Lunadira has always been the kind of artist that wears her heart on her sleeve. 

Never one to shy away from difficult conversations and complicated feelings, the Malaysian singer-songwriter has always followed what feels right. Even as she settles in a new phase of her career, Lunadira continues to ground herself on what is geniune and true. 

You hear it in the songs that fill out her quaint yet impactful discography, but even more so in the way she speaks about her music. The 'Crazy Dizzy' act is full of drive, compassion, and sincerity, never wanting to settle yet knowing when it's time to let go. It's a process she's really come to know these days as she pieces together her first-ever album. 

"The only way for you to go forward with your work is to basically just let go of whatever that you want, no matter if you think it's good or bad, or whatever. Even though it's a debut album and there's a lot of pressure, it doesn't matter if I know who I am or not, I just want to talk about it," she tells Bandwagon. 

Lunadira's sincerity has taken her far, even recently landing her on the famed COLORS stage SXSW earlier this year; but this summer, she's coming home. The singer is set to return to Malaysia's Good Vibes Festival this July for the first time since 2018, which she shares is a chance for her to show everyone just how far she's come. 

Before she brings us to our feet (and maybe to tears) at Good Vibes this summer, Bandwagon caught up with Lunadira to talk about learning and growing, exploring new avenues in her debut album, and preparing for her upcoming "homecoming" performance. 

What's it like returning to Good Vibes Festival again?

It kind of feels like a homecoming, to be honest, because I am someone that regularly goes to Good Vibes. So the last time I was there was in 2018, to perform. That was kind of my first festival show ever and it wasn't really the best performance I've ever put on. So I'm excited to return, to bring along all the experiences and all the other shows that I've done and like to basically put on a better show than 2018. This time, it's going to be with a with the full band so that's always a nice, I prefer to actually have a lot more people on stage.

What are your preparations looking like this time around?

I'm gonna be honest with you, like the rehearsals felt way more intense the last time I performed at Good Vibes. It's not by choice—one of the reasons why I took my time with rehearsals, especially to start rehearsals, is because I am actually in the middle of finishing an album. So, trying to figure out which song to perform at Good Vibes has been quite nerve racking and trying to figure out how to basically arrange the whole show, there's a lot more thought that needs to be put in.

The actual practicing part has been kind of... well, we [only started last week]. Some artists might be like, 'what the f*** are you doing' you know, like, but because I have such a good band with me and they understand my process, [I'm not that worried]. They're actually excited to perform the new songs and I can't wait to show them. The songs that are not gonna be released until maybe after Good Vibes so that's exciting.

 

 

 

 

 

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Do you have a pre-show playlist that you listen to when you get ready for the show?

I don't have particular playlists, I actually don't listen to a lot of songs before [a show] which is weird. But I think it's because I prefer to just meditate. The only songs I will listen to are just very mediative songs.

But we do have a ritual where Reddi Rocket and I tend to do this thing where we would—it's gonna sound weird without me demoing but basically, you clasp your hands together and the other person is basically just gonna slap it in between their palms. It's to give you like a mini-shock so that you just forget about your nerves for a second. We do that to each other before we step on stage, they just slap your hands or basically imagine someone else's hands arec clapping on your hands.

What has been your favourite festival experience so far? Is there a difference for you as an artist and as an attendee?

I went to a lot of festivals when I was younger. I feel like it's a weird experience to kind of work as a performing artist... I would say it was way more fun to go to festivals before I started performing because you don't know what's going on, you're just enjoying the show. But I would have to say that most of my favorite festival moments are the ones that I get to see the artists backstage wherever I had the chance. I was quite a groupie back then. which kind of explains my love for performing on stage (laughs).

As a festival goer, I would say Laneway in Singapore, that was around the time when Billie Eilish first started touring around Asia. That was when her set was way smaller, even though it was still her brother and a drummer but it's just way [smaller]. It was one of my favorite festivals I've been too. And most of the Good Vibes fests usually are quite fun, I'm quite excited to see how it's gonna be like in a different location.

 

 

 

 

 

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The last time you were at Good Vibes, it was 2018. Life has changed a lot since then, how do you feel you've grown both as a person and as an artist since that time?

