite and I was hooked. I haven’t had any yet because we just got in yesterday and we were busy all day but..I’d definitely have some before I leave.”

How does it feel meeting your Malaysian fans again after so long?

“It was really cool. I love that fan session just now – it’s not something I do often. I don’t remember ever having such an intimate fan gathering in Malaysia before. And my fans are great. They’re all really sweet.”

Pray tell, Karen, what took you so long to finally release “Somewhere I Belong”, your first English and jazz album?

“I became a pop singer! Unintentionally, of course, but it was great fun. Everything worked out really well. So I was doing that and I was focusing on that. I still had my dream for jazz locked up in my heart and then now, the opportunity arises for me to do this. It’s never too late and it’s the perfect time to do this.”

Let’s talk about “Somewhere I Belong” a little bit more. Which has been your favourite song off the album?

“It’s very difficult to pick because obviously I love them all. It kinda changes time to time but recently it has been ‘Wicked Game’ – probably also because a lot of people tell me that they love that song. Also we just did a music video for the song, which I really like!”

So, you’ve done Cantopop, a little bit of alternative somewhat, and now you’re doing jazz. Are there any other genres of music that you’re planning on dabbling with in the near future?

“Well, even within the genre of jazz, there’s quite a bit of variety so hopefully I get to try a few different things in jazz. The other big love of mine is musical so, if I do ever get a chance to work on a musical, that’d be really great. I haven’t got anyone in mind that I specifically want to work with yet but that doesn’t really matter. I mean, there are actually a lot of young singer-songwriters and composers that are really good so it’s just nice to be able to work with different people and create a sort of fusion.”

You’ve achieved so much in your career – you were the face of ZA, you’ve been in movies, you’ve won awards, you’ve released so many albums, and now “Somewhere I Belong” is another Karen Mok dream come true right there. What’s the next Karen Mok dream that you’d really love to achieve?

“Musicals (laughs). That’s my other big passion in music. There are quite a few things I’d like to do as far as musicals are concerned. That is..to be able to play in a show on Broadway or in the West End. I’m sure that would be like, a complete different experience. Also, to be able to create a whole new original musical, possibly in Chinese, I would think. I’d love to see the day that a big country like China would have her own West End.”

Last one for the road! What is Karen Mok’s guilty listening pleasure? Something your fans will be shocked to know if they knew that you were listening to him/her/them.

“Okay so, I was dragged to a concert the other day. It was BIGBANG – they were in town. I’m quite happy that I went along because of course, BIGBANG is a huge sensation. I do admit that I’m not really into K-Pop so I wasn’t familiar with their music until I went. I also checked out their music videos prior to going for their concert and I must say that it’s all really very nicely done. They totally deserve the attention and everything that they’re getting. Well done, BIGBANG.”

Special thanks to Universal Music Malaysia for organizing the interview session. Also, don’t forget to check out our review of Karen’s “Somewhere I Belong”, her first ever English album!

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#Yelp: Southeast Asia’s Melting Pot Just Got Hotter; Now You Can Yelp In Malaysia

On a map, Malaysia looks like two open palms. To the west is peninsular Malaysia – the southernmost part of continental Asia – and to the east are the states of Sabah and Sarawak. Bring these hands together and you have a nation of 30 million people and Yelp’s 31st international market.

That’s right. Malaysia is now part of the Yelp family!

Malaysia has a long, proud history and to this day remains a magnet for a wide variety of ethnic groups, cultures, and religions. With lots of influence from Malay, Chinese, Indian, Thai, Javanese, and Sumatran cultures – not to mention over 130 different languages – Malaysia is southeast Asia’s melting pot.

Malaysia’s diversity doesn’t stop with culture. It is home to nearly 20 percent of the world’s animal species, making it one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. Many of these animals can be found in the Taman Negara rainforest, which is thought to be 75 million years older than the Amazon!

If you have diverse tastes, there’s never a dull bite in Malaysia. Choose a classic laksa or go for the festive favourite – rendang. You can grab eggs and toast at a kopitiam, or scarf down roti canai from a mamak.

Yelp Malaysia kicks off in the country’s largest city and home of the famed Petronas Towers, in Kuala Lumpur, and people all over the country can now begin to search for their favorite businesses on Yelp.

Miriam Warren, Yelp’s Vice President of New Markets, said the Yelp app and website were a great fit for Malaysia’s highly connected citizens.

She said, “Malaysians have over 40 million mobile devices and the vast majority of the country uses social networks regularly. Given they are so digitally savvy, we know they’re going to love using Yelp to find great local businesses.”

Download the Yelp app or hit up Yelp.my to discover the diversity of Malaysia’s melting pot ;)


#SWDM2016: Celebrate “Star Wars Day Malaysia 2016″ In PJ This Weekend

“May the 4th be with you” has evolved from just a funny pun to a hashtag and now a legit celebration festivity.

In celebration of May the 4th aka “Star Wars Day”, the Star Wars Malaysia Fan Club (SWMFC) is joining forces with Star Wars Malaysia Alliance (a collective of various “Star Wars” fan clubs) to organise a special event titled “Star Wars Day Malaysia 2016” (#SWDM2016), happening this weekend.

“The Star Wars fandom in Malaysia is one of the most passionate in the world. With the breadth and depth of activities that we’ve got planned for visitors, there’s a little bit of “Star Wars” for everyone that comes by!” said SWMFC President, Syed Rafie.

A massive food truck bonanza will held for the first time during this weekend’s “Star Wars Day Malaysia” event. Not only that, there will ample of photo opportunities with “Star Wars” characters including a life-sized BB-8. Families can also take part in colouring and cosplay contest as well as mini treasure hunts and trivia competitions.

The details for “Star Wars Day Malaysia 2016” are as follows:

For more information, check out SWDM2016’s event page and May the Force (and Fourth) be with you!


#SamaSama: Food Fair Happening At Medan Pasar This Saturday

This coming Saturday (19th March 2016), head on over to the capital’s Medan Pasar for a fun-filled day of activities celebrating a diverse mix of cultures of Southeast Asia.

If you’ve always wanted to taste cuisines from various ethnic groups, you’d be happy to know that the food bazaar will be introducing Melanau, Peranakan, Thai, Nepalese, Vietnamese, Philippines, and Indonesian cuisine fused with Malaysian flavours. That’s quite a treat for all you food lovers, no?

Aptly titled “Sama-Sama” (the Malay word for together), the “Sama-Sama Food Fair”, organised by Think City and DBKL with labDNA, revolves around the theme of inclusivity and celebrating diversity. “So from young to old, the curious and the intrigued, we’re expecting everybody from locals to tourists who drop by,” said Sarah Amer of labDNA.

“Medan Pasar is a public square which has been underutilised in Kuala Lumpur. Prior to this we have hosted Buy Nothing Day, celebrated at the last Saturday of every month where the public consumer awareness and Malam Wayang, with a wayang kulit troupe from Machang, Kelantan to celebrate the new year,” added Amer.

In addition to the food fair, there will also 4 free cooking workshop sessions available during “Sama-Sama”. “The workshop conductors are mainly practitioners within their community who are passionate about sharing their knowledge of their culture with the public. These are people who are running great initiatives, such as Garden To Table, to safeguards of heritage dishes such as Sarang Cookery’s Kerabu Bok Mee workshop which is a Peranakan rarity,” explained Amer.

After thronging through the food fair, watch community dances and cultural performances by the Hands of Hope Choir – a choir of refugee children, as well as traditional dances from Nepalese, Sabah, and Sarawak tribes, The Venopian Solitude, and more. If you have time to spare, there will also be a batik workshop, a music production workshop, and a free art jam session with artist Sharina Shahrin.

