MTV WORLD STAGE LIVE IN MALAYSIA MARKS ITS FIFTH YEAR ON 8 SEPTEMBER WITH ROBIN THICKE AND FAR EAST MOVEMENT TO IGNITE THE STAGE
MALAYSIA’S HIP HOP ARTIST, JOE FLIZZOW TO ALSO PERFORM TO ABOUT 15,000 MUSIC FANS AT SUNWAY LAGOON
Returning sponsors Sunway and Xpax, with Suzuki joining the bandwagon
MALAYSIA, 25 JULY 2013 – MTV Asia, a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), today announced the spectacular splash back of MTV World Stage Live in Malaysia at Sunway Resort City. The much-anticipated outdoor music concert that is recorded live for global telecast marks its fifth year on Sunday, 8 September 2013, with international acts from Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S., Robin Thicke and Far East Movement who are set to ignite this year’s MTV World Stage with Malaysia’s own and one of Asia’s leading hip hop stars, Joe Flizzow.
The award-winning and multi-platinum artist, Robin Thicke, and Far East Movement are no strangers in Asia as they continue to be hot favourites in the region. Malaysia fans will also be pleased to hear the show will continue with Sunway Resort City as the event venue for three years starting 2013, in an announcement made at a signing ceremony between Viacom International Media Networks and Malaysia’s Sunway Group yesterday. MTV VJs Alan and Hanli will be hosting this year’s concert.
MTV World Stage Live in Malaysia 2013, to stage in front of a live audience of about 15,000 fans, is sponsored by Sunway Group, Xpax and Suzuki, and supported by broadcast partner, Astro. Local radio partners are hitz.fm, ERA fm, MY FM and MIX fm.
MTV World Stage is a global series that bring multi-genre talents with global relevance, telecast to an audience in over 550 million households. Recorded ‘live’ at the most exclusive gigs, world renowned music festivals and unique concert locations from around the world, the series is the ‘front row seat’ for music lovers to experience the biggest artists on the globe without leaving the comfort of their sofas. MTV World Stage Live in Malaysia is part of this platform that delivers the MTV brand experience not only on the ground with MTV fans in Malaysia, but with a global airing in 154 countries across MTV Networks. The Malaysia show is also MTV’s first originally-produced MTV World Stage event globally, which started in 2009.
MTV World Stage Live In Malaysia 2012 smashed all attendance records as over 18,000 people flocked to see global superstar Justin Bieber, K-pop sensations Jay Park and Kara, and one of Malaysia’s top artists, Mizz Nina perform live for fans, celebrities, dignitaries and VIPs in attendance.
ROBIN THICKE
Born in Los Angeles, Robin Thicke taught himself to play the piano at the age of 12 and by 16 was writing and producing songs for artists like Brandy, Color Me Badd, and Brian McKnight. By the age of 21, he had written and produced songs on over 20 gold and platinum albums including Michael Jackson, Marc Anthony, Pink, Christina Aguilera and others.
When Thicke released his single, “Blurred Lines” from his sixth and latest album, Blurred Lines internationally on 26 March this year, it made waves in the music scene. The song peaked at #1 on Billboard Hot 100 and continued to dominate the charts even after five weeks, while holding the same top spot on the Official UK Top 40 Singles Chart. It is the number one song on iTunes in 80 countries and has achieved over 1.5 million downloads globally.
In addition, Thicke’s latest video for “Blurred Lines” garnered more than a million views days after its release, with over 100 million views at the moment. At the recent nominations announcement of the 30th annual MTV “Video Music Awards” (VMA) that will air live from Brooklyn’s Barclays Center for the first time on Sunday, 25 August at 9pm ET/PT, Monday, August 26th at 8am (TH/WIB), 9am (SIN/MAL/HK/PH), the sexy video received VMA nods for “Video of the Year,” “Best Male Video” and “Best Collaboration”.
Songs from Blurred Lines feature work with the likes of T.I. and Pharrell, Dr. Luke, Kendrick Lamar, Timbaland and will.i.am. The album was released on 15 July and shot to the number one spot in national sales in over fourteen countries. It debuted at #1 on the Official Albums Chart earlier this week and the title track broke through the million copies barrier in the U.K. Thicke is expected to tour with Maroon 5 in Europe in January 2014.
For more information on Robin Thicke, visit www.robinthicke.com.
FAR EAST MOVEMENT
Far East Movement became international sensations when they made history with their 2010's platinum-selling "Like a G6" that became the first number one hit ever achieved by Asian Americans. Raised in Koreatown, Los Angeles, Kev Nish, Prohgress, J-Splif, and DJ Virman embody the pulse of contemporary Los Angeles: the pan-global fusion and the exotic and traditional rhythms.
