Two years ago, Martin Looi made the decision to pursue live performance as a full-time career. Since then, the violinist has been busy both with his own projects and studio work.
The 25-year-old musician is planning a major event for next year, a concert titled “Martin Looi And Friends,” featuring local artists.
Recently, Looi prepared to set a new Malaysia Book of Records mark for the “Highest Altitude Facebook Live Broadcasting Violin Performance.” He performed 300 meters above ground on the Sky Box of Menara Kuala Lumpur, playing the national anthem, “Negaraku,” on his acoustic violin.
The performance was captured by drones and conventional cameras for a live Facebook stream. A edited version of the performance will be featured on RTM’s Selamat Pagi Malaysia on August 31, in celebration of Merdeka Day.
Looi expressed his long-standing desire to perform “Negaraku” on the violin, recalling how he imagined creating something special with the national anthem during his school days.
Throughout his career, Looi has been passionate about bringing new interpretations to popular music. He began violin lessons at age five but found the classical training’s rigidity challenging.
“There was no room for improvisation, which I enjoy,” said Looi, who is of Chinese and Portuguese descent. “It would take months just to learn one piece.”
To express his creativity, Looi taught himself to play the guitar, experimenting with various music genres. He appreciated the freedom that guitar playing offered, noting, “There’s no such thing as a mistake.”
Despite considering quitting the violin at grade six, Looi persevered and earned his grade eight certificate at age 16. “After completing my exams, I started approaching the violin like I did the guitar, breaking the rules because I had the foundational skills.”
This new enthusiasm for improvisation and popular music led him to immerse himself in the Sydney music scene while pursuing a degree in audio engineering.
Upon returning home, Looi began working as a session musician with artists like Joe Flizzow, SonaOne, and Aubrey Suwito, and collaborated with Jaclyn Victor.
Looi also releases music videos on his YouTube channel and performs at various events, including gala dinners, award nights, anniversaries, launches, private functions, and corporate events.
In December last year, Looi released a five-track EP featuring three original songs and two covers, offering his unique take on Jungkook’s “Seven” and Sabrina Carpenter’s “Nonsense.”
