Beloved Drummer Dies Suddenly After Collapsing Mid-Show

Veteran drummer Raja Azreen Raja Talib died after collapsing during a rock festival performance in Malaysia last month. He was 56.

Raja Azreen was performing with Meditasi at the Teruntum Rock Festival in Kuantan on Saturday, July 18, when he collapsed during the second song of the band’s planned 10-song set, according to Malaysian outlets Berita Harian and the New Straits Times.

Meditasi frontman Bakaruddin Daud, also known as Burn, told Berita Harian that he saw his bandmate slump over his drum kit. Raja Azreen was then carried backstage, and an ambulance arrived at the venue within minutes.

“I rushed towards him, but I could sense that he was already gone,” the singer told the outlet of the moment, translated from Malay. “I called out to him and tapped him, but there was no response. His body was already cold.”

“The fans were quite alarmed when they saw what was happening,” Burn continued.

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Raja Azreen was taken to Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly before 11 p.m. local time, his older brother, Raja Azman Raja Taib, confirmed to Berita Harian.

The drummer reportedly died from heart complications.

“He was given respiratory assistance, but he did not regain consciousness or respond after the collapse,” the drummer’s sibling said, translated from Malay.

Meditasi formed in the late 1980s. Burn said Raja Azreen had shown no signs of ill health while the band rehearsed for the festival performance.

“He was really happy to meet up with friends. He didn’t appear sad or unwell,” Burn told the newspaper of his late bandmate.

Burn said he was “truly shocked and deeply saddened” by the drummer’s death.

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