Aside from the batik-making workshop (which requires a RM15 fee), all other workshops are free of charge. To reserve a spot, email sarah@labDNA.com for the cooking workshop, mgmt@akhyla.com for the music production workshop, and sharina@everydaystudios.net for the art jam.

The details for “Sama-Sama Food Fair” are as follows:

For more information on fair, head on over here.

Sources: Malay Mail Online, Juice Online.

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Abby Abadi Wonders Why No One Opposed BLACKPINK’s Concert In Malaysia

Malaysian actress and former member of girl band ELITE, Abby Abadi is under a lot of fire when she argued over Korean girl band BLACKPINK’s sexy attire in Malaysia.

The 41-year-old shared a clip of BLACKPINK’s concert video in Malaysia, and claimed that she is surprised that such concert is allowed in the country and no one is objecting it.

“How come no one is doing a demo on Blackpink. Their skirts are too short and they’re having concert in Malaysia…what’s so good about Blackpink? I’m sorry, I missed the latest trend,” she posted on Instagram.

She further compared the concert to Selena Gomez’s showcase in Malaysia back in 2016 which was harshly opposed by religious groups, but wonder why the Korean group didn’t get the same treatment.

People like Abby Abadi could ruin our chances to see international artists perform in Malaysia.

— NSZ แชมมี่ 🏴 (@shammyzzz) February 24, 2019

4. I’m not defending blackpink, you guys. But here i am questioning Abby Abadi as if she’s purfect in industry(?)

— Melly⁷ ia (@mevilhn) February 24, 2019

Her post has infuriated many hardcore fans of BLACKPINK who asked her to mind the attire of local celebrities first – especially Muslims, before going for non-Muslim international celebrities.

Some even compared the famous Korean group’s attire to what ELITE members used to wear, and others even went as far as to attack the artist personally. Abby has now gone private on Instagram.

According to some comments, Abby made the statement to highlight about the artist’s attire as they did not follow the guidelines set in Malaysia, calling it a double standard when it comes to Korean celebrities.


ZoukOut 2018 Reveals 1st Headliner & Brand New Format

Singapore’s annual beach music festival ZoukOut is back for another round but this time the festival will take place for only 1 day instead of its usual 2 days.

Andrew Li, the Chairman and CEO of the Zouk Group revealed that the reason for the sudden change is part of an effort to expand the festival in the near future.

“After 18 editions, we recognise that there is a need for us to refresh the ZoukOut concept to elevate guests experiences. We are taking the first step this year towards our goal of a more inclusive ZoukOut moving forward. Being a Singaporean icon, we want the festival to one day, be able to showcase Singapore through ZoukOut much like how Singapore F1 does in one weekend. The strategy includes potentially, providing younger audiences with the opportunity to have their ZoukOut experience in the future by curating a holistic and wholesome pocket event somewhere within the city. The big idea is essentially, for us to be able to expand our market segment and at the same time, expand our festival site to encompass Singapore as a whole,” he said in a statement.

So far, the only performers announced for the festival’s 18th edition are Belgian DJ-producer brother duo Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike (DVLM).

So much love for our first headliner @dimitrivegas & @likemike #DVLM!

It’ll be their debut show in SG. Don’t miss out!#ZoukOut2018 #ZoukOutSG pic.twitter.com/w2RaQspvso

— ZoukOut – Official (@ZoukOutOfficial) June 13, 2018

Making their debut in Singapore, the DJs are ranked No. 2 on 2017 DJ Mag and Singapore is their sole stop in Southeast Asia. More acts will be announced soon.

Tickets are now on sale via zoukout.com, ranging from $128 to $248.

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The Duchess Ain’t Gonna Be Pleased!

Of photoshop skills and more. British royal and wife of Prince William is the latest style icon to fall into the hungry mouths of photo editing. Appetizing?

Before you start wondering how they’ve managed to coax the royalty into posing for the cover of their August issue, maybe you should start praising their in-house designer for his/her work – or not. Fashion mag Marie Claire (South Africa) must’ve really, really wanted Kate Middleton on their late summer edition. So much so that they’ve decided to get a little creative.

And because Kate has refused to pose for any magazine or fashion publicity shots, the mag decided on using an illustration of the duchess.

Marie Claire has, however, made it perfectly clear that it’s strictly “fan art”, with an asterisk. But it doesn’t stop at just the August issue cover, which has a headline that reads, “Wears SA’s Best Local Designs”.

Inside the South African issue, Kate is dressed up in design from local SA designers. Or more like, completely “drawn” into South African designs from the local fashion market. And apparently, a total of five illustrators worked on these pictures.

Tribute or abuse? Is trouble already brewing? Because we’re not sure what Kate will think of the mag not using real, authorized photos of her.


Contest: Win In-Season Passes To Watch Romance Drama “I Still Believe”

If you love stories of redemption, don’t miss out on the chance to watch “I Still Believe” on the big screen.

Based on the story of the real life couple, KJ Apa and Britt Robertson star as Jeremy Camp and Melissa Henning, as they fall in love in the midst of her cancer diagnosis.

Directed by Andrew and Jon Erwin, “I Still Believe” is said to be a follow-up to 2018’s indie hit “I Can Only Imagine”. The story plot is as follows:

“‘I Still Believe’, based on the memoir by Jeremy Camp, will portray the journey of Jeremy and his first wife Melissa and their tough journey through the time Melissa was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. The film will also show Jeremy’s teenage years as he rises to become a top CCM singer-songwriter and how he met his second wife Adrienne Camp.”

Originally scheduled to be released in March, “I Still Believe” will hit the big screen on 15th October. Thanks to our friends from TGV, we’ve got 20 pairs of in-season passes (soft copy) to give away. So who’s up for a movie date?

Update: “I Still Believe” has been postponed again.


Hard Rock Café Now Open In Malacca

It looks like we city slickers have one more reason to go to Malacca now.

Hard Rock International has opened its third Hard Rock Café in Malaysia after Kuala Lumpur and Penang. The new Hard Rock Café is located at the entrance of Jonker Walk and within the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The 1,372 square metre café includes seating for about 200 people, an upscale vibrant bar, a spacious outdoor dining area, a live entertainment space that will feature Malacca’s unique local music scene and a “Rock Shop” (of course). In an official statement, Matthew Putna (Hard Rock International’s Senior Franchise Director, Asia Pacific) said that selected, hand-picked pieces of memorabilia from Hard Rock’s iconic collection adorn the walls of the Hard Rock Café Malacca. These pieces include:

Fans and patrons will be able to see items from legendary and contemporary musicians from around the world, as well as enjoy items from Hard Rock’s scratch-based menu, including the favourite “Legendary Experience” menu which features a selection of 10-ounce Legendary Burgers.

Hard Rock’s “Smokehouse” menu, on the other hand, uses the very best Hickory wood chips to slowly cook its ribs and chicken to juicy, tender perfection. In addition to its food, Hard Rock Cafe’s extensive, award-winning drinks menu includes Hurricanes, Margaritas, signature favourites and Alternative Rock (alcohol-free) beverages, all available in Hard Rock souvenir collectible glassware.

For more information, visit their official website.

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#GravityClubKL: Carnage To Wreak Havoc In Kuala Lumpur On 15th Sept

The eve of Malaysia Day just got a tad better, what with Carnage’s plans of rocking up to Gravity Club KL!

Carnage, who is currently ranked at #68 on the DJ Mag Top 100 2014/2015 poll, has been stomping the charts and music scene whenever he releases a track. His success and talents have received many supports and compliments from big names from the industry such as Hardwell, Avicii, Borgore, and Steve Angello from Swedish House Mafia just to name a few.

