The fans—over 16000 of you—have spoken and the judges have deliberated, whittling down a 190-strong field down to 12. This year’s edition may have seen less submissions than last year, but the judges felt that the quality was higher overall, with a good number of very strong competitors. That said, there was still only room for 12, so some tough decisions had to be made. But that’s all in the past, so, without further ado, here are the top 12 finalists listed in order of live showcase:
Ipoh, Perak (August 4 @ Khizanat Hall)
- Faris Fuad & Konfederates
- Wickweaky
- HACKTICK!
Kuala Lumpur (August 12 @ ATAS by Bijan FX)
- Allester Shaun
- Integers
- Mad & Rissa
Kuantan, Pahang (August 19 @ Coastal Store)
- Leaism
- Whizzers
- Kapow
Kota Kinabalu, Sabah (August 25 @ TBC)
- K-Clique
- Islands
- Retreo
As with last year’s Vans Musicians Wanted live showcases, each showcase this year will feature one established guest act. Ipoh will see self-proclaimed “local trash heroes” Muck hitting the stage, KL will feature an appearance by long-running ska-punk act Johny Comes Lately, folk-pop trio The Impatient Sisters will play in Kuantan, and Kota Kinabalu retro-rockers The Jethroes will bring their swagger to their hometown stage.
Facebook event pages for all four showcases will be up soon, do stay tuned to our social media channels for updates when they go live. All the live showcases will be free, so come by!
Curious about how the judges selected the finalists? Check out the competition’s about page for a short overview.
