NOT too long ago, local band Kaya was an opening act for various artistes, sharing the stage with prominent acts such as Yuna, Steve Thornton, Zainal Abidin and Salam Musik.
The band, which started out as a two-piece in 2010, has since solidified its presence, having won several competitions and launching its debut album On Toast in 2018 to a sold-out crowd at The Bee in Publika.
Adding to that is its very own music festival. In celebration of its latest singles Go It Alone and Party All Night, the band recently organised and played its first music festival at JioSpace in Petaling Jaya.
Titled Party All Night: A Kaya Experience, the band gathered a line-up of local artistes to share the stage, while celebrating how far Kaya has come through a medley of its best hits.
Speaking to theSun, the band dishes on the experience of putting the festival together and priorities for this year.
Did everything go according to plan?
Honestly, seeing everything come together was surreal. As with any live event, there were a few curveballs but the energy that night made it all worth it. The crowd, the music, the vibes, it all just clicked in the best way possible.
How long did it take to put everything together?
The idea had been brewing for a while but things really picked up about two months out. It was a whirlwind of chaos and excitement, but we had an amazing team and some supportive partners who made it all possible.
How did the idea for a festival first come about?
Initially, we were thinking of a simple single launch. But a friend of ours from Team Sound & Light jumped in and pitched the idea of going bigger, such as a 1,200 pax festival kind of big. He saw the lack of platforms for upcoming indie artiste and wanted to do something real about it.
So we came together and built “A Kaya Experience” as a celebration of the local live music scene. A stage for any Malaysian artiste to work towards – big, loud and full of heart.
What was the process of picking the line-up like?
It was all organic. We reached out to artistes we have performed with before, as well as those we have admired from afar.
The goal was to create a line-up that captured the diversity and soul of the local sound. Raw, real and uniquely ours. It was not just about the headliners. It was about celebrating homegrown talent in every form.
What are some memories from the festival that you will carry with you?
Too many to count! The crowd sang every word back to us, the energy during our finale when everyone had their hands in the air and the impromptu jam sessions backstage.
But above all, just witnessing the community come together for the love of music is something we will never forget.
Will there be more festivals in the future?
Absolutely! The response was a clear sign that there is a hunger for this kind of space. We could not have done it without our crew and the incredible crowd that showed up with love. If you are an artiste who would like to be part of the next one, drop us a DM – we are always listening.
The festival was in celebration of your recent singles Go It Alone and Party All Night, could you elaborate on what those songs are about?
Go It Alone is a love song but delivered in a kind of cool and nonchalant way. It is “I love you but I am going to play it chill”, although deep down, it is only ever about you.
Party All Night, on the other hand, is a straight-up funk anthem meant for dancing, vibing and letting go. It is a feel-good energy, pure and simple.
How would you like the latest singles to present you to new and longtime listeners?
We hope these songs show our range. We have always enjoyed bending genres, breaking a few rules and staying honest with our lyrics. These tracks are just a glimpse of where we are headed – a little evolution, a lot of heart.
Will this release inspire a potential album? Or do you already have one planned?
Let us just say we are cooking. Whether it is an album or something else, there is definitely more coming. The creative momentum is strong right now, so stay tuned.
What do you hope to achieve this year?
We want to keep building. Tour more, create more and reach new audiences. Most of all, we want to keep growing, as artistes and collaborators in this community.
Are there things you did in 2024 that you would never want to do again?
Nothing we regret, but we have definitely drawn a line when it comes to saying “yes” to shows that underpay or do not value the artiste. We are done with that and we hope more musicians feel empowered to do the same. The scene can only thrive if we start respecting our worth.
