Malaysian indie supergroup Jaki-Brashga is set to ignite the music scene this May with their debut concert, OUR WORLDS: A Live Experience. Comprising some of the best musicians in the independent music scene, Jaki-Brashga is bringing their electric blend of experimental folk-rock music to the stage for a night of musical exploration designed to give audiences a closer, introspective look at the human experience.
New to the scene, Jaki-Brashga has been sneaking up around town in exclusive performances since October 2022. Founded by folk-pop singer-songwriter, Brendan de Cruz, the band’s sound is characterised by its heartfelt message of love, connection and honesty, blending the powerful vocals of de Cruz with the electric magnetism of a band that, together, boasts decades of expert musical experience. Jaki-Brashga comprises bassist, Jaime Gunter, of indie-rock outfit, Volatile, virtuoso lead-guitarist, Kieran Jumawan of J-Rock outfit, Brightburn, multi-instrumentalist Gabriel Januarius on keyboard and synths, who has performed with renowned names Jaclyn Victor, Jose Thomas, and Juwita Suwito, and Ashwin Gobinath of indie cultural-rock fusion ensemble, Nadir, providing rhythmic mastery on drums.
“Each of us has been in the music industry for at least 15 years now, but when we get together to create music, it’s like a clean slate for everyone,” shares Ashwin Gobinath, who also co-produces Jaki-Brashga’s sound with de Cruz. “The studio has become a space for us to experiment and create music that really showcases the full range of our artistic abilities. The chemistry in our sessions ends up being really electric with all of us pushing each other to redefine our creative limits.”
With OUR WORLDS, explains frontman and founder Brendan de Cruz, the band intends to draw the audience into Jaki-Brashga’s universe in an experimental audio-visual exploration of the human experience. The theme of OUR WORLDS is centred on the idea that every individual’s experience is unique, with much to celebrate in the diversity of human experience.
“We will be using projection-mapped visuals and atmospheric soundscapes to support the production and nudge the audience along the musical journey,” shares Ashwin, founder of cultural collective, Nadir, who will be playing at the Rainforest World Music Festival this year. “The concert set list is curated to take our audience on a journey through different emotions, from intense and visceral to reflective and introspective.”
To de Cruz, Jaki-Brashga and OUR WORLDS represent the next step in his musical evolution, one that he has been preparing for since he first began his career as an independent musician. “Its hard work to be a full-time independent artist, and to get 5 people on the same schedule, while everyone juggles their own projects and full-time jobs – I knew it would require a massive investment of love and passion. And I’m proud to say that’s exactly what we have here with Jaki-Brashga.”
Jaki-Brashga is also working with multidisciplinary artist Vuevossa, known for exploring the science of geometry and fractals in his visual work, to curate the visual dimension of the show. His artwork will be designed to blend with the new age sounds and flavours of the band to create an all-round memorable rock concert experience. OUR WORLDS: A Live Experience will span 2 hours, showcasing new tracks written and arranged by Jaki-Brashga along with re-explored tunes from de Cruz’s extensive discography.
“When I first started, I didn’t know it was possible to make it as an independent artist in the local music scene. It was fellow indie musicians who pushed me to write original music and even produce my own albums to get my music out there,” shares de Cruz. “There are a lucky few Malaysians who have reached great heights on the world stage, but I wanted to showcase the homegrown talent available right here, right now. This is a celebration of the resilience of Malaysians artists who have kept the local music industry alive despite all odds.”
“OUR WORLDS: A Live Experience will be a tribute to the human experience and a rocking good concert,” says de Cruz, “but what we really hope our audience leaves with is a newfound appreciation of the original artistry Malaysia is home to.”
OUR WORLDS: A Live Experience will be held on 12 May 2023 at the Nero Space, PJPAC, 1 UtamaE. Tickets to the show are priced at RM98 and are now on sale here [onetix.com.my/events/jaki-brashga-presents-our-worlds/152]. As the showcase is entirely self-funded, Jaki-Brashga welcomes sponsorships and collaboration opportunities for those interested in connecting with audiences of the local independent music scene in Malaysia.
