Archive 1

Hear ye hear ye, former Spice Girl spotted in Kuala Lumpur

I must confess, I used to be a die hard Spice Girl fan. I had all the memorabilia (t-shirts, cologne, handkerchiefs, key chains etc), memorized every single dance step, watch the video clips to death and so on. So when I heard that Mel B was coming to town, well I just had to go! I didn’t know what she was in town for (at that time) but I didn’t care. So after calling and emailing everyone I could think of I finally got my invite! Turns out, Miss I’m a FIT mom was in town to kick start International Fitness Week by Fitness First. Mel was chosen to be the global ambassador, a pretty good candidate seeing as she looks pretty fit for a mom of two kids..and one more in the oven apparently.

The goal of International Fitness Week, according to Simon Flint Managing Director of Fitness First Asia, is to make everyone realise that being active is important to lead a fit and healthy lifestyle. “Mel B’s excitement and enthusiasm for health and fitness makes her the ideal ambassador for International Fitness Week,” he says.

Mel B, who has her on show on The E! Network, It’s a Scary World, says that she’s excited to be part of the campaign. “We’ve really made some fantastic progress over the last three years by helping people make exercise part of their everyday life.”

Mel B, who was clearly the highlight of the event (duh), did not fail to entertain the crowd. How? Well for starters, she made Simon Flint and Shaun Measday, Managing Director of Fitness First Malaysia do 20 push-ups on stage! After the adrenalin rush, all three sat down for a short press conference. One of the questions asked was regarding her fitness schedule and how she keeps to it. “Time management! There’s no such thing as being too busy. Always make time to work out. It’s best to get it over with in the morning in my opinion. I work out all the time even when I travel. I just find a gym or go out for a run or do some weights in my room.”

In terms of diet though, Mel is clearly an advocate for a healthy and balance diet. “I don’t believe in restricting myself from eating what I like. The trick is to treat yourself say once a week after spending the whole week being healthy. But most likely once the week is over you probably won’t feel like pigging out after being healthy for a good week.”

And that concluded the event. Two hefty bodyguards appeared and attempted to usher Mel to safety but of course it’s unlikely that would go smoothly. Why? Well because that was the perfect opportunity for her fans (me!) to rush over for a photo. After all, it’s not everyday you get to meet a Spice Girl. 

 

Strings Attached

Jivani Jeyasingam talks to Dennis Lau, Malaysia’s premier solo-violinist on his musical journey.

Dennis Lau may come across as the boy next door with his boyish charms and down to earth personality, but don’t be fooled by his humble persona. This talented lad began his musical journey at a very young age. “I started playing the piano when I was three years old before picking up the violin when I was seven. I can also play the guitar and drums,” he says. By 11 Dennis was the youngest to complete his Grade 8 music examinations.

DiversiFy is Dennis’s debut album and the talented artist put his heart and soul into writing, composing and producing the whole album. The limited edition version of the album which was released last month documents the transition of Dennis as a violinist/ songwriter to a producer and contains a short film inspired by his song Prelude in F minor. “This song is my favourite because that was the first track that I collaborated the violin with a saxophonist, Jimmy Sax. The film for the song took about seven months and the main idea is to highlight the plight of domestic abuse,” he explains.

This born performer is one busy bee, constantly jet setting across the region to play at various gigs alongside other musical geniuses. So it came as no surprise that he was roped in to be the opening act for Adam Lambert’s Glam Nation Tour here in Kuala Lumpur. “Opening for Adam Lambert was one of the most memorable shows I have ever done and it’s all thanks to my label Sony Music. When you open for an artist you have to make sure it’s tastefully done in respect for the performer and opening for that show was an incredible rush of adrenalin that I will never forget.”

Behind every great musician lies an idol, someone to look up to, but according to Dennis, inspiration can come from anyone and everything. “It depends, from the people I meet, the food I eat, the music I hear. Every little thing inspires me musically. But the two people that I really look up to would be this American singer/producer called Ryan Leslie and Michael Jackson. I would also like to play with John Mayer, that guy is a genius.”

The talented violinist looks upon his journey as a learning experience refusing to acknowledge any setbacks as regrets. “I wouldn’t say it was easy to get where I am right now, but it wasn’t that hard as well. As long as I’m discipline, dedicated and passionate than nothing can hold me back. I look upon the Bible to guide me, in fact there’s one particular verse which motivates me each day: ‘Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.’ Matthew 6.34.

So what’s next for this gifted violinist? “Hopefully a concert or a showcase and of course to continue making music. I would also like to explore more into film making and hopefully perform in Madison Square Garden New York,” he says with a smile. 

