2022 was the last time keshi graced Kuala Lumpur with his HELL/HEAVEN tour. This time, with REQUIEM, his 2025 world tour, covering the US, UK, Australia, and Asia, he has proven that good things do indeed happen more than once!
After months of anticipation, the singer finally took to the stage at Kuala Lumpur’s Axiata Arena, delivering a performance that felt more like an emotional journey than a mere concert. From the very first note to the final, breathtaking encore, the night was a majestic blend of vibes, vulnerability, and ethereal energy.
Setting the mood with a cinematic mash-up of “GABRIEL” and “Amen”, keshi’s voice cuts through the air, layered atop his shimmering falsetto in the backing track. The energy was palpable, with the audience singing along in unison. The lighting and visuals created a surreal, serene, and liminal atmosphere.
After the opening performances, the 30-year-old addressed the crowd: “KUALA LUMPUR, HOW ARE WE FEELIN’ TONIGHT?!” The Axiata Arena responded with cheers and screams, and the artist quipped, “Alright, this is already going to be the best show on the tour,” prompting even more cheers. After professing his love for the crowd, the action continued with “Kiss Me Right” and “Like That”, followed by another dose of honeyed nectar for the ears. The drummer’s catchy beats and rolling drum fills made following along both soothing and kinetic.
The night was alive like never before! Both keshi and the audience shared incredible chemistry, taking turns finishing the lines of each song. At one point, after “Like I Need U”, the crowd sang the original melody for “Beside You” while the vocalist improvised a harmony on top, turning the moment into a communal karaoke session.
The man of the hour began teasing the audience before the next song: “You guys ever get that feeling when you’re with someone, and you just feel like you’d do anything for them at that moment? Those little touches, the legs touching, the arms brushing? You focus all that brainpower on that thigh touching someone else’s thigh?”
keshi suggested that unsure couples would recoil at such a statement, and laughter filled the hall. It’s these personal touches that will be remembered as the years go on. In other words, the singer played with our “Soft Spot”—which came up next.
The set transformed into a more scenic and warm atmosphere, setting the tone for the next part of the setlist, which featured songs like “Texas”, “Dream”, and “Summer”. Here, keshi showcased his instrumental talent, peppering the instrumental sections of the songs with playful solos. One notable solo was the improvised opening for “LIMBO”, with intricate fingerwork and arpeggios.
The audience and the performer continued to vocalise their pleasure and harmony, surrounded by a sea of vibrant sepia tones and waving phone flashlights. One must not forget: after “Forever”, a member of the audience shouted, “I LOVE YOU,” to which Keshi whispered the same through the mic. What a charming display of charisma and reciprocity.
As the setlist evolved from sombre to more intimate and powerful, so did the lighting and visuals – but the next section took a different turn. keshi said, “There’s a competition I like to have every tour… to see which city has the loudest crowd.” An eruption of cheers and cries followed. The star then joked, “You guys used up all your stamina on that one cheer.” The real competition, however, was singing along with “Drunk” the loudest. Of course, the Malaysian competitive spirit was in the air, and keshi crowned Kuala Lumpur the loudest.
As we neared the tail end of the set, the pace picked up again, with songs like “Just To Die”, “War”, and “Bodies”. With the bass booming and the guitars shredding, the atmosphere became electric, charged with energy. The visuals and lighting shifted once more, this time seemingly inspired by vapour, smoke, and god rays.
keshi pulled out a heavy hitter from his previous tour, “2 Soon”, followed by “BODIES”, and ultimately melted it all down with “Euphoria”. For his encore, he dropped “Id”, a cherry on top of the show, which looked and sounded awesome.
Overall, the concert had little to no hiccups, with nothing jarring enough to break the immersion. The sights and sounds certainly live up to the hype and capture all the right vibes. The word “requiem” has several definitions, one of which refers to an act of remembrance. This concert is definitely one that will be etched into our memories, almost like a brain tattoo.
Gan contributed to this article.
