The local independent scene is never not at odds. First, we never do enough. Next, we do it too much. That is probably the nature of a scene trapped inside a never-ending quest for identity. This time though, the debate and the discourse sparked inside an echo chamber called Threads, perhaps the worst kind to exist.

The discourse circled around how Indonesian music is dominating the Spotify Malaysia charts, and from that, a conclusion arrived: the local music industry is dying. Then the content floodgates opened. The podcasts, the interviews, the Threads discussions, all grew like poison mushrooms, so adamant to prove that yes, yes, local music is long dead here. Rest in peace local music. May your soul find peace and your memory bring comfort.

But an echo chamber can only go so far. In the hip-hop scene, we are witnessing a new wave that has dominated the ears and hearts of those who actually care. Collectives and groups like Slatan and 53UNIVERSE have carved their way into streaming playlists, clubs and festivals. Midlyfe, who first came together in 2019, have proven in recent memory that they are only just beginning.

In April, the collective members and siblings Eemrun and Dannqrack announced a showcase to promote their first album together, MENARA BERKEMBAR. You probably already know how it went. It sold out within 48 hours. A second day was announced. Sold out in an hour. Up until the Day 1 show, people were still scrambling through resellers just to get a piece of the experience. The Threads discourse can keep threading, but these independent artists are selling out a 700-capacity venue across two nights with ease. If baseless conclusions can be drawn from screenshots of Spotify charts alone, then the success of Midlyfe should already be prompting another one. So who’s going to make that call?

I arrived on Day 1 an hour before the doors opened. Fans came in groups: baggy pants, crop tops, pink shirts, sparkly makeup, colourful vapes in hand. All looking like they had not yet lived through their first general election. While I was busy observing, at least two passersby approached me out of curiosity, asking why there were lines of kids forming at the entrance. I told them there was a concert happening inside the tower. One man, who I assumed was in his 60s and had probably never had to utter a single word of “DUFFLEBAG” in his life, asked if the artist was local. I nodded. He smiled and walked away.

Before the fans headed up to Level 50 of Naza Tower, I spoke to some of them, asking how they secured their tickets, what made them fans in the first place and much more. Here is what they shared.

Amidah, Nabila & Nana

Amidah, Nabila and Nana, plus their other friends, arrived at 4:00 PM although the doors only opened at 6:00 PM. They were the first ones there.

For Amidah, getting here at all was already a win. The year before, she had missed the Morelyfe concert. This time, she was not about to let that happen again. She had woken up early one morning when she noticed tickets were still available. She bought them on the spot and went to class after, probably the most productive morning she had that week.

Nabila and Nana, both 19 years old, became fans of Dannqrack and Eemrun through the song “3:00 AM”, a track the duo released during the 2020 lockdown when they were still teenagers.

“I’m like an OG fan,” said Nana.

They came to the Menara Berkembar showcase for the experience and the connections made along the way which was already a success, considering they had just met Amidah and her friends and got along instantly.

Adam, Zaim, Mirul & Dini

Adam, Zaim, Mirul and Dini will be the first to admit they were not always Midlyfe hardcore fans.

“I was a hater first. I didn’t understand the kind of music they were making,” one of them said, laughing. But the music found them eventually. Now, Midlyfe is the soundtrack whenever the group piles into a car. Menara Berkembar, to them, is especially fire, and there is nothing else like it in Malaysia.

“It’s a phenomenon here,” one of them said.

I was curious about their opinion on the discourse. So I asked them the big question: If Indonesian music is thriving here, does that mean ours is not?

“I feel like it’s so easy to fall in love with local music. And if it’s not, you can just move on to the next one,” Zaim said. The rest of the group agrees.

“The success of Indonesian music here does not mean local music is dying. Both can thrive at the same time,” he added.

Nia

Nia was in her university class when the poster for MENARA BERKEMBAR dropped. She bought a ticket immediately, having become a new fan who fell in love with the album upon hearing it for the first time. Her favourite track is “JAUH”, also a crowd favourite off the album.

She had expected the tickets to sell out fast, given how much the album elevated Dannqrack and Eemrun’s profile. Still, she cannot understand why the duo is not getting the exposure from mainstream media that they deserve.

“It’s not fair. Why do other people get the spotlight and not them?” she asked.

Dan, Airil & Luna

Dan, Airil and Luna have been in the hype since 2021. They watched the growth happen in real time and weren’t surprised when the tickets disappeared fast.

“They already sold out the Morelyfe show so I knew the same energy would carry over,” Airil said.

They love the culture Midlyfe brings and the new sound they introduce compared to what dominates the mainstream. They feel that autotune-driven music is already the norm everywhere else and that Malaysia needs it too.

Putera & Aqil

Putera had just woken up when a friend sent him the poster, which prompted him to buy the ticket immediately. Aqil was in the middle of getting his driving licence done when his friend persuaded him, and he bought it on the spot. They have been into the local hip-hop scene since 2022.

Beyond Midlyfe, they love rappers like Nielnoi and Astral Angels. “To me, they are built different,” Aqil said. “I’m always on the lookout for rappers who love to experiment with their music.”

Qistina & Syahmi

Syahmi has been a fan since 2021, when he was 13. He missed out on Day 1 tickets but before he could even start negotiating with resellers, Day 2 was announced. Qistina, who is not particularly familiar with Midlyfe music, helped him secure the tickets anyway. This is her first concert.

Daniel, Mika, Alif, Daniel & Zaif

What should a group of friends from Kuantan do when they are in KL? Catch the hottest concert in the city, of course.

When they found out about the show and that both days had sold out, they immediately scoured around asking resellers for tickets. They succeeded without disclosing the exact amount they paid, only that it was above RM80, higher than the door price.

They have been fans since 2023, having first gotten into Midlyfe at around 14 years old. They made a massive Midlyfe flag themselves, first waving it at the Morelyfe concert in 2025.

Daniel stood out easily in the crowd because he was wearing a jubah, in contrast to his peers in leather jackets and baggy pants. So I had to ask him for his fashion choice.

“I wanted to stand out from the crowd and look different from everyone else,” he laughed.