Striking up the band
ONE of the best things that came out of the 1990s has to be the music, especially boy band pop music. While the girls went gaga over these suave sensations, the boys tried their best to imitate their style.
However, what Back2Basixx is trying to achieve is to bring back the great vocal harmonising from that bygone era, while keeping their sound in line with modern times.
Formed in 2014 “by accident”, the boy band comprises members Kyle G, Daryll Nathaniel, Christian Theseira, Brendan Aloysius and Devon C.
“Brendan and I knew each other for a long time, and we were at Laundry Bar to support Devon and Christian, who had their solo shows then.
“Once they finished, we decided to sing a couple of songs from Boyz II Men at the show. We took about five minutes to prepare, and the response from the crowd was fantastic,” Kyle recounted.
Some time later, the group roped in Daryll while practising at a playground in Petaling Jaya.
“Daryll had a show in Merdekarya, and he joined us with his guitar. We sang a few songs and discovered that we were perfect together,” Kyle told theSun.
The group has since performed alongside artistes such as Ning Baizura and Indonesian singer Anggun, and was the opening act for Usher at the 2016 Formula 1 Petronas Malaysia Grand Prix concert. The quintet was also nominated for Best Vocal Performance in a song (group) category at the 22nd edition of Anugerah Industri Malaysia (AIM) last year.
Nathaniel, 27, shared that Back2Basixx plans to release several songs – including a spin on Tan Sri P. Ramlee’s Bujang Lapok – and an album this year, following the release of its debut single Senyuman in the middle of 2016.
Why the name Back2Basixx?
Kyle G (K): Christian and Brendan came up with ‘Back to Basics’, and we were all in accord with the name. The ‘2’ is a homage to Boyz II Men, and the double x is because the name ‘Back 2 Basix’ has been taken.
Daryll Nathaniel (D): We want to bring back music from the 90s – boy band vocal harmonies with modern sounds. We try to be old school yet modern.
Tell us more about your next single.
D: Our next single is a version 2.0 of Tan Sri P. Ramlee’s Bujang Lapok song, featuring new lyrics and melody. We want to pay homage to him, as he is the art and music legend of Malaysia. Interestingly, the movie is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year.
K: We have redone the song and included slang words such as lepak and mamak. We want to tell the story of a bachelor in this era, while reflecting on Malaysian culture, language, and lifestyle.
Isn’t the 90s a little outdated?
K: The Malaysian music scene is missing exactly that. In the 90s, we had bands like Innuendo, 4U2C, Shades, and Ruffedge. We feel that it’s the right time to bring it back. And it’s not just going back to the 90s. We took the time to research current sounds, and incorporate modern feels with good vocals.
What are your thoughts on bringing your music into the international market?
K: We, Malaysians, listen to Korean music and enjoy it although we don’t understand the language. Likewise, people from China, the Philippines and Taiwan can enjoy our music. Like Yuna, we are in line with representing and promoting Malaysia overseas.
D: According to Spotify, the top five demographics of listeners of our song Senyuman come from Taiwan and the Philippines – listeners who do not speak the language but enjoy the song. If Yuna can collaborate with Usher, why not us? We aim for that too.
TRIVIA
Favourite food
K: Mum’s potato salad.
D: Lok-lok.
Spirit animal
K: Tiger.
D: Dog.
Go-to outfit
K: T-shirt and jeans – all black.
D: Anything black.
Fear
K: Cockroaches.
D: Bees.