He is undeniably not just a huggable teddy bear but definitely someone to look out for in the music industry!

We’ll leave you now with his official recap from this year’s Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) Las Vegas 2015.

For more information, visit Gravity Club KL’s Facebook page.


Netizens Unhappy With Malaysian Streamer Cyberstalking Girls While On Livestream

Game streamers are usually favored by fellow netizens who enjoy their gaming content along with their entertaining personalities.

However, one Malaysian streamer, Izzat “Kidal” Hazwan, recently got the wrong end of the stick when he tried to find himself a girl, who he could spend his life with.

Kidal is famous for streaming his “Dota 2” gameplay as a content, but this time he got the spotlight for bravely posting his personal details in attempt to find a girlfriend via a Facebook post. Despite his honest efforts, some netizens criticised his actions due to his unorthodox way of finding a life-long partner.

Judging by the comments on the post, it is believed that Kidal is known for “begging” things through his streams by making fundraisers for his own personal needs such as money for food and a gaming chair. Some netizens proceeded to question his income and stability, as they assumed he can barely support himself.

According to a local portal, when Kidal received a few suggestions regarding a few potential girlfriends, he went on to “get-to-know” the women through video calling them and cyberstalking their profiles, all while being live on Facebook. This didn’t end well as a lot of people felt that the streamer was infringing the girls’ privacy, even though some felt otherwise.

For context, one particular woman took to her Facebook to rant about Kidal’s approach when he publicly stalked her photos while being on a live stream. However, that post has since been deleted, but it can be seen through a clip from Kidal’s FB live stream.

Nevertheless, a few other people along with the streamer himself asserted that he didn’t do anything wrong as the girl’s photos were set to public instead of private. Kidal explained his questionable actions through a live stream while waiting for his “Dota 2” match to start.

Check out the full clip which includes his explanation below:

Do you think what the streamer did was against the law and unethical? Share with us what you think.


#TWICE: JYP Entertainment Drops Release Schedule; To Release Album On 24th October

It’s official! TWICE will be joining in the October comeback rush!

JYP Entertainment gave fans a nice surprise yesterday (Sunday, 9th October) night when they dropped the release schedule for TWICE’s upcoming album, “TWICECoaster Lane:1”.

According to the time table, the rookie idol group will be teasing fans with something new every day. They’ll be making public an intro film tonight (Monday, 10th October), followed by teaser images on Tuesday (11th October); track list on Wednesday (12th October), and so on. In total, they’ll be releasing 5 series of teaser images and 7 videos.

The name of their title track hasn’t been released so far, and is only hinted at by the words “TT” on their release schedule. We guess we’ll just have to wait to know if “TT” stands for “title track” or is the code name for their upcoming song.

This will be TWICE’s 3rd mini album, after “The Story Begins” and “Page Two”. South Korean media outlet OSEN has also reported that the girl group will be working with Black Eyed Pilseung (a Korean producing and songwriting team), whom they previously worked with on “Like OOH-AHH”.

Fans will be able to get their hands on “TWICECoaster Lane:1” from 24th October onwards.

What kind of concept do you think they’ll take on this time?

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

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RIM Announces BlackBerry 10 Launch

Here’s one for the loyal BlackBerry fans – Research In Motion (RIM) has just announced that the new BlackBerry 10 devices are all set for the early 2013 launch. Along with the announcement, the company also added that the new devices will be faster and smoother than its existing phones and have a large catalogue of applications that are crucial to the success of any smartphone.

The global launch, which will take place on 30th January next year, is an event that has been long delayed by RIM. As a matter of fact, the last time we’ve ever heard from them was as far back as late 2011, when they announced their last major product release, the BlackBerry 7 lineup.

Since then, the company has lost their footing from once being a leader in the smartphone market, to giving up ground to Apple’s iPhone and practically anything that runs on Google’s Android mobile software.

Last month, RIM began carrier testing on the new devices, with an initial rollout to more than 50 carriers. They’ve also said that the current BlackBerry users have highly influences the design of the new BlackBerry 10 devices. Techies (and the entire world, really) can expect to see a full touchscreen BlackBerry model as well as a touchscreen model with a physical QWERTY keyboard come 30th January 2013.

According to Chief Operating Officer Kristian Tear, the new phones both build on the strengths of RIM’s existing OS and improve on its weak points. Well, we don’t know that for sure if we’ve never seen it – but we’ll just have to take their word for it.

After all, didn’t a wise person once say that patience is a virtue?


#Malaysia: Netizens Help 4th Stage Cancer Patient Reunite With 6-Year-Old Son

With the help of netizens, 27-year-old Mohd Raitul Afthal bin Zainal Abidin, who is diagnosed with stage 4 intestinal cancer, was finally able to reunite with his eldest son yesterday evening (16th October).

It all started with Hafify Hamizan’s, Raitul Afthal’s brother, Facebook plea that was posted on 15th October. The heartfelt post went viral, with over 38,900 shares.

In his caption, Hafify said that his brother’s condition is getting worse as cancers cells are spreading to his heart, adding that one of Raitul Afthal’s last wishes is to see his eldest son, who is in the custody of his ex-wife. They were separated for 4 years since the divorce.

“I would like to ask you (netizens) to help make this post viral in order to track down my brother’s ex-wife and son,” he wrote.

Thanks to the power of social media, Raitul Afthal’s wish came true when his 6-year-old son, Muhammad Raykal Hakimi, came to visit him at his home in the KTMB Quarters.

“He has harboured a wish to meet his eldest son even before he fell ill We hope that with this reunion, it will give him more strength to battle his cancer while we wait for the arrival of our child,” said Raitul Afthal’s current wife Norsyahirah, who is pregnant with their first child.

Keep on fighting, Raitul Afthal! Don’t ever give up :)

Sources: NST, Hafify Haziman’s Facebook page, Nooraini Mat Saat’s Facebook page.


#Coachella2015: Madonna Surprises Drake With A Kiss On Stage

Uh-oh, an unexpected smooch from Madonna didn’t seem so fine after Drake made a complicated expression.

The 2015 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival wrapped up with a wet kiss between Drake and Madonna on 12th April (Sunday). The Queen of Pop was all pumped up with her classic song of female empowerment, “Express Yourself”, when she suddenly tossed herself onto Drake’s lap and planted a wet kiss.

What Madonna did not realise was the musician’s horrified expression after she went in for her mega kiss, even wiping his mouth afterwards.

However, it seemed like he enjoyed the kiss, posting a snap of the kiss online right after his set. Sources also told TMZ that “he loved the kiss”, but was only disgusted by the transfer of the glossy stuff and that made his flinch.

He later took to Instagram to clear the misunderstanding and wrote, “Don’t misinterpret my shock!! I got to make out with the queen Madonna and I feel [100] about that forever.”

So, what do you think of the kiss? Was it just a publicity stunt? Share your thoughts in the comments box below.

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LEGOLAND® Malaysia Announces Opening Date!

LEGOLAND Malaysia, located in Iskandar Malaysia, Nusajaya, Johor Bahru, is the sixth LEGOLAND to be built in the world and the very first in Asia.

Targeted at families with children between the ages of two to twelve years, LEGOLAND Parks are based on the universally popular LEGO construction toy range. They offer families the opportunity to bond, learn and push the boundaries of their imaginations through LEGO experiences. At LEGOLAND, families can practice their imagination and creativity, have fun while learning, and understand the importance of caring and quality.

Slated for a 15th September 2012 (Saturday) grand opening, LEGOLAND Malaysia is inspired by Asia’s growing love affair with all things LEGO®, the new 76-acre theme park will have more than 40 “pink-knuckle” rides – from roller coasters to race cars as well as family focused interactive shows and attractions.

