PETALING JAYA – Sid Sriram has arrived in Malaysia ahead of his concert tour 'Heart and Soul 2.0', which will kickstart tomorrow at Axiata Arena Bukit Jalil. The concert was initially to be a one-day event but due to the overwhelmingly positive response, a second day was added.
In a media meet-and-greet today, the 32-year-old musician expressed his excitement to members of the press for the opportunity to be performing in Malaysia again.
“The last time we were in Malaysia was in 2020, right before the pandemic. It is especially beautiful to be back here in Kuala Lumpur. I really do feel like this is my second home. There has always been true genuine love at every single show I have done here. I feel warm, welcomed, loved and at home here.
"It has been over two years, so we really worked on putting something together that feels exciting, full of energy, and full of heart. So, it is also fitting that the show’s name is Heart and Soul. No gimmicks, just pure love and pure music,” Sid expressed.
KL, it’s been a while since we performed for y’all. We’re hella excited. I have so much love for your city, it honestly feels like a second home. Can’t wait for some incredible energy. If y’all have been to one of my shows before, reply to this with a clip! All love, no hate
— Sid Sriram (@sidsriram) August 17, 2022
When the concert was announced, 8,000 tickets were sold out within two hours, which prompted organisers to extend the concert tour for an additional day. During the second day, the same number of tickets were sold out within eight minutes, an indicator of the strong following the artist has in Malaysia.
As to what concertgoers can expect from the upcoming shows, the musician revealed that a lot has changed since he first started performing.
“The last time we were here, we were just on stage, it was this chaotic, pure energy and some of our first show as a band was here in Malaysia. So, we were just enjoying that initial excitement of playing music with each other, and of having that exploration phase.
"We first started doing shows in 2016, now we are in 2022. The pandemic gave me time to introspect and think about how I can evolve the live set and what I can do to make the experience different and better.”
“Now there is just more of an arc, or journey that is well-intentioned and thought through rather than it just being song after song. That arc that we built is very intentional.
"The show is broken down into four different sections, and each section has a different focus. The biggest difference from the show we have done before is that it feels like a journey now. And it is just better. We have gotten better over time. I feel like I have gotten better and have more stamina.”
“Having said that, the aspects of our shows that have been exciting in the past, those also remain. The connection, the energy, having the crowd sing along, feeling like we are all doing the show together rather than being on stage, and people are just watching – really getting everyone involved. Those are anchor points in my shows that are still very much alive and a part of it,” said the singer-musician.
Sid is the most popular contemporary Indian musician today, rising to stardom after working alongside A.R. Rahman on Mani Ratnam’s 2013 hit movie, Kadal. Sriram is a graduate of Berklee College of Music, in the United States, whose style is influenced by an amalgamation of genres such as carnatic, jazz and R&B.
The 'Heart and Soul 2.0' concert tour is part of Tourism Malaysia’s plan to revive the entertainment and tourism industry after two years of the pandemic.
“Tourism Malaysia is supporting all concerts, local and foreign, being held here because the artistes will bring along their followers to Malaysia. So far, we have four artistes from India. We have received concert applications from Indonesian and Korean artistes too,” Tourism Malaysia senior director (strategic planning division) Syed Yahya Othman said to Bernama in July.
Before leaving today's event, Sid expressed his gratitude to Malaysia for hosting him, “Thank you to the tourism department. It is beautiful that we can build this bridge between India and Malaysia and really create these special experiences. I am honored and I look forward to doing much more."
Seven-time Grammy and Academy award winning singer Billie Eilish performed in Kuala Lumpur last night, and other artists like Justin Bieber, Anirudh Ravichander, Ilaiyaraja, A.R. Rahman and Jay Chou are scheduled to perform in Malaysia over the coming months. – The Vibes, August 19, 2022