The DiversiFy Limited Edition album is available at selected record stores including Rock Corner, Speedy, CD Rama and Victoria Music Station.

Dennis currently owns three electric violins, two acoustic violins and is also one of the first in Malaysia to be using a six string custom made Mark Woods Viper violin. This multi-talented chap is also the brainchild behind Mosaic Music Entertainment, a company that specialises in events, corporate & wedding entertainment and more.

Published in the March issue of Vision KL

To Arthur!

Being a writer, its no secret that I sometime have the benefit to enjoy certain privileges meant for the “media”. And it’s a bonus that I cover events and nightlife as I get a chance to attend shows, concerts, club openings, etc. One of the recent events that I got a chance to cover was the recent Arthur’s Day concert held at Sunway Lagoon Surf Beach.

First of all, I don’t like attending shows and concerts at the Surf Beach. It’s wet, sandy and you leave in a mess. And you just know its going to rain half way through cause it always happens. Whoever said the Malaysian weather is unpredictable?

Now as most of you know, Arthur’s Day is dedicated at honouring Arthur Guinness, the man who signed the 9,000 year lease on the St. Jame’s Gate Brewery back in 1759, thereby introducing Guinness. I am not a fan of the drink simply because I don’t really like stout or beer. Therefore the free flow of Guinness throughout the concert was wasted on me. I did manage to sip my way through one small plastic mug of Guinness and finished it by the time the concert ended. I was kinda thirsty.

The concert was hosted by Serena C and JJ & Ean from Hitz. FM and began by a performance by Melissa Indot and DJ Fuzz. Unfortunately I didn’t even know it was her performing until I looked closely at the big screen. Why? Well because the concert started early with only a handful of crowd. I assumed there was some kind of sound check going on. Sorry Melissa! After that Pop Shuvit took to the stage and finally managed to kick up the energy in time for Mizz Nina’s performance. I was really looking forward to her performance and it was pretty good. And yes she did performe “What you waiting for” with Colby O’Donis. Apparently she had a makeup malfunction with a smeared lipstick but I somehow managed to miss that. Colby O’Donis continued the show with fans screaming their heads off, especially when he sat down for an acoustic version of his hit “Beautiful.”

Right after that was Thai hip-hop band, Thaitanium. Unfortunately by than it started to rain like mad and I started complaining that my hair was getting wet and I just recovered from a week long fever! But the crowd stayed on. The media on the other hand were lucky enough to get plastic ponchos to cover up. Lucky us! Thaitanium were pretty good, seeing as I’ve never heard of them before this. Catchy songs and beats managed to keep the mood going.

The crowd got super excited when Sean Kingston came on stage. Surprisingly he’s not as big as I though he would be. Sean Kingston did put on a good show but one thing that annoyed me was that he really did drag his show especially at the end. By the time he left I was like thank god! I was getting bored and restless. Blame it on the rain.

And finally the moment everyone was waiting for, Flo Rida! Now I’m not exactly his biggest fan but I must say his songs can get just about anyone moving. It’s hard not to get excited watching the buff dude perform as he sure does know how to work and tease the crowd. I was rather surprise when he actually pulled a guy up on stage instead of a girl. Don’t they always pull up girls in skimpy outfits to dance with them? Anyways this lucky dude got to stay on stage till the end of the performance wearing the chunky gold chain that was put on him by Flo Rida himself. I bet he saw stars. And if that wasn’t enough to get the crowd going, the sweaty star proceeded to jump onto his bodyguards shoulder and work his way through the entire concert area giving fans at the back a chance to catch him up close as he belted out “Club can’t handle me now.” Least to say the crowd went wild as they ran around trying to grab a piece of the star. As lame as it sounds I thought it was really cool that he did that. Dangerous, but cool. Hey it was a good performance ok!

The star studded night ended with everyone on stage toasting to Arthur Guinness as the sky lit up with an amazing set of fireworks display to mark the final leg of the Arthur’s Day celebrations. There was an after party after that which I chose not to attend. I know I know I regret it now. But I was soaking wet, sandy, tired and hungry and I just wanted to go home. I had fun, I enjoyed the concert and that was enough. I wasn’t in the mood to rub shoulders with the celebrities. Honestly!

Creating waves across boundaries

The Malaysian art scene has seen a considerable growth with the likes of Ibrahim Hussein, Khoo Sui Hoe and Yusof Ghani. However, finding an artist that shares his passion for art, music and poetry in the form of seascapes is well, rare, but not for M.Shafarin Ghani.