Siegfried Boerst (General Manager of LEGOLAND Malaysia) disclosed the date at a briefing and site tour held yesterday in Nusajaya. “Our official opening date has been a closely guarded secret since the park broke ground in December 2009. We hope with today’s news families and tour operators can begin planning their trips to visit us and we look forward to giving you an experience like no other in Asia.”

He also went on to announce the official park single-day tickets going on sale.

These can be bought from today onwards at a special introductory offer of RM96 for adults and RM70 for kids. The 30% discount will only be for a limited period only and tickets can be purchased here.

More pictures from the exclusive media briefing here.

Muhammad Zainal Ashikin b. Muhammad Rejab (Chief Executive Officer of IDR Resorts) said, “The Park is now 75% complete with many of the rides and park infrastructure installed. Next month our contractors will begin the work on the theming of the Park and the installing of millions of LEGO bricks and the attractions.”

And you know that saying, “You grow up but you don’t grow old”? Totally applies to us! Personally, we can’t wait for LEGOLAND Malaysia to come to life!

For more information, visit LEGOLAND Malaysia’s official website.


Damage Control Failed? TGV Cinemas’s VIP Promo Invites More Criticism From Public

Damage control is a very important step to take to avoid the situation from getting any worse. Sometimes things can go (horribly) wrong so that’s when companies will have to act very quickly to make a decision and fix whatever damage that has been done.

TGV Cinemas’s recent damage control approach didn’t seem like it was very successful. Following up to the “late VIPs” incident earlier this week (Monday, 7th March), TGV Cinemas posted a poster of a promotion on their official Facebook and Twitter page but it seems to be doing more damage than controlling it.

You are a VIP! You are a VIP! You are a VIP! Everybody is a VVVIP!!!#MinminJagaRakyat pic.twitter.com/a7PtcPZuuT

— TGV Cinemas 🇲🇾 (@TGVCinemas) March 9, 2022

TGV Cinemas posted a poster of what appears to be an announcement for a “promotion”. The caption on the poster reads, “Inspired by recent fake news of ghost VIPs, Minmin presents TGV-V-V-VIP Day! V-V-VIP status is available to all, from marhaen like Minmin to kayangan people. Come chill-chill and watch movies but sorry, #NoRestartAtTGV even for V-V-VIP!”. A disclaimer text is placed at the bottom of the promotion reminding the public that technical errors can happen and that their staff are doing their best at handling these situations.

The so-called promotion was probably a way for the company to laugh and poke fun at their own mistake but customers weren’t very happy with this as it made TGV Cinemas look like they didn’t take the situation seriously and how their previous action affected a lot of people’s schedules.

Many netizens criticised the post saying that it wasn’t funny and that they should be more careful and considerate. Facebook user, Amirul Ibrahim commented, “Damage is Done! TGVVIP! BYE TVVIP!! Hello GSC”. Another user, Kingsley asked TGV to drop the sarcasm and apologise again saying, “More like poor management and poor communication by TGV. Attempting to play down the issue issit?”

To recap, “The Batman” screening at TGV Cinemas Vivacity in Kuching had to restart 45 minutes in due to other customers being late. This created a misunderstanding that these late customers were VIPs and the issue went viral. The company has since issued an apology and clarification that there were no VIPS and that it was due to miscommunication on their side.

What do you guys think of the promotion? Good joke or damage control gone wrong? Share us your thoughts.

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iPhone “IG-ers” & Android “IG-ers” At War (So Soon?)

If you’re an Instagram for iOS user, open your app. But first be prepared to be flooded by “follow requests” or “followed by” notifications. And it’s all because merely 24 hours ago, Instagram officially released the app for Android.

While the entire universe of Android-based smartphone users are rejoicing after the extremely long wait, the Instagram for iOS “IG-ers” are clearly unhappy. Thought we’re not sure why.

Again, it has only been 24 hours but already, the “pioneers” of Instagram have been kept busy all day NOT dolling up their Instagram pictures like they usually would on a daily basis – but expressing their “haters gonna hate” rants all over social media:

The list goes on. Le sigh. Looks like not everyone’s please with the recent development. When will the iOS and Android war ever end? C’mon guys – don’t be hatin’.


Andy Lau Apologizes For His Role In Film

Hong Kong actor Andy Lau on Sunday expressed that he was “sorry” for participating in the Chinese spy thriller “Switch”, which has been widely panned by Chinese critics, reported Chinese media. Lau plays Xiao Jinhan, a Hong Kong anti-smuggling agent searching for two stolen halves of a priceless Chinese painting in Jay Sun’s“Switch”, which also stars Lin Chiling and Zhang Jingchu.

The movie has since been slammed by Chinese critics and cinema-goers alike for its cheesy special effects and confusing plot.

Speaking to reporters at a publicity event for his latest film “Blind Detective” at the recent Shanghai International Film Festival, Lau said he had “overestimated” himself when he accepted the lead role in “Switch”:

I have many flaws. Picking films, for example, is one of my big flaws. I often overestimate my ability to pick films, and thought that any script that comes to me will naturally become good, so I feel like I’ve let everybody down. I will be more careful next time. Sorry. Sorry.

Uh, well, not sure if that’s the greatest PR in the world though, Andy. But then again, this is not the first time the actor is openly dissing something. Also, despite the bad reviews, “Switch” has done relatively well at the box-office in China, and has raked in about 250 million yuan so far.


#SpiderMan: New Spidey Reboot Will Focus On Peter Parker In High School

It’s official: the new Spider-Man will be Peter Parker – not his successor in the comic books, Miles Morales, or anyone else who has donned the Spider-Man mask over the years. And the reboot (number 3, if you’re keeping count) will focus far more than ever before on Parker’s experiences in high school.

That’s all according to Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige, who, after the surprise Sony-Marvel deal earlier this year, is now helping to oversee the creative direction of the Spider-Man films.

In an interview with Collider, Feige explains the decision to keep Parker in high school:

Some of my favorite Spider-Man arcs and Spider-Man stories — he’s in high school for a lot of it. We want to explore that. That also makes him very, very different from any of our other characters in the (Marvel Cinematic Universe), which is something else we want to explore: how unique he is when now put against all these other characters.

He added that a high-school-aged Parker opens the doors to exploring storylines from the comics that have yet to be developed on the silver screen:

There are so many things from the comics that haven’t been done yet. Not just characters or villains or supporting characters, but sides to his character. The most obvious being the young, doesn’t quite fit in kid before his powers, and then the fella that puts on a mask and swings around and fights bad guys.

The past 2 reboots have seen Parker graduate high school relatively quickly, leaving little time for exploring the dynamics of a superhero at that age.

The Marvel Studios executive says that Parker will like be 15 or 16 years old in the first film, which is set to come out on 28th July 2017.

Whatever age Parker is supposed to be, the next Spider-Man actor will most certainly be older — both Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield played high-school-age versions of Parker despite being in their late 20s and early 30s during filming.

Meanwhile, Latino-Review reported that Marvel has tapped Drew Goddard to write and direct the upcoming Spider-Man film. Goddard, who was originally onboard to direct the standalone “Sinister Six” spinoff, will be involved in making Spider-Man fit to join the Avengers, along with building up his conflict with the Sinister Six in the long run. That said, plans could certainly change since the film is in the very early stages.

We’re expected to get our first look at the new Spider-Man in next year’s “Captain America: Civil War“.

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#BeautyAndTheBeast: New Trailer Features Emma Watson’s Lovely Singing Voice

Fans of “Beauty and the Beast” are in for a treat!

