The most anticipated party for music lovers around the nation, H-Artistry – The Global Art of Mixing 2016, brings a spectacular night of world class performances once again. The event, known for having a stellar line-up of musical acts from a range of genres featured Mad August, Tinashe, HyunA and DJ Crizzly. Held at the Malaysia International Exhibition and Convention Centre (MIECC) in Mines Resort City, the highly awaited H-Artistry 2016 saw party goers coming together for one of the best music events this year.
The 2016 installation of the widely popular event was also streamed live for the very first time on the official H-Artistry site, giving music lovers around Malaysia the chance to catch their favourite acts no matter where they are. The live show gave viewers an exclusive look into what went behind H-Artistry 2016, from red carpet interviews with international acts to exclusive backstage looks with some of the H-Artistry performers and collaborators.
Always evolving and reinventing itself, H-Artistry 2016 elevated the Global Art of Mixing through a new heighten context of collaboration, merging music, art, taste and fashion in a celebration of those who dare to dream. This year, H-Artistry provided a platform for Malaysian talents from different backgrounds to showcase their abilities, collaborating at the event to create a new Art of Mixing experience.
The night highlighted 4 local up-and-coming Malaysians at the top of their game to curate a one of a kind experience for guests, Angel Ng a bartender from PS150, Andrew Tan a mixologist and owner of HYDE, Hugh Koh co-founder of Southeast Asia leading street wear label Pestle & Mortar and Jun Ong a light artist and architect by profession, were given the freedom to design not only the cocktails that were served but also the overall look and feel of the rooms.
Guests were amazed as they entered the first of two distinctively unique rooms. Curated by Hugh Koh and Angel Ng, the Pride and Precedent room’s setup showcased a journey; one of lifestyles with roots in South East Asia. Being trail blazers in their fields among Malaysians, Angel and Hugh’s room was a testament to their national pride. Hugh’s installation featured t-shirts hanging from the ceiling with images of Southeast Asia projected onto them. “South by Southeast”, the cocktail curated by Angel also carried the same theme, with hints of rice wine, ginger and gula Melaka all mixed with Hennessy V.S.O.P, it was the embodiment of a true Malaysian cocktail which definitely had guests craving for more.
The second room, dubbed The Blooming Spark room by Andrew Tan and Jun Ong, was a tribute to how greatness can bloom from the simplest spark of inspiration. Light artist Jun Ong created an interactive light sculpture in the shape of a spark which got guests capturing and sharing images throughout the night. The theme of the room of blooming into greatness was also translated into Andrew’s cocktail. Fittingly named “In Full Bloom”, the main source of inspiration for the cocktail was flowers, creating a drink that balances the masculinity of Hennessy V.S.O.P with sweet and floral notes of Jasmine and Elder flower.
Kicking off the main show with a special, surprise collaboration, local artists Daniel V, Jin Hackman and Sean Lee showed guests the essence of H-Artistry and the global art of mixing, bringing each of their own distinct and individual styles for a one of a kind show. The surprise performance featured an orchestra which contrasted with Jin’s rap and Sean’s beat boxing.
With everyone ready for a great show, Malaysia’s very own Mad August was the first of the headliners to take the stage. Their interesting take of modern rock only heightened the atmosphere as the crowd cheered on, proving just why they’re one of the most successful Chinese local bands to date.
As the room buzzed with energy, guests were once again stunned as Tinashe emerged on stage, performing some of her biggest singles as the crowd sang and danced along. Although the stunning 23-year-old singer/songwriter is new to the scene, her addictive and distinct R&B sound showed why she is currently one of the most hyped up performers from the US despite her young age.
The night continued with the party in full swing while guests were still on a high, however, the mood grew immensely as HyunA made her appearance on stage, sending the crowd into a frenzy of excitement. The popular South Korean singer’s infectious and catchy pop tunes got the crowd even more excited as they roared in ground shaking exuberance, singing along to her hit songs.
Soon after HyunA’s set, DJ Crizzly was introduced as the closing act of the night. The San Antonio DJ and producer ignited the crowd with a contagious and inimitable blend of trap, dubstep and hip-hop. Crizzly’s hard hitting sound was the perfect way to wrap up the show as guests continued to party the night away while in a state of complete euphoria.
H-Artistry – The Global Art of Mixing 2016 proved to be the event of the year, giving guests a super clubbing experience and an extraordinary night of amazing artists, delicious cocktails and of course, for the viewers at home, an exclusive look into an unforgettable show.