Malaysian drummer Raja Azreen Raja Talib died onstage at the age of 56 during a performance at the Teruntum Rock Festival in Kuantan, Pahang. The incident occurred on July 18 while Azreen and his band, Meditasi, were playing the second song of their set.
Bakaruddin 'Burn' Daud, the frontman for Meditasi, told Berita Harian Online that he rushed to Azreen's side after he collapsed. "I could feel that [he] was gone," Daud said, noting that Azreen was unresponsive and his body was cold. The audience became alarmed by the situation.
Bandmates carried Azreen backstage, and an ambulance arrived shortly after. He was transported to Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital, where he received respiratory assistance but did not regain consciousness. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Azreen's older brother, Raja Azman Raja Taib, mentioned that the drummer had been hospitalized twice in June due to heart issues and suggested that extreme fatigue may have contributed to his death. Before his collapse, Azreen had been diagnosed with diabetes and was managing his diet carefully.
Daud recalled that Azreen appeared thin in the days leading up to the festival but was otherwise not visibly ill. Azreen, who joined Meditasi in 1986, had instructed the band to wear all black for the performance, reportedly stating that "no matter what happened, the show must go on," especially as another band member was also not feeling well.
The band plans to continue performing, with Daud stating, "We are no longer chasing money, we just want to find friends and fill our free time."