Disney revealed more footages of its upcoming live-action fantasy film through a new 30-second television spot during the 2017 Golden Globes on Sunday (8th January). On top of that, the trailer features Emma Watson’s singing “Belle” (reprise)!

#BeOurGuest and see an all-new look at Beauty and the Beast tonight during the #GoldenGlobes🌹 pic.twitter.com/tiRXZVyXDb

— Beauty and the Beast (@beourguest) January 8, 2017

“I want adventure in the great wide somewhere/ I want it more than I can tell/ For once it might be grand/ To have someone understand/ I want so much more than they’ve got planned,” Watson can be heard singing in the trailer.

In the 1991 animated movie, “Belle” is the first song we hear and the main version of the track is sung by other characters as they gossip about Belle, the girl who doesn’t fit in. Belle sang her own version after rejecting Gaston’s, who is extremely vain and self-absorbed, proposal. (He asked her to be his “little wife”).

Last week, Disney released a 30-second audio clip of the 26-year-old actress singing “Something There”, which was written by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman.

Directed by Bill Condon, “Beauty and the Beast” retells the journey of Belle, a bright, beautiful, and independent young woman who is taken prisoner by a beast (played by Dan Stevens) in his castle.

“Beauty and the Beast” will hit cinemas on 17th March 2017.

Sources: Screen Rant, CNN / Featured image: YouTube screenshot.


#iBubbleWrap: The Bubble Wrap Makers Are Taking The “Pop!” Out & Ruining Our Lives

Like you, we have this ridiculous habit of and unexplainable love for popping bubble wrap.

But unfortunately, its makers are taking the fun and the “Pop!” out of the wrap :(

According to WSJ, Sealed Air Corp., the original seller of bubble wrap since 1960, is rolling out a revamped version of its signature product. Dubbed, “iBubble Wrap”, the new packaging is sold in flat plastic sheets that the shipper fills with air using a custom-made pump. The inflated bubbles look much like traditional Bubble Wrap, with one key difference: They don’t burst when pressure is applied. Dammit!

Why are they taking away our childish, mindless fun?

Traditional bubble wrap ships in giant, pre-inflated rolls which takes up too much room in delivery trucks and warehouse floors. Hence, the company believes that this new “pop”-less bubble wrap will appeal to space-conscious online retailers.

One roll of the new iBubble Wrap uses roughly one-fiftieth as much space before it’s inflated. It arrives deflated and customers doing the packing inflate it on-site. The bubbles are no longer individual, and instead each row of them is actually one long, connected chamber of air. Therefore, no bubbles to pop :(

Is anyone else irrationally upset by this? We definitely are. To pacify ourselves, we’ll just have to pop bubble wrap virtually here or listen to Hyuna’s “Bubble Pop” song (completely unrelated, by the way) on repeat. Sob.

Sources: WSJ, The Verge / Featured image from westsell.

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#Thailand: 40 Tiger Cub Carcasses Found In Freezer; Tigers Seized From Tiger Temple

The popular but controversial Tiger Temple in Thailand aka Wat Pha Luang Ta Bua was founded in 1994 and sells itself as a Buddhist monastery. Known to be a tourist attraction, the temple offers visitors the chance to pose with tigers for photos or play with tiger cubs.

The Tiger Temple calls itself an “animal sanctuary” but alas, allegations of wildlife trafficking and animal abuse has been brewing.

On Monday (30th May 2016), the Thai authorities seized at least 52 tigers from the temple, vowing to confiscate scores more in response to global pressure over wildlife trafficking.

As it stands, there are still 85 tigers left at the temple.

In 2001, the temple struck a deal with the Wildlife Conservation Office (WCO) that allowed them to take care of the tigers, but on a few conditions – as long as it didn’t use them for profit or breed them. Unfortunately, not only did the temple allow the animals to breed freely, it also charged charged tourists to enter the compound and “mingle” with the tigers.

On top of that, animal-welfare activists have long accused the temple of various things including animal abuse, trafficking, and illegal breeding. Some visitors have even said that the tigers appeared drugged. The temple has denied these allegations.

CNN quoted Wat Pha Luang Ta Bua Temple Foundation vice president Suthipong Pakcharoong as saying, “There is nothing illegal and dangerous at all. If they do like this, it would affect the tourism industry.”

In a separate report from Reuters, wildlife authorities also found 40 tiger cub carcasses in a freezer at the Tiger Temple’s kitchen area. Body parts from other animals were also found in a freezer. In speaking about the gruesome find, deputy director-general of the Department of National Parks said, “They must be of some value for the temple to keep them. But for what is beyond me.”

Upon confiscation of the tigers, the Thai authorities will then work on a mission to relocate the tigers to nearby animal refuges with the help of over 2,000 personnel including veterinarians, WCO civil servants, provisional police, and local military.

Sources: CNA, TIME, The Guardian, CNN, BBC / Featured image: AFP.


Yoon Jisung Cancels 1st Fan Meeting In Kuala Lumpur

South Korean singer and actor Yoon Jisung was set to hold his very first fan meeting in Kuala Lumpur on 17th March 2019. Unfortunately, he is cancelling the session “due to unforeseen circumstances”.

“We sincerely apologise to all of you who have been looking forward to the event. We hope you understand the situation,” the organiser announced on their official Twitter account.

We sincerely apologize to all of you who have been looking forward to the event and hope you understand the situation. pic.twitter.com/w12uMWkGOF

— 411entertainment MY (@411ent_MY) March 5, 2019

It is reported that the 27-year-old is also cancelling his fan meeting in Singapore.

Ticket buyers can get back their refunds from TicketCharge’s office, website and other authorised outlets.  Information regarding the refund will be announced within the next 2 weeks.

Yoon Jisung rose to stardom as a member of Wanna One. As a contestant of the survival competition, Produce 101 (season 2), Yoon Jisung earned his place in the band after coming in 8th.

He was a part of it until it’s disbanded in 31st December 2018. His last work with the group was on the 27th January 2019.

A post shared by 윤지성 YOONJISUNG (@_yoonj1sung_)

Since then, Jisung has embarked on a solo career. With the release of his mini album “Aside”, Jisung has been busy promoting the EP outside the shores of South Korea.

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Remember Susan Boyle? Singer Joins America’s Got Talent: The Champions

How many of y’all still remember Susan Boyle? The quirky singer first found fame when she emerged as the runner-up in 2009’s “Britain’s Got Talent”.

10 years later, the 57-year-old Brit is hoping to revive her singing career by joining the reality-competition franchise again. This time, the stakes are higher since it is “America’s Got Talent: The Champions”.

“‘BGT’ absolutely changed my life. Before ‘BGT’ people saw me as quite ordinary. I lived alone with my cat Pebbles. Now I’ve sold over 20 odd million records – even I’m overwhelmed,” the Scottish songstress said in her VT before belting out the Rolling Stones classic “Wild Horses”.

Judges Simon Cowell, Mel B, Howie Mendel and Heidi Klum, weren’t just impressed with her rendition. They made sure SuBo had a place in the finals when the Spice Girls member slammed her golden buzzer, and rightfully so.

“I was absolutely thrilled when I was invited to perform on ‘America’s Got Talent: The Champions’. To perform for the best boss in the world, Mr Cowell, and to prove to everyone that there is still life in me yet, were the two main reasons I wanted to take part,” Boyle wrote on her Facebook page after the episode aired yesterday.

She continued, “The crowds reaction was unbelievable and to then have the golden buzzer from Mel B.. well I was truly speechless, and it felt fantastic to know I was through to the finals! I hope you all enjoyed this performance! I had the time of my life being back on the stage singing Wild Horses after all these years!”

