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Thursday, July 31, 2008
KRU 16th Anniversary...
Another news on KRU.. KRU had just celebrated their 16th Anniversary last Friday.. This is the news taken from The New Paper(Singapore). Congrats to KRU and KRU Studios.. I wish im there to celebrate too... But too bad, it's in KL and im in Singapore.. Hehe.. KRU events are always very happening and cool.. Miss KRU concerts.
From making music to making stars
Promoting leggy, blonde singers is just one of their plans. M'sian boy band KRU is hoping to make it really big in the entertainment business.
By Sheela Narayanan in Kuala Lumpur
July 31, 2008
FROM a boy band to a band of bosses.
After 16 years of prancing on stage doing pop and rap numbers, Malaysia's popular sibling pop band KRU are ready to hang up their rap gear for good.
Now, they want to groom a new generation of singers to take over their place.
At an exclusive showcase to celebrate their 16 years in showbiz, it was clear that the three brothers - Norman, 36, Yusry, 35, and Edry Abdul Halim, 32 - were keen on handing over the performing reins to their younger stable of artistes.
KRU represents artistes from Malaysia such as Anita Sarawak, Indonesian group The Lima and Singapore hip hop duo Sleeq.
GLOBAL AMBITIONS
Part of the reason for giving up the limelight is the guys' global ambitions.
KRU wants to develop its company, KRU Group, into an international media business.
Norman told The New Paper: 'We are expanding the business and it's only natural that, as performers, we take a backseat and let the younger ones take over.'
KRU has 20 business units that include film production, publishing and music production.
It has offices in the US, Hong Kong, Singapore and Europe.
The company's two films - sci-fi superhero action flick Cicakman (Lizardman) and Duyung (Mermaid) - were box-office hits in Malaysia, each making over RM6 million ($2.5m).
It is also co-producing and distributing an independent Hollywood film, a psychological thriller called Deadline, starring US actresses Brittany Murphy (Sin City), Thora Birch (American Beauty) and Tammy Blanchard (The Good Shepherd).
The film is budgeted at less than US$10 million ($13.6m).
KRU's anniversary showcase was held for over 1,000 fans and members of the regional media from Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia at the Life Centre in Kuala Lumpur recently.
The two-hour mini-concert featured its stable of artistes from the region.
Malaysia's popular multi-hyphenate Aznil Nawawi - who is TV host, radio deejay, actor and singer - opened the showcase with his single, Professor Klon, from the Cicakman soundtrack.
He also sang a remake of the late Sudirman Arshad's hit song Toyol (Evil Spirit), which will be included in his upcoming album.
In keeping with his flamboyant and outrageous reputation, Aznil told the crowd that he had known the three KRU brothers for a long time.
'I knew the three of them when they were still virgins,' he said with a straight face.
Another popular performer was Adam, or Mohd Aizam Mat Saman, whose high-energy performance of his single Robot went down well with the predominantly female audience.
Indonesian trio The Lima charmed its way around the stage with tightly choreographed numbers such as Separuh Masa (Part Time).
The night, however, did not belong to just the singers.
KRU also rewarded the cast and crew of its last hit film Duyung (Mermaid) with a thank-you bonus totalling about RM343,000.
SHOWCASING TALENT
The brothers also took the opportunity to launch their version of the Spice Girls - four leggy Swedish blonde singers called Ladylike - at the showcase.
The group, put together after a talent search in Sweden last year, did two songs - I Am Sick and Dreaming - both English translations of Malay songs.
I Am Sick is a translation of Edry's Demam (Fever) while Dreaming is the English version of Teman Tapi Mesra (Close Friends) from Indonesian rock band Ratu.
Norman told The New Paper that Ladylike was part of KRU Europe, which was set up last year.
'KRU is serious about expanding internationally.
'Our whole strategy is to export good Asian music to the global stage and we will be using our catalogue of more than 500 songs to do that,' he said.
While the four women - Valerie Wingardt, Isabelle Filling, Miranda Hortlund and Louise Tomassino - looked hot on stage in their 12cm heels and tight black outfits, their singing didn't quite match up.
They later explained to The New Paper that their off-key performance was due to nerves.
The showcase marked their debut as performers.
Hortlund said: 'This was our first performance ever in Asia.
'We can only do better after this.'
Ladylike will be releasing its debut album by the end of the year.
Singapore hip-hop and R&B duo Sleeq didn't let the home side down with its performance at the show.
The good-looking pair of cousins Alif Abdullah and Ahmad Syarifullah Ahmad - also known as Alyph and Syarif to their fans - were pitch perfect and received a warm reception from the Kuala Lumpur crowd.
The boys, both 19 and in Temasek Polytechnic, did a tribute to their bosses with their version of KRU's hit song Fanatik.
Syarif said: 'It was all very last minute. We asked the boss (Norman) and he said okay.'
When The New Paper caught up with Sleeq after the show, they were excited and a little nervous facing the regional press.
Alyph said that the showcase was a 'make or break for them'.
'We really wanted to impress the Malaysian crowd and the media from Malaysia and Indonesia. I think we managed to do that,' he said.
News Credits to The New Paper(Singapore)
Pictures Credit to Jihan Jauhar, Edzlin, gua.com
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Well, KRU is 16 and counting.. Hope they won't stop making music coz their music is my favourite.. And hope there will be KRU albums coming soon.. It had been too long that they have come out with an album.. Miss it..
These brothers are just great..Just wish that they will continue their success in anything they do coz i will always support them... Go KRU!!
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