French band has fans in M'sia thanks to its name: Mutiara Damansara
A French underground black metal trio can boast a diverse fan base that also includes Malaysians, thanks to its unique name – Mutiara Damansara.
After all, Malaysians recognise Mutiara Damansara as an upscale township in Petaling Jaya, Kuala Lumpur which also boasts the country’s only Ikea and a shopping mall called The Curve.
Vocalist-guitarist Charlize Ann Myers, guitarist Cyanure Nevermore and bassist Grumpy Woodcutter formed Mutiara Damansara in 2010 and have released three albums – Every Soul Is A Shining Star (2015), Pearls (2012) and Annual Winter Depression (2010).
In 2013, the band addressed questions from puzzled Malaysians on Facebook regarding their moniker.
They said they had been searching for an "exotic-sounding name". The trio have since realised that Mutiara Damansara is in Malaysia.
"What I just cared about when I chose the name was the sound of it, and I think it sounded beautiful," the band said in a post then.
Last week, a wave of new Malaysian fans took to Mutiara Damansara’s Facebook page to praise them on their unique sound, which combines metal with instrumental breaks.
Some even invited the act to Malaysia to play a gig.
The band replied in a post: "As you can imagine we cannot afford such a trip.
"But if there’s a strong will of Malay metalhead fans to see us play in your country, there’s always the possibility that (you can) contact your local promoters and metal associations, or even start a crowdfunding campaign to finance a few tour dates in Malaysia."
Well, it seems only right if they perform somewhere in Mutiara Damansara.
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