We can’t wait to see more former contestants reintroduce themselves to the world with their talents. Don’t you think more reality competitions should have an all-star season?


Netflix’s “Messiah” Under Fire For Alleged Bad Portrayal Of Imam Mahdi

Netflix has finally released its 1st trailer for its brand new original web series called “Messiah” recently.

Based on the official announcement below, the upcoming thriller show will be available for streaming on 1st January next year.

Who do you think he is? Messiah begins streaming January 1, only on @netflix. #MessiahIsComing pic.twitter.com/zx46AIS2zp

— MESSIAH (@MessiahNetflix) December 3, 2019

However, the newly-released clip has in turn received mixed reactions from netizens. In this case, some of them pointed that the series will give people wrong ideas on Imam Mahdi.

In addition, others have argued about their concerns that the drama series might “brainwash” everyone’s perspective on the dajjal (deceiver), whom Muslims believe as the false messiah (saviour).

Not only that, some also expressed their frustration by slamming Belgian actor Mehdi Dehbi who played the character as Al-Massih Ad-Dajjal, relating to the fact that the 34-year-old is actually a Muslim. For those who are interested, feel free to read some their reactions on Twitter here:

Also if you just focus on his physical appearance, long hair, beard, Arabic face and all you will notice they are trying to portray the image of Imam Mehdi. Initially when people were told that media is their biggest weapon to control the masses, they used to laugh.

They really chose a guy named MEHDI to play DAJJAL 🤦♀🤦♀🤦♀ pic.twitter.com/6Sijpjhinc

— bakhtawar (@ihvabkhngvr) December 4, 2019

What do you think? Do you think the ongoing issue is just mere coincidence?

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NYCC: 25 New Trailers Premiered From New York Comic Con

So New York Comic Con happened last week, and if you’re anything like us, you would have waited heavily in baited breath for any trailers that came out from it. But unlike us, we don’t think most people will have the time to actually look through all the trailers that did came out. So, in order to make it easier, we have compiled a list of new trailers for your viewing pleasure.

Unfortunately, this year’s New York Comic Con had a distinct lack of trailers for the big screen with only a couple coming out for this event, that being Ryan Reynold’s “Free Guy” and “1917” being the only 2.

If movies isn’t your thing, you have nothing to fear as the event was littered with new season trailers from your favourite series, with the notable ones being the season 10 trailer for AMC’s”The Walking Dead”, the fourth season of “Riverdale”, fifth season of “Outlanders” on Netflix, and also the finale season of “Steven Universe” series called “Steven Universe Future” on Cartoon Network.

It’s not just all on-going series though, the event also announced some new ones that you might want to mark your calendar, with the biggest being CBS’s “Star Trek: Picard”, along with the Netflix’s “Big Mouth” spin-off called “Human Resources”.

Fiction and fantasies isn’t your thing? Well, that’s just sad, but New York Comic Cons also release a few trailers in regards to Documentaries and Gameshows, with “Marvel’s Hero Project” and “The Mystery Index” to keep you entertained.

Unfortunately, CBS is not very friendly to people outside of certain regions, as you can see in the following series after this. But, through some quick internet know-how you can see the trailer here.

Again, another trailer trapped in the region locked hell; but never to fear as instead of YouTube you can find the trailer here.

Unfortunately again, the trailers release was also region locked, but the trailer release was actually a 3 minute start to the first episode for the 10th season. So instead of risking copyright, please enjoy this teaser of the first episode.

Which of these shows are on your must-watch list?


11 Activities To Enjoy At Escape Challenge Theme Park In PJ

Calling all thrill seekers, the Escape Challenge Indoor Theme Park at Paradigm Mall in Petaling Jaya has officially open.

Since its announcement back in March, the Escape Challenge launch took place yesterday (Tuesday, 25th August). If you’ve experience the theme park in Penang, the latest attraction also offers similar rides and games – but in contemporary setting.

The details to Escape Challenge Indoor Theme Park are as follows:


Hype’s Now Playing: DVBBS – White Clouds

Known for their flamboyant live sets, DVBBS are one of the most notable duos across the EDM spectrum. Ranging from big room to progressive house to tropical house, we’ve learned that the Canadian duo have no limitations nor boundaries when it comes to making music, high-quality music at that.

Ever since their massive hit, “Tsunami” in 2013, they have experimented in various styles as can be seen in their last release “Always”, which features a tropical house approach.

The track which featured a somewhat a groovy melody, definitely caught fans by surprise and now, while the short departure of their original sound was welcomed, the brothers are back with their upbeat festival sound that is designed to satisfy big room lovers.

Their latest release, “White Clouds”, establishes itself with a bubbly opening melody complemented by a faint vocal loop before the pair adds in synth lines into the mix. DVBBS then delivers with a massive progressive house drop that reflects “Gold Skies”, allowing the adrenaline to rush in your veins that will pump you up.

“White Clouds” is available for purchase here. You can also stalk Dvbbs via these platforms: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Source: EDMTunes, featured image via DVBBS Facebook.

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Alvin Wee: 6 Fun Facts About The Malaysian Who Won An International Award For “Encanto”

Another celebration for Malaysia this week, especially for the people of Sarawak. Sarawakian-born producer Alvin Wee recently won a Cinema Audio Society (CAS) Award in Hollywood for his work in Disney’s film “Encanto”.

Alvin won the award for his sound mixing work for the 2021 Disney hit film. The 34-year-old is also the first Malaysian to receive the coveted award, which recognises outstanding sound mixing and editing in film and television.

A post shared by Alvin Wee (@weethewalrus)

In an interview The Borneo Post, Alvin said he felt proud to receive the award with his co-workers and the entire “Encanto” team at the 58th Annual CAS Awards in LA. They managed to beat other nominees including “Luca”, “Raya and the Last Dragon”, and “Sing 2” in the Animated Motion Picture category this year.

“It’s a really tight race and the people that we were up against are the best the industry has to offer, so at no point was I taking that for granted. We knew the one thing we had going for us was the teamwork we had between the entire team, which I believe rarely comes by often,” he said.

“Encanto” has also earned three Academy Award nominations, including Best Original Score. Alvin has a lot to be grateful for and hopes that his success would be able to motivate the younger generation in the creative industry.

Prior to “Encanto”, Alvin has been credited in many known movies and video games so here are some fun facts about Alvin and the other project he’s been involved in over the years:

Sources: Says, TheBorneoPost, Baskl, IMDb


Take This Personality Quiz & Spotify Will Suggest The Best Playlist For You

If you’re one of those people who feel like it’s only March but you’ve lost your purpose in life, Spotify is here to tow you back on the right track.

Spotify has studied and analysed over 140 million people’s streaming habits and patterns on the music platform. From there, they are able to understand how peoples’ listening habits relate to what they’re like offline; from their personality traits to lifestyle choices.

To help you understand yourself better and to get your life back on track, Spotify has curated a personality quiz. Based on your listening habits and personal choices, Spotify will then suggest the best playlist to keep you motivated for 2018.

The are four possible outcomes from the quiz; the planner, the risk taker, the easy-going, and the dynamic. Which are you?

Take the quiz now find out! And don’t forget to share your results in the comments below.


#Malaysia: Mock The Government & You May Be Barred From Travelling Overseas

You may want to think twice before ridiculing the Malaysian government or risk being banned from travelling abroad.

It appears that the Immigration Department has begun enforcing the law to bar Malaysians from exiting the country for 3 years if they’re caught insulting the government in any way. The ruling will also apply to Malaysians who are studying or travelling abroad.

