Raja Azreen Raja Talib, drummer of Malaysian rock band Meditasi, died at 56 after he collapsed onstage during a festival. The band was playing at Teruntum Rock Festival in Kuantan, Malaysia, on July 18, when Raja Azreen slumped over his drum kit during the second song of the performance.
Meditasi’s vocalist, Bakaruddin Daud, recalled seeing his bandmate collapse and rushed to check on the drummer. Raja Azreen was then brought off stage and taken to the hospital.
“I rushed towards him, but I could sense that he was already gone,” Bakaruddin told Malaysian publication Berita Harian. “I called out to him and tapped him, but there was no response. His body was already cold.”
The drummer’s brother, Raja Azman, revealed to the publication that he was unresponsive at the hospital despite attempts to revive him. “He was given respiratory assistance, but he did not regain consciousness or respond after the collapse,” said Raja Azman. The drummer was pronounced dead just after 11 p.m.
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As Bakaruddin also noted, “The fans were quite alarmed when they saw what was happening.” Additionally, he revealed that his bandmate seemed to show no signs of illness or health issues prior to his sudden death.
However, Raja Azreen’s brother shared that the drummer had recently been diagnosed with diabetes. He was also hospitalized with a heart condition. The vocalist confirmed this, but also felt that his bandmate seemed to be feeling better at the time of the festival.
“He was really happy to meet up with friends. He didn’t appear sad or unwell,” said Bakaruddin. Additionally, the frontman said he was “truly shocked and deeply saddened” by the death of his friend and bandmate.
Raja Azreen’s brother shared more details about the drummer’s health concerns while speaking with Berita Harian. “He was hospitalized twice; the first stay lasted two to three weeks before he was admitted again,” said Azman. He also felt it was likely that “extreme fatigue took a toll,” as Azreen had just been at a BMX competition before playing the festival.
When Azreen’s health improved, he returned to BMX competitions alongside his band. But his brother admitted that this may have put too much stress on his heart that day.
Meditasi formed in the 1980s and found success during Malaysia’s booming rock scene of the 90s. Raja Azreen was a founding member, alongside Bakaruddin and guitarist Rosli Ahmad. The two had known each other for decades, and Bakaruddin was “deeply affected” by his friend’s death. He handled all the funeral arrangements, according to Azreen’s brother.
Photo by Raja Azreen Raja Talib/Meditasi Facebook
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