The fun quintet of Back2Basixx are not afraid of setbacks and hard work to realise their ambition, writes Loong Wai Ting.
IF soothing vocals and a cappella harmonies are your jam, check out Back2Basixx.
The local vocal harmony group comprises Kyle G, Christian Theseira, Brendan Aloysius, Devon C and Daryll Nathaniel.
Clad in buttoned-down shirts and jeans, the boys later put on sharper attire for a photoshoot at the New Straits Times photo studio in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur recently.
Shy at first, it didn’t take long before they returned to their old selves, poking and making fun of each other.
“Oh, you haven’t seen the best of us yet,” exclaimed Kyle, when asked about the group’s chemistry. “It is still very early in the morning for us. You should join us for lunch later, that’s when we reveal our true selves,” he said, giggling like an amused child.
Banter aside, the easy-going members quickly settled into their seats, where Kyle introduced them as “a man-band, not a boyband”.
“We started in January 2014 by chance. Before this, we were all busy with our own individual bands and solo projects. One day, my cousin Christian and Devon had a show and I went to support him. And Brendan was there to support Devon because they are godbrothers. We all met after that and decided to form a group,” Kyle said.
The band then started performing covers of other vocal groups like Boyz II Men and N’Sync and loved the way it sounded.
“Since we grew up listening to groups like Boyz II Men, All4One and The Temptations, we thought this might not be a bad idea. And the girls loved it!” said Kyle.
“We had our first performance in Taman Petaling in Petaling Jaya, where Daryll had a show there. While we were practising, Daryll took out his guitar, and the rest, like they say, is history,” he added.
As for the group’s slinky name, Devon explained that they think it’s cool.
He said: “There’s a deejay with the same name, minus an x. Triple x’s may send out the wrong message, so double x’s feel safer and cool at the same time.”
The band’s new single, Senyuman, is getting much airplay on the local Malay radio stations and online streaming platforms such as Spotify.
“Daryll came up with the whole idea of Senyuman. One of our friends, Natasha Lityana helped us with the songwriting as well. Once we had the draft, the five of us sat down and worked out the harmonies,” said Devon.
“The song is about smiling through your trying and sad times. It’s a tribute to those who have been supporting us and have been through thick and thin with us,” he added.
When it came to the language selection for their songs, Kyle said the band did not classify their songs according to language.
He added: “Although technically some of our songs are in Malay and English, we’d like to label it as Malaysian songs.”
Having collaborated with Indonesian singing sensation Anggun on A Rose In The Wind, Back2Basixx will be working with local songstress Ning Baizura next in an upcoming new Raya song.
The band met up with Ning last year when they both performed at the Tom, Dick & Harry Flood Relief campaign to raise funds for those who were affected by the floods in the East Coast.
Two new singles and a debut album are also in the works for the band.
“Our next single is tentatively titled Bujang Lapok 2.0, followed by Sayangku. We wrote Sayangku in our first year together and it’s inspired by our past relationships.
“The song means a lot to us. As for the new album, expect around six to eight new songs,” said Kyle.
Below, the band shares more about its music and plans.
Any moments where you don’t agree with each other?
Brendan: We always have disagreements, even with our own families. But it’s always for the best of the band. Although we argue a lot, at the end of the day, it’s through our hardships and struggles that we become stronger and tighter as a unit.
Who calls the shots?
Christian: We try to compromise. We put together everyone’s opinions and break it down, before coming to a logical conclusion. It’s what brought us to where we are today.
Apart from performing, you’re also involved in the creative aspects of the band.
Kyle: Each of us has a role to play in the band besides performing. For example, Brendan is involved in the fashion side, Devan on social media, Daryll on the management side and so on. We just manage it, no way around it.
Daryll: I once came across the quote: “Beyonce has the same amount of hours as you, if she can do it, so can you”.
Where do you get inspiration from?
Kyle: I normally get inspired sitting at the mamak, watching people living their lives. Being in my own zone helps with my writing process as well.
Best advice you’ve received so far?
Daryll: Someone respectable in the music industry actually told us to quit. It was years before we established ourselves as a band. We were told that we didn’t look the part and we are not marketable as a group. We were given options to either go on a solo career or split into smaller groups of two or three. At that moment it was quite a depressing thing to hear, but it pushed us even harder.
Just like the Chumbawamba song, “I get knocked down, but I get up again, you’re never going to keep me down”.
Chris: If we ever meet this person again, I’ll just say hello and thank him for the advice. If no one told us that, we wouldn’t be where we are today. We’ll let our success do the talking.
What’s the band’s plan for the rest of the year?
Chris: Finalising our new album and focusing on our music. As for gigs, it’s everything in between. There’s a promo tour coming up as well.
Follow them on Instagram at @back2basixx and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/back2basixx/