GENTING HIGHLANDS: In a spectacular debut, Malaysia's Supalapa Festival held from March 2 to 3 at Resorts World Awana, Genting Highlands has captured the hearts of music lovers nationwide, positioning itself as the country's leading music event.
Replacing the popularity of the renowned GoodVibes Music Festival, which faced setbacks last year, Supalapa has quickly risen to prominence, attracting over 20,000 diverse audiences with its stellar lineup of 40 international artistes and local talents across diverse genres.
Despite wet weather for both days of the event, festival goers remained undeterred, enjoying the performances and festivities. A long line of people queued at the entrance of the festival from early hours (for both days), eager for the gates to open at 1pm.
For obvious reasons, most Supalapa's attendees came to enjoy different music genres from an impressive array of international headliners, rising stars, and local talent, comprising famous Dutch superstar DJ, Tiesto and Paul Van Dyk as well as first Japanese K-Pop XG, South Korean singer and rapper Jeon Somi and Australian rapper The Kid Laroi as well as US-based Malaysian singer, Yuna.
The organisers, Maestro Production and Prodigy One Nation did a great job in curating the lineup as a number of credible local performers were included for both days of the festival.
These performances have been reverberated across two uniquely designed stages, amplifying the immersive auditory experience.
Somi and XG managed to draw the attention of almost the majority of the fans who came down to the festival.
One fan spotted coming all the way from Shanghai, China on day one just to see her favourite band, XG performing live on stage. XG announced plans for a worldwide tour, hinting at Malaysia as a potential hit location for their future shows.
Meanwhile, the second day of Supalapa featured headline performances from Tiesto and Paul Van Dyk, delighting electronic dance music (EDM) fans despite the rain.
Tiesto's set was particularly memorable, with the rain subsiding halfway through his performance, culminating in a magnificent fireworks display to end the show on a high note.
Complementing the music, the festival has managed to whisk attendees into a realm of exhilarating activities.
It provided a carnival-like atmosphere, with activities such as testing their power in a wrestling ring, experiencing the thrill of a Bali Swing, immersing themselves in the romance of a silent cinema and trying their luck at Carnival Games.
Beyond the music and activities, the festival offered a diverse culinary experience, with food vendors offering local favourites and international cuisine.
The festival also implemented a cashless payment system, using "Potatoes" (one Potato will be equivalent to RM5) as its currency, adding a unique touch to the event.
Ticket holders needed to top up their wristband with a minimum amount of RM50 if they wanted to purchase anything at the festival.
However, the festival faced criticism regarding the refund process for unused Potatoes, with some attendees expressing dissatisfaction and accusing the organisers of inefficiency.
In response to these concerns, the festival organizers have clarified that the refund process was clearly stated on their website.
Additionally, the organisers have announced that, on a goodwill basis, they will extend the refund process for another three days to accommodate those who have not yet received their refunds.
"We hope that this will provide ample time for the customers to make their refunds.
"The process is automated and valid refunds will be processed accordingly. Customers can write to us if they have any issues," they told the New Straits Times.
Despite these hiccups, the Supalapa Festival promises to be a significant economic driver, boosting tourism in Malaysia and generating millions in revenue.
With room for improvement, future editions of the festival hold the potential to further elevate Malaysia's position as a hub for arts and entertainment.