This is supposedly enforced to “safeguard the country’s image”. Immigration director general Sakib Kusmi confirmed the existence of this policy to The Star saying, “The Malaysian international passport is a travel document issued by the Government under the aegis of the Yang DiPertuan Agong (the King of Malaysia). So, the Government has the discretion to either issue, defer or revoke the travel document.”

“Anyone who runs down the Government or ‘memburukkan kerajaan’ in any manner will be barred from going abroad. Only the Immigration Department director-general will be authorised to look into their appeals,” a source told the publication. Those who are banned from travelling overseas will have the right to challenge this in court.

The most recent case happened on Sunday (15th May 2016) when chairwoman of the anti-corruption movement Bersih 2.0, Ms Maria Chin Abdullah, wasn’t allowed to travel to South Korea to receive the 2016 Gwangju Prize for Human Rights award. Netizens have criticised the ban, calling it “a new low on our democracy and reeking of authoritarianism”.

To quote Phoon Chi Ho, “When you’re doing bad things, they bar you from leaving the country. When you’re doing too well, they tell you to leave the country.” Confusing much?

Sources: The Star, Straits Times, Today Online, Malaysia Kini.

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#TheFlash: Kiersey Clemons To Star As Iris West In Movie

It’s official – “Neighbours 2: Sorority Rising” actress Kiersey Clemons will be starring as Iris West, Barry Allen’s love interest, in “The Flash” movie!

According to Variety, the young star is a friend of director Rick Famuyiwa, who took over the film’s directing duties in June, having previously starred in his acclaimed indie comedy film, “Dope”. Production is expected to start sometime this year.

It was reported that Famuyiwa is currently drawing from “The Flash” movie’s draft script, which is penned by previous director Seth Grahame-Smith and based on a story treatment by Phil Lord and Chris Miller (from “The LEGO Movie”).

An unofficial casting report for the film previously described the script draft’s version of Iris West as “having Christiane Amanpour’s brains and Carrie Bradshaw’s style. An over-caffinated doe and a reporter at The Central City Citizen”.

Besides that, Clemons also took to Twitter to tease her fans about the casting news using lightning bolt emojis.

No plot details or a release date for “The Flash” movie have been confirmed yet, but we’ll be updating you with more information as soon as we get ’em details :)

22-year-old Kiersey Clemons is best known for her role as Diggy in the award-winning film “Dope”. She also appeared in DJ Snake’s Middle along with “The Hunger Games” actor Josh Hutcherson.

What do you think of the casting news? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!


#Anjunabeats: Above & Beyond’s #Volume12 Includes Long Awaited OceanLab Comeback

Above & Beyond’s next mix journey has finally been released.

The arrival of the 12th edition of the trance trio’s renowned Anjunabeats Volume series was officially announced via their Facebook page over the weekend.

What started out as a platform for Above & Beyond to get their very first tracks heard has now been expanded to have enough capacity to feature some of their friends as well as up-and-coming producers.

All united by a particular, but perhaps indefinable, set of musical values in our corner of trance and progressive.

Journeying through deep, emotive house to progressive, modern trance, the double disc features exclusive music from Above & Beyond, ilan Bluestone, Andrew Bayer, Kyau & Albert, Jason Ross, Vintage & Morelli plus remixes of Faithless and Jean-Michel Jarre.

More importantly, it features the long awaited return of OceanLab.

1. Howling – X Machina (Cubicolor Remix)
2. Thomas Schwartz & Fausto Fanizza – Circles
3. Oliver Smith – Your Love
4. Jaytech – Great Divide
5. Cubicolor – Got This Feeling (Lane 8 Remix)
6. Vintage & Morelli – Contrasts
7. Yotto feat. CAPS – Wondering (Club Mix)
8. TP & Leu Leu Land – Revelation
9. Jerome Isma-Ae & Alastor feat. London Thor – Smoke & Mirrors
10. Above & Beyond feat. Gemma Hayes – Counting Down The Days (Yotto Remix)
11. Spencer Brown – Wannamaker
12. Boom Jinx & Meredith Call – Bring Me Back Around
13. Andrew Bayer – Memories
14. Kyau & Albert – Bend Girl
15. Sunny Lax – Enceladus
16. Above & Beyond feat. Zoë Johnston – Treasure (Kyau & Albert Remix)
17. Jason Ross & Wrechiski – Frontier

1. Above & Beyond pres. OceanLab – Another Chance
2. Grum feat. Rothchild – Under Your Skin
3. Nick Sember – Mezzo Forte
4. Faithless – Salva Mea 2.0 (Above & Beyond Remix)
5. Jean-Michel Jarre & Tangerine Dream – Zero Gravity (Above & Beyond Remix)
6. Above & Beyond – Out Of Time (Above & Beyond Club Mix)
7. Arty – Kate (2015 Remix)
8. Above & Beyond feat. Zoë Johnston – Fly To New York (Above & Beyond vs. Jason Ross Club Mix)
9. Genix & Sunny Lax – Black Water
10. ilan Bluestone feat. Giuseppe de Luca – Bigger Than Love
11. Kyau & Albert – About The Sun
12. Oliver Smith – Mirage
13. Above & Beyond – A.I.
14. Andrew Bayer – Celestial
15. ilan Bluestone & Maor Levi feat. Jeza – Shake The Air
16. Above & Beyond feat. Justine Suissa – Little Something (Super8 & Tab Remix)
17. Andrew Bayer – Nobody Told Me
18. Above & Beyond – Alone Tonight (Jason Ross Remix)

For more information, visit Above & Beyond’s website or Facebook page.

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#ChainedToTheRhythm: Katy Perry Releases Teaser For Brand New Single

Brace yourselves Katycats, Katy Perry will be releasing new music this week.

Perhaps she’s prepping up to release her comeback single since last year’s inspirational Olympics anthem, “Rise”. Earlier this morning (8th February, Wednesday), the 32-year-old pop star posted a short clip on Instagram, together with the caption, “Why are we all so chained #Fridaythe10th“.

A video posted by KATY PERRY (@katyperry) on Feb 7, 2017 at 3:03pm PST

In the teaser, Perry can be seen walking in silver stilettos with a disco ball chained to her ankle. It’s also the first time she has shared the audio of this new track. The reggae/dance intro isn’t much to go on, but at least it’ll wet the appetites of her fans.

According to Billboard, the aforementioned song is titled “Chained to the Rhythm” and will reportedly feature Bob Marley’s grandson, Skip Marley. Apparently, the producers for this track are Mike Will Made It, Max Martin, Sia, and Savan Kotecha.

A video posted by KATY PERRY (@katyperry) on Feb 7, 2017 at 9:46am PST

Moments earlier, the singer uploaded a video showing a promo photo of her going up on a billboard. The words, 10th February, is written across it. Fans are speculating that this clue indicates that the single, “Chained to the Rhythm”, may arrive in 2 days time.

Earlier this week, Perry hinted at her comeback by posting that same photo on her Facebook, as well as Twitter and Instagram accounts. The photo features Perry substituting her dark hair for bright blonde locks and wearing a light pink furred dress.

It has already been confirmed that Perry will be performing at the 2017 Grammy Awards. Would you like to see her belt out “Chained to the Rhythm”?


Starbucks x TikTok Introduces Purple Summer & Upside Down Honey Drinks

Two things that many Gen Z absolutely love: TikTok and Starbucks, are collaborating! Who would’ve known how a social media could collaborate with an F&B franchise and come up with a beverage product?

Well, Starbucks know that their customers are a creative bunch and have allowed fans to create their own Starbucks drink by incorporating their own twist to it. To participate in the challenge, fans just have to post their video on TikTok, and hashtag it with #TikTokDrink.

