Singapore singer-songwriter / rapper Masia One is pleased to announce a brand new release with the arrival of ‘Wait In Vain’, in collaboration with Indonesian prince of ska and soul, Denny Frust, released 21st October via Nusantra Records.
A love song to our best memories, Masia explains: “When I first got this beat from producer Kevin Perkins, I noticed that whenever I was in a bad mood I would put this instrumental on and feel uplifted and calm. When I finally penned the words for “Wait in Vain” I wanted it to capture this vibe. The lyrics describe some of my simplest yet happiest memories from driving oceanside with a loved ones to jumping in a car for a last minute road trip with friends. With the world opening up again, I imagine humming this melody this en route to my destinations, whether it’s visiting familiar places or opening a new chapter of adventure. Coming out of difficult time for many people, I wanted to release a song that could be a soundtrack to finding our way again – whether that’s reconnecting with loved ones, traveling to old haunts or just regaining a momentum and positive spirit. Wait in Vain is a chilled out reminder as we get back to our high speed hustles, to take the time to ‘taste this life’ because the sweetest moments could be like love on the wind ‘for a moment it blows'”.
Wait in Vain is that dreamy song you play at the end of an epic summer, an ode to the road trips and island vacays, to falling in love and creating your most colourful memories—a celebration of the moments that seem fleeting, with the music that keeps the good times. This modern day love song is a collaboration between artist Masia One, Singapore’s Queen of Hiphop & Reggae and Indonesia’s Prince of Ska, Denny Frust.
Fresh off his new release “Jagan Lupa Bahagia” which garnered over a million streams, Denny Frust perfectly compliments Masia One’s sing-song rap flow with his own signature, soulful crooning. At first listen, the song seems like a romantic dedication to that Summertime crush, when undeniable chemistry and attraction make us want to sing out loud “I don’t want to Wait in Vain for your loving!”
Wait in Vain, however, is not your typical love song. The laid back tempo, catchy melody, and sweet sentiments set the scene for falling in love with not just a person, but with the world that surrounds us. Denny’s soulful vocals cry out “Can you taste this life”, evoking imagery of cruising by the ocean, serendipitously exploring a tropical island or hanging with a friend on a lazy afternoon. It reminds us of the impermanence of good times, as Masia poetically answers “Love to the wind, for a moment it blows”.
Produced by Trinidad-based producer Kevin Perkins, the story of Wait in Vain is carried by an inspired mix of a lo-fi Hip-hop rhythm, memorable Reggae guitar strumming, and soulful melody lines. Perkin’s Ragga-inspired Caribbean flavours meet Masia One’s pop driven melodies to craft a magical mood, reminiscent of songs like Amindi, Tessellated and Valleyz “Pine and Ginger“, H.E.R. & Skip Marley’s “Slow Down“, or Tems “Crazy Tings”.
Fittingly, the music video for Wait In Vain was shot in Langkawi, one of Malaysia’s destination islands. Together with Denny Frust, Masia One explores beaches, waterfalls, and hidden gems around this island paradise. The video also features spaces and businesses owned by friends in the local musical community, including I-Mangroove Cafe, Natty Hostel, and SB Skate Bowl—showcasing the incredible impact of these creative entrepreneurs on their community.
Not to mention, this release is accompanied by an NFT drop, which offers special access and discounts at the venues featured to the NFT owners, inviting regional audiences to experience the vibes of the song and video in person!
Whether it’s your soundtrack for longing for that special someone or your anthem for living in wanderlust, Wait in Vain is the song you put on to shake up your mood for good. This unique collaboration between Masia One and Denny Frust evokes positive vibrations that will undoubtedly inspire—wherever or whoever you are.
MASIA ONE
Born in Singapore and raised in Canada, Masia One broke stereotypes for Asian and female artists in Toronto’s bourgeoning Hiphop scene. She earned her stripes working from L.A. to New York as a song writer and creative consultant with studio Kops & Robbers, and later moved to Jamaica to record at Bob Marley’s Tuff Gong Studios. Now this artist is reconnecting with her roots in SE Asia and re-emerging as the #FarEastEmpress. Masia One is an artist, entrepreneur and cultural ambassador.
After graduating in Architecture from the University of Toronto, Masia set out on an unlikely path of becoming a full-time Hiphop artist in Canada. This ground breaking journey paved the way for her work with top artists and producers such as Che Pope (Kanye West, Jay-Z, Lauryn Hill), Pharrell Williams, John Frusciante, RZA (Wu-Tang Clan). Her music has been featured on Netflix series including Tiny Pretty Things, Snow Piercer, Wu Assassins, Altered Carbon and Fast & Furious 8. Most recently, her songs found a double feature in FAKES, a CBC Gem series featured on Netflix (Sept 2022).
Beyond the music, Masia shares her wealth of experience and knowledge and has been featured as a keynote speaker on such platforms as Giglife Pro, Kult Creative and Culture Cartel. She recently stepped into the role of creative director for crypto based music label DAORecords, assisting talents to on-board into Web3 platforms and communities.
Upcoming releases include “One Away”, a follow up duet with Denny Frust and Nusantara producer Jahwise (Nov. 2022), and a full length Masia One release in 2023, Fly Fienix (2022) alongside long time collaborator DJ ALX.
IG @masiaone
Youtube youtube.com/masiaone
Website www.masiaone.com
Spotify | Apple Music
Website masiaone.com
DENNY FRUST
Indonesia’s Prince of Ska Denny Frust, rose to fame in the metropolis of Jakarta’s music scene as the front man of 8-piece Ska band called Monkey Boots, releasing 2 full length albums to national acclaim. Denny launched his solo career in 2016 with “Tiada Beban”, an EP of classic soul songs set to a Reggae back beat, that saw the vocalist tour Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan to delighted audiences. His unique and infectious vocals are the product of his East Nusa Tenggara and East Java blood lines, raised in Surabaya. With over 10 top ten releases to his name, Denny Frust is a phenomenal songwriter and voice, set to share his music to international platforms.
IG @dennyfrust24
Youtube Denny Frust Official Channel
www.masiaone.com
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KEVIN PERKINS
Kevin Perkins is the founder and passionate producer behind the label, TRBI Music Group / RBIslands. With over 30 years dedicated to developing his craft, RBI is an extension of his knowledge, as a platform to get artists heard and drawing from a wealth of experience in the music industry. Kevin has received accolades in Canada for excellence in production, winning “New Soca Song” and “New Soca Artist of the Year”.
With his foundation rooted in studio work like producing, recording, mixing and mastering, Kevin works with a range of cross continental talent from Toronto to Tobago. He uses his technical know how at live events, running the audio and lighting aspects of the show. Multitalented and ready to embrace a diverse range of genres from Soca, Afrobeats and Reggae, to Rock, Country, R&B and Hiphop – Kevin Perkins is a seasoned creator that continues to grow and elevate through his versatile sound.
IG @RBIMusicGroup
FB RBI Music Studios
Youtube RBI Music Group
Website RBI Music Group