Their debut album Free Wired was attuned to the high voltage frequencies of their Internet and social media-savvy fast life in downtown Los Angeles. Its overwhelming success ensured tours with everyone from La Roux, Lil Wayne to Lady Gaga, Rihanna to LMFAO.
FM is no stranger to Viacom as they performed at the Isle of MTV in Malta in 2011 and was MTV PUSH artist in the same year. They performed at MTV Japan's Isle of MTV Miyakojima this year. FM also created the theme song for animated children series, Monsuno, which airs on Nickelodeon, another of Viacom's brands.
Released in June last year, Dirty Bass is their finest moment yet. The first single, "Live My Life" is an anthemic all-night dance party featuring Justin Bieber, who was introduced to the group via Snoop Lion. Already a fan, Bieber and FM meshed beautifully over a track from red-hot RedOne (Nikki Minaj, Usher, Lady Gaga, J-Lo). It reached the top 20 of the Billboard charts and #2 on US iTunes and #7 on UK iTunes almost instantly. Earlier this month, “Turn Up the Love” from the same album was announced to be featured on Just Dance 2014.
FM’s collaboration with Bingo Players “Get Up (Rattle)” hit the number one song on UK iTunes in January 2013. Far East Movement are currently working on their fifth album and they just released their new song "Illest" featuring Riff Raff earlier this month.
For more information on Far East Movement, visit www.fareastmovement.com.
JOE FLIZZOW
Joe Flizzow is one of Asia’s leading hip hop stars. Since the release of his award-winning English album, The President, in 2009, Flizzow has performed across the world, including Australia, U.K. and Asia. He is also the founder and CEO of his own record label, Kartel Records, the biggest independent hip hop label in Malaysia. Flizzow’s debut label release was Made Men: Volume 1 in 2010, which included the lead single, Who Do It Better that was a chart-topper on mainstream radio. In the same year, Flizzow made his TV debut as a celebrity judge on 8TV's award-winning reality dance competition, Showdown. His expertise in hip hop music and ability to spot great talent was integral to the show’s success.
Flizzow recently created, conceptualized and executive produced Hip-Hoppin Asia, a travel show that sees him linking up with hip hop peers in seven Asian countries as they take him on the beaten path to destinations unfamiliar to the common tourist.
This year, Flizzow will release his first full-length Malay language album, showcasing a lyrical flow and rapping style unique to Malaysian hip hop.
MTV will be announcing additional artists and on-air premiere details in the coming weeks.
WIN MTV WORLD STAGE CONCERT PASSES
MTV World Stage passes are not for sale and may be won by fans playing a real-time and interactive multiplayer game on worldstage.mtvasia.com.
For the first time, avid MTV fans can access the game on both the computer and mobile device, gaining around-the-clock opportunities to score the concert passes. MTV Asia is arranging to give away passes as instant wins to participants through multiple game sessions every hour every day.
Residents of Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore and The Philippines will have the opportunity to win a paid trip to attend MTV World Stage Live in Malaysia 2013. The online game contest starts 29 July and ends 27 August. Contest terms and conditions will be available on the website.
NEWS UPDATES ON SOCIAL MEDIA
In the weeks ahead, fans can get firsthand information by following MTV Asia on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for news updates on MTV World Stage Live in Malaysia 2013.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/mtvasia
Twitter: www.twitter.com/mtvasia
Hashtag: #worldstagemy
MTV WORLD STAGE LIVE IN MALAYSIA 2013 SPONSORS’ NOTES
MTV World Stage Live in Malaysia 2013 is proudly presented by returning sponsors Sunway Resort City and Xpax, while Suzuki joins as the latest sponsor for the first time.
"Sunway and MTV, combined, is a powerful proposition. Together, we represent content of global interest at a magnificent destination," said Tan Sri Dr. Jeffrey Cheah, Founder and Chairman, Sunway Group, adding that, "there is no really better way to forge this bond and connect our youths to the world, and the world to Malaysia than through the universal language of music. It is a natural progression that we want to not only continue to grow with MTV, but consider potential collaborations across other Viacom brands."
“Xpax is excited to ignite the MTV World Stage event once again, making this our sixth consecutive year working alongside this popular music video channel. This partnership lives up to our brand promise as a one-stop platform that personifies youthful exuberance whilst empowering the young at heart in experiencing the once-in-a-lifetime feeling of being able to own the day and night just the way they want it. Our support of MTV World Stage is in conjunction with our recent launch of Xpax24, a new prepaid brand that offers the best rate for voice, video calls, and SMS in the country, allowing our customers to stay constantly connected within the most anticipated music event of the year,” said En. Zalman Aefendy Zainal Abidin, Chief Marketing Officer of Celcom Axiata Berhad.