From the challenge, two creative drinks were chosen by Starbucks to be officially launched in-stores from 22nd November 2021 to 31st December 2021; Purple Summer and Upside Down Honey.

First off on the list would be the Purple Summer which was made by our very own local barista, @sophify_ on TikTok! Her video went viral and managed to gather more than 50,000 likes and views. It’s a caffeine free drink that was inspired by the purple hues of the sunset. The tartness of the raspberry juice in the beverage is balanced with the non-dairy milk and then topped with their plant-based whipped cream.

Next, we have the Upside Down Honey! Have you ever thought what it would be like when your favourite Starbucks drink is made upside down? Here’s something that might help you to imagine. The Upside Down Honey starts with whipped cream at the bottom of the cup, blended chocolate with honey syrup, and ended with whipped cream (again!) along with rich chocolate syrup. Whipped cream lovers must be thrilled to get a cup of this beverage in their hands!

Talking about TikTok, they are introducing their first ever Tiktok artist, Fatia and her debut single, “My World Too”! And what we are even more proud of is that she is Malaysian born! “My World Too” will be available on every streaming platform on the 26th November 2021.

So, what are you waiting for? Go try out Starbucks’ TikTok drinks while listening to Fatia’s bop!

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Singer-songwriter Jason Mraz To Perform In Singapore In October

Last month, we posted this question – will Jason Mraz be touring Southeast Asia, and more specifically Malaysia?

We’ve got bad news and good news. The bad news – he won’t be coming to Malaysia. The consolation? The singer-songwriter will be making a pitstop in our neighbouring country, Singapore.

Good News: Good Vibes is going to Singapore & Europe! Visit jasonmraz.com/events for the latest tour and ticket info. (Copenhagen & London: Stay tuned for dates and details soon.) ?: Joey Ungerer, Key Lime Photography

A post shared by  Jason Mraz (@jason_mraz) on Jul 17, 2018 at 9:00pm PDT

Titled “Good Vibes with Jason Mraz”, the concert is in conjunction with the final edition of the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global. Concert organiser Unusual Entertainment Pte Ltd announced that this will be Mraz’s “only stop in Asia this year”. In case you didn’t know, the Grammy winner will be releasing his 6th studio album, “Know”, next month.

The details to “Good Vibes with Jason Mraz” are as follows:

General public sale will go live at Sports Hub Singapore on 27th July from 10am onwards. You may also call 3158 7888 or proceed to the Singapore Indoor Stadium Box Office and all Singpost outlets island wide.

*Payment must be made with The Centurion® Card issued by American Express International Inc. in Singapore.

For more information, head to Unusual Entertainment.


Hype Eats: Great Dishes To Try In The Klang Valley This Week (31st October – 6th November)

November is finally here! Just two more months until we start the new year. But before all that, we still have a lot of things to do, a lot of places to go and of course a lot more dishes to eat! So, let’s welcome the new month with laughter, smiles, and a filled belly!

This week, Hype Eats is introducing you to a WORLD of flavours! You can start and end the week with various international delicacies such as Korean crispy chicken, South Indian Omakase, and even the new Japanese Ramen milk tea! Itadakimasu!

A post shared by Nene Chicken (@nenechickenmalaysia)

The Korean wave has taken over Malaysia for a good number of years now. That is why it is important for you to try out Nene Chicken to fully embrace the Korean culture in Malaysia! Nene chicken has over a thousand outlets in South Korea and worldwide, and now they have finally opened another new outlet in Wangsa Walk Mall!

If you are a “Minions” fan, we recommend trying the new Krispy Kreme Minion donuts. You can finally get a glimpse of what Bob, Otto, and Stuart taste like! Head over to any Krispy Kreme store today and grab your very own half-dozen Minions doughnuts to enjoy with your family and friends.

Tealive has released yet another new flavour! This time their new Caramel Pudding Ramen series are topped with fun, noodle-shaped pudding, and a cute gummy egg! Available in two different variations; the Caramel Pudding Ramen Smoothie and Caramel Pudding Ramen Milk Tea. Do let us know which flavour is your favourite ;)

A post shared by The Fire Grill (@myfiregrill)

Time: 5pm – 11pm (Opens daily except Sundays)

Location: 24, Jalan Datuk Sulaiman, Taman Tun Dr Ismail

The first-ever South Indian Omakase is finally opened in Kuala Lumpur! And what’s more incredible is that it’s completely refillable! Their menu consists of a variety of food and even cocktails. To try out a true South Indian culinary experience, head over to The Fire Grill in Taman Tun Dr. Ismail for the treat of your life!

A post shared by myBurgerLab Malaysia (@myburgerlab)

Time: 28th – 30th October and 4th – 6th November

Working alongside this year’s Tiger Street Food Fest, My Burger Lab is serving up a limited edition Street Style Burger! With a choice of either beef or chicken, this burger features the infamous Malaysian Ramly patty! So, to enhance your Ramly burger experience, stop by Factory 19 this weekend for a delicious treat!

To all the Ayam penyet lovers, KFC Snek Jimat Ayam Penyet is the ultimate love at first bite! Not only is it incredibly delicious, but it’s also crazy cheap! Only Rm7.90 for a whole set, customers will be stuffing their bellies with KFC chicken every day! Do take note that the KFC Snek Jimat Ayam Penyet is only sold from 2pm to 5pm every day.

If you’re ever in Fahrenheit88 or Lot 10, stop by Chi Forest’s Pop Up Store! The fastest growing beverage brand in Asia, Chi Forest Sparkling Water offers five bold and bubbly flavours for health-conscious Malaysians looking for a fun and sassy way to quench their thirst. What makes Chi Forest Sparkling Water unique is that it has 0 sugar, 0 calories but 100% great taste! Get there now!

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Did aespa’s “Savage” Choreography Recycle BLACKPINK & ITZY’s Dance Moves?

Yesterday (Tuesday, 5th October), rising K-pop girl group aespa (에스파) finally made their comeback with the first EP “Savage”, along with the title track of the same name. Prior to the release of the full MV, the group’s agency SM Entertainment dropped a teaser for the video earlier on 3rd October.

In the teaser, fans were treated to a snippet of the song’s melody. Not only that, the point move of the choreography was revealed. While many were extremely impressed with the dance move, a few hawk-eyed fans out there couldn’t help but notice the similarities to other K-Pop dances.

In particular, a lot of fans felt that the choreography was imitating the dance moves from BLACKPINK’s How You Like That” and “Not Shy” by ITZY. With the fact that the two aforementioned songs were from girl groups under a major music label (specifically YG Entertainment and JYP Entertainment) and were both smash hits, people were quick to call the choreographer out for apparently “plagiarising” the dance moves.

Netizens soon learnt that the choreographer of “How You Like That”, “Not Shy”, and “Savage” turn out to be the same person — Kiel Tutin. Following the discovery, people began accusing him of reusing (in other words, “recycling”) the same dance moves for different artistes. Many took to social media to express their dividing opinions on the matter after realising what they thought had happened.

Instead of staying mum, the male dancer immediately issued a statement on his Instagram Story in hopes to clear the air on the accusation. As revealed by Tutin himself, the choreography in question was only used in “Not Shy” and not “How You Like That”, and the proof can be found in his choreography progress clip posted on his YouTube.

Tutin further clarified that he makes sure not to use anything similar when coming up with a dance routine for a song. Though, he stated that he has “zero control” of what ends up in the final choreography. The male choreographer concluded by saying, “Dance has a finite amount of movements. And when satisfying the K-pop machine, there will be moves that overlap.

To quote him in the post, “Find a new angle, or get a life!” We are absolutely loving his sassy response here!

What do you guys think of the controversy? Sound off in the comments below. :)