09/06/2025

LYFE MONDAY | JUNE 9, 2025

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Maestro of Tamil cinema o Thenisai Thendral Deva to perform in Johor for first time on Aug 9 T HE Gaana King, Thenisai Thendral Deva, is set to return to Malaysia for a mega concert. Presented by SPPS Production in collaboration with

ALBUM REVIEW

iGP Production, the event will take place in Johor, marking Thenisai’s first-ever concert appearance in the state. Fans can look forward to an unforgettable night of music, energy and nostalgia as the legendary composer takes to the stage to perform his signature hits. Thenisai, one of the most iconic music composers of Tamil cinema, holds a special place in the hearts of 90s kids and his legacy continues to thrive to this day. He dominated the music scene with his infectious tunes and unforgettable melodies, many of which remain fresh in the minds of fans across generations. Known as the “King of Gaana”, Thenisai was instrumental in popularising the gaana genre, delivering chart-topping numbers that became instant classics. His music has been and continues to be a soundtrack to countless memories. The concert is set to take place at 5pm on Aug 9 at the Educity Sports Complex, Iskandar Puteri, Johor. This concert features a star-studded line-up of artistes coming together to celebrate the legendary composer’s timeless hits. Joining Thenisai on stage will be celebrated singers Mano, Anuradha Sriram, Sabesh-Murali and Srikanth Deva, along with popular Super Singer talents Ajay Krishna and Priyanka. Together, they will bring Thenisai’s iconic songs to life in a high-energy live performance that promises to captivate fans of all ages. Tickets are now on sale, with early bird prices starting from RM91.80. exceeded all expectations. The British drama series, focusing on a teenager accused of murder, has become a global sensation and entered the pantheon of the most-watched series on Netflix, ahead of the juggernaut Stranger Things . Who would have guessed that a dramatic miniseries about adolescents in distress would be able to compete with the giants of the Netflix catalog? And yet, Adolescence , launched in March 2025, has just reached an impressive milestone with 141.2 million views, according to the latest rankings released by Netflix. This figure

Tracy Chapman’s triumphant re-debut TERMS such as “classic”, “groundbreaking” and “evergreen” are often bandied about but in the case of Tracy Chapman’s eponymous debut album, all those plaudits and probably more apply. It is with good reason as well. It was truly a phenomenal piece of work which the singer-songwriter struggled to live up to with later albums, conceding she had a lifetime’s worth of experiences to draw from for that debut record. It sold six million (physical) copies in the US alone and 20 million worldwide, meaning she never has to work again despite lacklustre sales of her later albums. But what a debut it was. Released in 1988 on the Elektra imprint, the album sold by the truck loads as music lovers everywhere fell head over heels in love with Chapman’s impassioned delivery of tunes that told of escaping poverty, domestic strife and hard times. Originally recorded in the span of eight weeks at producer David Kershenbaum’s studio – Powertrax – Chapman’s songs caught everyone by surprise as it began to dominate radio at a time when glam rock and synth pop ruled the airwaves. This was no Madonna- or Richard Marx-type bubble gum pop. This was serious music – sincere, authentic and exceptionally produced. Though the songs were crafted as solo pieces accompanied just by an acoustic guitar, the producer set about putting together a crack band to bring these fantastic tunes to life. Boy, did these ace musicians, which included bassist Larry Klein and percussionist Paulinho da Costa, flesh out the sound with their contributions. Given the confessional nature of the songs, an unobtrusive sound was required and the assembled musicians really did do justice to these poetic gems. Which brings us to the recently released vinyl reissue, which was a close collaboration between the singer and the original producer. And what a magnificent job they have done. Every instrument on every single track has been elevated to new heights and this is not just pushing up the “loudness” button. Each is carefully measured and inserted to allow the song to carry its emotional weight without sounding bombastic. Highlights of this exceptional 35th anniversary edition include For My Lover and Baby Can I Hold You . The bass tone on the former is just to die for while the latter is heavenly in its smoothness. Praise alone will not do this 180g vinyl edition justice. The CD version simply pales in comparison. Released on April 4, it has taken some time to reach local music emporiums but it is finally here. Most are retailing it above RM200 but one particular shop in Amcorp Mall, Petaling Jaya – The Groove – has sealed copies going for a very reasonable RM145. Grab it while stocks last as this is pretty much as good as it gets without stepping into silly money audiophile territory. The 35th anniversary vinyl reissue of Chapman’s debut album is a cut above the original CD version. – R.BALA/THESUN Ű BY R.BALA

For the concert, Thenisai will be joined by a star-studded line-up of artistes.

Thenisai is adored for his Tamil film music work. – PIC FROM INSTAGRAM @WONDER VISUALS

Unexpected hit Adolescence tops Stranger Things THE Adolescence phenomenon has

Awards in New York, after the miniseries picked up three prizes. “This was a small, colloquial piece that was made with love, respect, humility and dignity, and we treated the subject with... care and conviction.” The miniseries could also garner several nominations at the upcoming Emmy Awards, which are set to be announced on July 15. Co-produced by Plan B, the company co-founded by Brad Pitt, Adolescence follows the story of a 13-year-old boy arrested for the brutal murder of a classmate. Behind this fictional story, however, the co-creator has said that he was inspired by several real-life tragic cases in the UK. “Where it came from, for me, is there was an incident in Liverpool, a young girl, and she was stabbed to death by a young boy. I just thought, why?” explained Graham to Radio Times . “Then there was another young girl in south London who was stabbed to death at a bus stop. And there was this thing up north, where that young girl Brianna Ghey was lured into the park by two teenagers, and they stabbed her. I just thought, what is going on? What is this that is happening?” In first place, the first season of the series Wednesday starring Jenna Ortega maintains its lead with 252.1 million views, topping the list of the most-watched English-language series on Netflix. – ETX Studio

puts it ahead of season four of Stranger Things (140.7 million), an unexpected achievement for a production that is far removed from the conventions of the fantasies or thrillers that tend to tally up the most users. The miniseries had already zoomed to renown in April by climbing to ninth place in the ranking of the most popular English-language series of all time on Netflix, surpassing the performance of the third season of Stranger Things . “We are overwhelmed for you to embrace us the way you have,” said Stephen Graham during the Gotham TV

Netflix miniseries Adolescence consists of four episodes. – NETFLIXPIC