KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 22 — It was a mammoth task for Indonesian popstar Tulus, in his first “live” performance in Malaysia.
The 31-year-old’s sold-out show at Istana Budaya was a far cry from the larger venues he has been accustomed to.
In fact, Tulus Live in Istana Budaya was not billed as a full-on concert, despite its two-hour runtime with him effortlessly belting out some 15 songs.
Still, expectations ran high with some 1,400 in attendance, having shelled out between RM125 and RM695 each to catch one of Indonesia’s biggest breakthrough artiste in recent times.
Having amassed 49 trophies from some 98 nominations in various awards since the start of his career in 2011, the pressure he was under before the curtains were raised was understandable.
Even a natural performer like Tulus gets the jitters in the presence of adoring fans, but it was obvious he was fuelled by the overwhelming support and screams of fans that were usually reserved for teeny-boppers.
From the first strains of Baru that kicked off the show, it was obvious why the young man has been showered with accolades back home.
His debut performance in Malaysia on Tuesday night, was nothing short of an awe-inspiring showcase of powerful vocals and mesmerising stage presence without extraneous trills, over-the-top runs or unnecessary showboating.
The power and clarity of his emotions projected, on top of the deceptively simple arrangements dished out by the five-piece band accompaniments, left the audience breathless and awash with the emotional and dramatic nature of his tunes.
Whether belting an emotional ballad or getting the crowd to its feet for an upbeat Motown-tinged boogie-down number, his near-perfect delivery of every tune, coupled with simple, meaningful and emotional anecdotes of the journey of his career — was a projection of honesty and innocence.
Tulus either introduced or punctuated each track with a simple, meaningful anecdotes of the journey of his career and the sources of his inspiration.
From Gajah, a beautiful number inspired by his childhood moniker due to his towering stature, to Teman Hidup dedicated to his mother — it all seemed almost too crafted, if it was not for the singer’s sincere, unassuming nature that made it a heartfelt night with fans.
Without any musical interludes or momentary gaps to catch a breath, Tulus dished out the goods that appealed not only to the hardcore followers, but also to casual fans who may be less familiar with his works.
It was nerve-wrecking to say the least for someone who has some of the biggest Malaysian vocals in the audience such as Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza Tarudin, Dayang Nurfaizah, Misha Omar and Adibah Noor.
While he had no problems with the enthusiastic crowd who lapped up everything he served in Sepatu, Sewindu, Teman Hidup, Pamit, Ruang Sendiri, Langit Abu-Abu, Tukar Jiwa and Monokrom from his three albums, the singer revealed he came prepared — even messaging fellow Indonesian singer Datuk Rossa on tips on handling a Malaysian audience.
As the night came to an end, the towering Minangkabau native heaved a sigh of relief, and voiced his hope to return.
“This is my first ‘live’ show here, and I was both ecstatic and nervous.
“I’m so relieved the months of planning resulted in such a great night. I’ll definitely be back.”
Tulus’ third album Monokrom is available in stores and online from Universal Music Malaysia.
