Drummer, 56, dies mid-performance after collapsing over kit onstage at rock festival in front of horrified fans

A DRUMMER has tragically died onstage after collapsing as he and his band performed for a packed out festival crowd. Malaysian drummer, Raja Azreen Raja Talib fell unconscious while on stage after performing only two songs with his rock band Meditasi. The 56-year-old drummer collapsed on stage. Credit: Azreen Meditasi/Facebook Raja was part of Meditasi, a band that formed in the 1980’s Credit: Azreen Meditasi/Facebook During the second song of their set, frontman Bakaruddin Daud – also known as Burn – noticed the 56-year-old drummer slump over on his drum kit. Burn said Raja’s body “was already cold“, when he spoke with Malaysian newspaper Berita Harian. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! He said: “I rushed towards him, but I could feel that he was gone, “I called and patted [him], but there was no response.” He added that Raja showed no signs of being ill before he went on stage at the Teruntum Rock Festival in Malaysia. Burn later revealed that the late drummer had recently been diagnosed with diabetes. Raja was very passionate about music Credit: Azreen Meditasi/Facebook His band members will continue to perform in his memory Credit: Azreen Meditasi/Facebook After Raja collapsed, he was rushed to Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital and given respiratory assistance. Unfortunately, he was pronounced dead due to heart complications. Most read in The Sun Burn said that he was “deeply affected” by Raja’s death, as they had known each other for decades. Burn handled all of the funeral arrangements, according to Raja’s brother, Azman. Azman shared that the drummer was hospitalised in June due to heart issues. He said: “He was hospitalised twice; the first stay lasted two to three weeks before he was admitted again. “It is possible that extreme fatigue took a toll [on his heart], He added that Raja “went straight” from a BMX competition to performing at the music festival. Raja was very passionate about sport and had continued to compete in events after his health had improved. Meditasi, which means Meditation in Malay, was active in the 1980s and 1990s and disbanded before reuniting in 2015. The band has more than 46,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. 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. Comment now