Drummer, 56, Dies After Collapsing Onstage 2 Songs into Rock Festival Set
Drummer, 56, Dies After Collapsing Onstage 2 Songs into Rock Festival Set
Bailey RichardsSun, August 23, 2026 at 7:00 PM UTC
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Raja Azreen Raja TalibCredit: Azreen Meditasi/Facebook -
Drummer Raja Azreen Raja Talib collapsed while performing with his band Meditasi at a rock festival in July
He was hospitalized but “did not regain consciousness or respond after the collapse,” his brother said
“I rushed towards him, but I could sense that he was already gone,” Meditasi’s frontman recalled of the moment
A drummer died onstage at a rock festival last month.
Raja Azreen Raja Talib was performing with his rock band Meditasi at Teruntum Rock Festival in Kuantan, Malaysia, on Saturday, July 18, when he collapsed and was pronounced dead shortly after, according to reports from multiple Malaysian outlets including Berita Harian and the New Straits Times.
The 56-year-old veteran drummer collapsed while the rockers, who formed the group in the late 1980s, were performing the second track of a 10-song set, Meditasi’s frontman and vocalist Bakaruddin Daud, also known as Burn, told Berita Harian.
Burn told the newspaper that he saw his bandmate slump over his drum kit as they were performing at the festival. The drummer was carried backstage and an ambulance arrived at the Kuantan venue within minutes, the lead singer said.
Raja Azreen was taken to Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital, where he was pronounced dead just before 11 p.m. local time, his older brother, Raja Azman Raja Taib, confirmed to Berita Harian. The cause of death was reportedly 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.
Malaysian rock band MeditasiCredit: Azreen Meditasi/Facebook
Burn recalled the moment Raja Azreen collapsed onstage in an interview with Berita Harian.
“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.
He also told the newspaper that he was “truly shocked and deeply saddened” by the death of his Meditasi bandmate, who he said showed no signs of ill health as the rockers rehearsed for the festival gig.
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“He was really happy to meet up with friends. He didn’t appear sad or unwell,” Burn told the newspaper of his late bandmate.
Raja Azreen Raja TalibCredit: Azreen Meditasi/Facebook
The drummer’s bandmate and brother both noted that he had been recently diagnosed with diabetes. His brother also said that the drummer was hospitalized in June due to heart issues.
“He was hospitalized twice; the first stay lasted two to three weeks before he was admitted again,” Raja Azman told Berita Harian of his younger brother.
Raja Azman also said “it is possible that extreme fatigue took a toll” on his brother’s heart, noting that the drummer “went straight” from a BMX competition to the music festival where he ultimately collapsed.
The Meditasi drummer used to run a bicycle shop and had a passion for the sport along with his passion for music, his brother said, noting that he had resumed competing in events after his health had improved.
Malaysian rock band MeditasiCredit: Azreen Meditasi/Facebook
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Meditasi, named for a Malay word that translates to Meditation, was active in the 1980s and 1990s, and disbanded before coming back together in 2015. The band has over 46,000 monthly listeners on Spotify.
Burn told Berita Harian that he was “deeply affected” by the death of the drummer, as they had known each other for decades. Meditasi’s lead singer handled all of the funeral arrangements for the drummer, according to his brother.
As for the future of the band, Burn told the newspaper that he and Meditasi’s guitarist, Rosli Ahmad, have not yet discussed it. He confirmed, however, that the group will continue to perform as they believe Raja Azreen would have wished.
on People
Source: “AOL Breaking”