About MTV
MTV is the world’s premier youth entertainment brand. With a global reach of more than a half-billion households, MTV is the cultural home of the millennial generation, music fans and artists, and a pioneer in creating innovative programming for young people. MTV reflects and creates pop culture with its award-winning content built around compelling storytelling, music discovery and activism across TV, online and mobile. Outside of the United States, MTV is part of Viacom International Media Networks, a division of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. For information about MTV in Southeast Asia, visit www.mtvasia.com.
About Viacom International Media Networks
Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN), a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), is comprised of many of the world’s most popular multimedia entertainment brands, including MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, BET, Paramount Channel, VH1, VIVA, COLORS, Game One and Tr3s: MTV, Música y Más. Viacom brands are seen globally in more than 600 million households in 170 territories and 37 languages via more
than 200 locally programmed and operated TV channels and more than 550 digital media and mobile TV properties. For more information about Viacom and its businesses, visit www.viacom.com. Keep up with Viacom news by following Viacom’s blog at blog.viacom.com and Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/Viacom.
About Sunway Resort City
Sprawling 800 acres, Sunway Resort City is an engineering tour de force which has garnered global recognition, and is certified by Green Building Index as Malaysia’s first green township. Located just 20 minutes from the nation’s capital of Kuala Lumpur, Sunway Resort City is flanked by over seven million square feet of world class facilities, and attracts some 40 million visitations every year. It comprises an enviable portfolio of more than 7,000 residential and commercial units, in addition to the multi award-winning hospitality, retail, leisure, healthcare and education components. Sunway Resort City is also regarded as a safe city, and continues to stand as the nation’s only integrated resort city epitomising the hallmark “resort living within a city” in which a legion of communities live, work, study, play and shop in a safe and secure environment. Today Sunway Resort City remains as one of Southeast Asia’s most important and preferred tourist destinations.
Sunway Resort City is an ingenious creation of Sunway Group that brims with life, continued vitality and a flourishing ecology. Sunway Group, established in 1974 as a tin-mining company, has now thrived to become one of Malaysia’s most formidable property-construction groups, with a multitude of established businesses in more than 40 locations worldwide. Sunway Group comprises 11 business divisions namely Property, Construction, Hospitality, Retail, Leisure, Commercial, Trading & Manufacturing, Building Materials, Healthcare, Education and Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT).
About Xpax
Xpax is Celcom Axiata Berhad’s main prepaid brand and represents more than half of Celcom’s total of 10.1 million prepaid subscribers. Xpax is a brand that personifies every minute of one’s time, offering the best value and unbeatable call rate from as low as 2.8 sen per minute. In addition, Xpax is also about empowering the young at heart in experiencing extraordinary and amazing once-in-a-lifetime feelings. Got X Time. www.xpax.com.my.
About Suzuki
Suzuki Motor Corporation designs and manufactures passenger cars, commercial vehicles, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), outboard motors, and other products. The Company continuously and vigorously promotes technical cooperation through numerous joint ventures overseas, and its main production facilities are currently located in 20 countries and regions overseas. The established network enables Suzuki to operate as a global organization serving 200 countries and regions.
Suzuki Motor Corporation was first established as Suzuki Loom Manufacturing Co. in March 1920.
Suzuki then entered the motorcycle business with the introduction of “Power Free” motorized bicycle in 1952, and entered the automobile business in 1955 with the introduction of “Suzulight” mini car.
Suzuki is committed to use its amassed technological expertise and all other available resources to help raise the quality of human life in society by promoting corporate growth through manufacture and supply of socially demanded products.
About Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is the global music leader, with wholly owned operations in 60 territories. Its businesses also include Universal Music Publishing Group, one of the industry's premier music publishing operations worldwide.
Universal Music Group’s record labels include A&M/Octone, Angel, Astralwerks, Blue Note, Capitol Records, Decca, Def Jam Recordings, Deutsche Grammophon, Disa, Emarcy, Fonovisa, Geffen Records, Interscope Records, I.R.S., Island Records, Lost Highway Records, Machete Music, Manhattan, MCA Nashville, Mercury Nashville, Mercury Records, Motown Records, Polydor Records, Republic Records, Universal Music Latino, Verve Music Group and Virgin Records, as well as a multitude of record labels owned or distributed by its record company subsidiaries around the world. The Universal Music Group owns the most extensive catalogue of music in the industry, which includes the last 100 years of the world’s most popular artists and their recordings. UMG’s catalogue is marketed through two distinct divisions, Universal Music Enterprises (in the U.S.) and Universal Strategic Marketing (outside the U.S.). Universal Music Group also includes Global Digital Business, its new media and technologies division and Bravado, its merchandising company.