Oh, that's a hard question. I've been talking about this to Reddi Rocket recently where it's just like, I haven't been noticing a lot of the things that I was so on about or at least excited about does not come as easy to me anymore and I feel like that kind of bleeds into the process of putting on a show. I'm not saying it's good or bad, I'm just saying it's different in a way where there's a lot more things to think about now, especially when I'm at this phase in my career.

I would say that my mindset towards performing has changed a lot. Back then it was very heavy on the 'oh my god, what are people going to think' or 'should I do this instead of that?' instead of focusing on the music. Now, it's more of just how can we have fun on stage and put on a good show. I wish I could go to my younger self and say: 'girl, if you're not enjoying yourself on stage, people are going to see it, and the energy you're giving them, they're going to give back'. That's been the biggest one, especially since I have had the opportunity to kind of perform in front of people that do not know who I am, seeing how that dynamic kind of works out, or doesn't work out. 

So, I really hope that when I perform in Good Vibes this year, it's more of just like: 'Hey, remember me back then? Did you see me grow? Let's just have this moment' instead of trying to pressure myself to be or do anything, you know?

What do you hope people take away from your set?

I always want people to have fun, even though some of my songs aren't very, you know? (laughs) I always encourage people to [do what they feel like] like if you want to sit down then just sit down. But I feel like the main takeaway is I hope they catch on to the lyrics, because most of the songs that I'm going to be performing are the new ones. They're from the album, and the album is quite a heavy one, in my personal opinion, because stuff that I talk about is very internal, a lot of internal monologues. I don't necessarily know how it's gonna reach them or if people will get it but I trust that they will. I hope that you will dance little, maybe cry a little, but it's all good, we'll have a wholesome experience. 

 

 

 

 

 

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Your music has always like seemed like a diary of your experiences, thoughts, and feelings and even from the way that you're talking about your upcoming album, it seems that way as well. What is it like sharing those with thousands of people, especially like on stage in front of them?

It depends. It depends on the kind of energy that I'm getting from the crowd, sometimes when I do feel that people are paying attention, I get way more vulnerable, and I feel a bit more conscious. There are times I wouldn't be surprised if I start crying on stage. There were times when I did get emotional, because I could just feel people just listening and I felt like that is one of the most—because you do a show and sometimes it's a hit or miss but when that moment happen, when you when they're just quiet and listening, that's when I'm just like 'okay, s***, I'm actually writing and telling them about what is wrong with me'. It does get quite intense but maybe I would say that that happens like one in 10 shows? 

What do you value most when you're making music?

Because the way that I make music is based on collaborations, the one thing that I really, really value is when there is a sense of understanding, connection, and belief in the project between me and the person that I'm working with. And that usually starts during our conversation before we start the song. What I realize about myself is I tend to work with people that I can have good conversations with. So, a lot of the producers that I work, their take on music is a little similar to mine, like in how do we find our identity in this soundscape, story, or whatever.

Yeah, so it's creative collaboration and having that synergy. I could just ask anyone to produce a song for me and for them to just send me your beats but that usually doesn't end up happening. I've tried it and it didn't work. If I can't talk to you or I'm not in the same room as you, I just don't feel it. There's no heart into it. It's a blessing and a curse, I would say.

You mentioned your new album, what can people expect from that?

It's my debut album so there's a lot of pressure. But I also would like to see it as more like, and I'm pretty sure you can relate as a creative, that the only way for you to go forward with your work is to basically just let go of whatever that you want, no matter if you think it's good or bad, or whatever.

So, with this album, I wouldn't say I spent a lot of time making the album because behind the scenes, there were a lot of things going on where it's like I'm going to take my time with this and then suddenly a lot of opportunities came. There has been a lot of mental games. I started making this album when I was like 'I know it's not good enough' or like 'I want it like this, like this' but at the end of the day, knowing what I have now, there's no right or wrong, there is no perfect album. What I know to be true about this album is that it is genuine.

It is something that I have never explored before, like telling people about whatever that I got going on up here that is preventing me from wanting to live properly, like a lot of the blocks in my head. I hope that translates well into the music. I wouldn't say it's a concept album, but it is a concept album in the sense of this theme that I'm talking about. Sound wise, I'm still experimenting with it. Even though it's a debut album and there's a lot of pressure, it doesn't matter if I know who I am or not, I just want to talk about it. 

Lunadira will be performing at Good Vibes Festival this 21-23 July at Kuala Lumpur's Sepang International Circuit. Festival passes are available for purchase here, starting at MYR 338.