Malaysian alternative rock band Servants has officially launched their debut album tour, marking a significant milestone in their eight-year journey as a band.
The “Love Shouldn’t Hurt This Much” tour successfully opened on 9th August 2025, at RUAS in Penang, bringing the emotional depth of their debut full-length album to live audiences for the first time.
A Long-Awaited Live Experience
For Servants – comprising vocalist Amirul Nazreen, guitarists Imran Khoo and Afif Jaafar, bassist Muhd Ridzuan, and drummer Rohaizad Rahmat – this tour represents more than just promotional dates. It’s the realisation of plans that were derailed during their 2019 EP era when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of their intended touring schedule.
“This is our first tour ever,” the band explains. “When we released our EP ‘Holding On While Letting Go,’ we had planned a tour that couldn’t happen due to the pandemic. Now we want to gain new experiences by managing this tour ourselves.”
Strategic Route Planning
The three-city tour was carefully planned based on direct fan engagement. Rather than following traditional touring routes, Servants conducted their own survey among followers and listeners, identifying the locations with the highest demand for live performances.
“We conducted a small survey among our followers and listeners, and from many states, these three locations received the highest number of requests for us to perform,” the band reveals. This data-driven approach to touring reflects a modern band’s direct relationship with their audience, bypassing traditional industry gatekeepers.
Remaining Tour Dates:
- Ipoh – 17th September 2025 at Ladyboss
- Johor Bahru – 4th October 2025 at Embrace Hall
DIY Ethos & Community Building
Servants is managing this tour completely independently, using it as a learning experience. “We want to find new experiences by managing this tour ourselves. It’s a starting point to see the potential and challenges in managing a tour, before we plan something bigger and more organised in the future,” they explain.
At each stop, they’re featuring 2-3 local bands as opening acts. “We believe there are many great talents in these states that lack exposure,” the band states. “We hope that with this opportunity, more people can discover and appreciate their work.”
This approach turns each show into a celebration of local music scenes, perfectly matching the independent spirit that has defined Servants since 2016.
Taking Their Music To New Territories
The challenge for any band touring behind a deeply personal album is translating intimate, emotional material to live settings. “Love Shouldn’t Hurt This Much,” released 15th November 2024, deals with heavy themes including mental health struggles, addiction, loss, and trauma across its nine tracks and 31-minute runtime.
Songs like “Contrast,” which tackles addiction through complex time signatures, and “Past Midnight,” featuring collaboration with Dean from Kids on the Move about battling overthinking, present unique challenges for live interpretation. The album’s centerpiece, “Selamanya Bukan Milik Kita,” originally features keys, strings, and poetry that require creative solutions for live performance.
Beyond these artistic challenges, the tour serves strategic purposes for geographical expansion. “We want to bring our music to states we’ve never visited for live performances,” they explain. This expansion into new markets is crucial for building a sustainable touring career and developing the fanbase necessary for future, larger-scale tours.
Join The Movement
With two dates remaining, Servants is using this tour as a stepping stone for future plans. “Our main objective is to expand our reach and introduce our music to new listeners,” they explain. The DIY approach has taught them valuable lessons about managing everything from logistics to promotion.
The tour proves independent Malaysian bands can thrive while lifting others up. Don’t miss Servants’ final shows in Ipoh (27th September) or Johor Bahru (4th October) for a true celebration of local alternative music.