This young self-taught and multi-talented chap may come across as shy and reserved at first glance, but it’s only a matter of minutes before he starts opening up and talking passionately about his love for art. “I love art because there is no positive or negative to it. It’s my way of expressing who I am, my existence and my identity.”

Growing up in George Town Penang, Shafarin left school at an early age to embark on a self-searching journey of art, music and literature. “I loved studying but I had no interest in the grading system. For me, learning something was as simple as picking up a book and reading. My family supported my decision to leave school and even gave me a space for me to work on my art.” And it was in this small zinc attap house that Shafarin really begin to learn about art, poetry and music.

“I was 16 when I first showed my art to the public at a group exhibition and 17 when I had my first solo exhibition. I don’t really like to promote my art to people, which is the reason it took me this long to have my first big solo exhibition in Kuala Lumpur. I believe that my art speaks for itself and thus I have nothing to prove.” When questioned on which he prefers most, painting, poetry or music, he says, “art is my priority than comes music. I love poetry too but it is a complicated form of art.”

Oeuvre of Movement No.1 is an exhibition that comes in the form of seascapes produced with a technique known as chiaroscuro and encompasses 3 life body works of Shafarin; art, poetry and music. “Chiaroscuro is a technique perfected by Rembrandt, a famous Dutch painter. It means light and dark in Italian. I use waves and the ocean to release my ideas and emotion because the ocean has no boundaries and it can mean different things to different people.”  

Oeuvre which is a French word, describes the sum of the lifework of an artist. In Oeuvre of Movement, Shafarin has skilfully invented a poetic rhythm of waves composed of rich dark shadows teamed with hints of accented highlights; liquid arcs catching alight in the volatile temperaments of the sea.

Shafarin insist that people’s perception on his paintings doesn’t bother him. “I have no expectation on how people should perceive my art. It’s enough for me as long as it stirs something within themselves and they walk away thinking about it.

As William Dobell once said, “a sincere artist is not one who makes a faithful attempt to put on to canvas what is in front of him, but one who tries to create something which is, in itself, a living thing.” Saying thus, I think one can sincerely agree that Shafarin has indeed successfully managed to bring his paintings to life.

 Published in the September 2010 issue of Vision KL

Borneo Beats

An exotic music festival in the middle of the Sarawak jungle is set to get your feet moving and your heart pumping, writes Jivani Jeyasingam

Posted Sunday, 04/07/2010 at 0:00 AM (www.visionkl.com)

Welcome to the jungle. This July, the wilds of Borneo will host three magical days of music, with world-renowned artists taking to the main stage at night, and creative workshops, ethno-musical lectures, jamming sessions and mini concerts taking place during the day. It’s time once again for the Rainforest World Music Festival.

Founded in 1997, the idea to stage a festival first came about as a means to promote tourism in Sarawak. Starting out with a modest crowd of a few hundred local music lovers, it has exponentially grown in size to an attendance of thousands from across the globe. “There are two main factors behind the success we’ve had,” says Benedict Jimbau, festival organising chairman. “First is the ambience. The rainforest setting is simply amazing, and it also reflects the ethnic values of the festival. The second, and most important factor is the dedication of the staff, and the continued spirit of generous volunteering, which has existed since day one of the festival.”

Set at the foothills of the 810 metre high Mount Santubong, the Rainforest Music Festival has garnered international attention and recognition. “In my opinion, this is the best festival of its kind in the region – and the best among 25 such festivals in the world,” says Jimbau. It seems audiences agree, with 9,000 turning up for the opening night of the 2009 edition alone (overall it attracts up to 22,000 visitors from dozens of countries).

Some of the famous performers to have graced the stage over the years are Malaysia’s Dama Orchestra, the Zawose Family from Tanzania and Portuguese group Dazkarieh. This year’s line-up of musicians is no less stellar. “We have amazing performers this year, but look out for Farafina Burkina Faso from Mali, Africa,” says Jimbau. Visitors from all over come to listen to the best in world music and the alien sounds that emanate from exotic instruments such as the sape, (a stringed instrument with a short neck and elongated body) the serunai, (a horn-shaped instrument made from rice stalk and coconut leaves) and the angklung, (a percussion instrument made from bamboo tubes).

If you’ve never been to the festival – or even Sarawak – before, then maybe this is the year you should. “The Rainforest Music Festival is the grandest and one of the best attended shows ever staged in Malaysia,” says Jimbau. “Go for it. You will not regret it.”