Two weeks later, the magic still lingers

I am writing this blog post after listening back to the PSM Spotify Podcast published on 3 November. It brought back all the plans, excitement and little details we talked about before the festival, and I felt grateful and happy remembering how everything eventually unfolded.

This is my way of documenting the weekend from my own perspective, as someone who experienced the last festival and enjoyed every moment in good company.

The Planet Sheila Majid Festival 2025 (SMF25) weekend began with so much anticipation that even before the concert, the atmosphere among fans felt like a reunion years in the making. In the podcast, the excitement was clear. What started as a small group of Sheila Majid fans on Clubhouse has grown into a close community over the past four years, turning strangers into friends and weekly chats into meaningful bonds.

Two weeks after the festival, it feels good to look back at how the things we talked about in the podcast came to life, and in many ways turned out even better than expected.

Meeting Up Before The Festivities

The festivities began on Friday. I even took leave that day so I could have enough time to meet the Westin Hotel gang properly. The Westin gang consists of those who flew in from overseas or across borders to Malaysia, such as John from the US, Gina from Australia, Izzey from Singapore and a few out-of-towners such as Adrian, Izan, Irina and her sister, among others.

I reached the hotel around 2 pm, just after they had checked in, and instead of settling down, we headed to Pavilion KL for a meal together. It was the perfect way to kick off the weekend.

We returned to the hotel afterwards so I could pass them the tees for the crafting session. Crafting the tees turned out to be one of the most enjoyable pre-event activities. John, Admm, Victor, Desmond and Gina came up with very creative designs. Adding bling, sparkles and rhinestones brought plenty of laughter and set a cheerful tone for the weekend.

I stayed and hung out with everyone at the hotel until dinner time. Joey introduced us to Kampunglah at Raja Laut where we enjoyed delicious kampung-style food. Food was good but the company was even better. Of course, dinner was filled with some occasional dramas… haha!

We also met a few faces we had not met in person before, especially Aqila. Dinner ended around 11 pm, and we all headed home feeling excited for the next day.

We can never end our dinner without a group photo!

Bonds Strengthened Over Shared Moments

Saturday morning was relaxed. I did not stay at the hotel, but I met the group later at Axiata Arena as planned. Joey kindly offered to pick me up, and we reached Axiata Arena around 5.45 pm with plenty of parking available.

Just as the podcast described, the pre-concert meet-up became a lively and warm gathering. We started at Subway, catching up and welcoming more fans before moving over to the Ramly outlet and eventually towards the main entrance area.

Meeting New Fans And Rekindling Familiar Spirit

The podcast encouraged everyone to come up and say hello, and many did. Our black PSM tees, the sparkly touches and the cheerful energy of the group made us easy to spot. Curious fans noticed our custom tees and began asking about Planet Sheila Majid. People who came alone quickly blended into the group, and that sense of openness is something PSM has always embraced.

When The Concert Became A Shared Memory

The concert itself was amazing. The production, the performance, Kak Sheila’s energy and the music created a truly magical atmosphere. And what we hoped for actually happened. We had the incredible opportunity to take a group photo with Kak Sheila after the concert, a moment that all of us will remember fondly.

Post-Concert Glow That Carried Into Sunday

Post-concert makan became one of the highlights too. Hungry but still riding on the adrenaline from the concert, we shared our favourite moments and songs from the night. The late-night conversations felt like a natural continuation of the concert magic. By the time we wrapped up and went home, it was already around 3 am.

Sunday, A Meaningful Finale

Sunday did not go exactly as mentioned in the podcast. Instead of having nasi lemak, we gathered at Pavilion Damansara because a Sheila Majid pop-up event was happening there. Kak Sheila was scheduled to arrive at 4 pm to sign the limited edition vinyl boxset for those who purchased it.

To be honest, I initially did not plan to buy the vinyl boxset. However, when I saw that it was a limited edition and felt that familiar wave of FOMO, I bought it on the spot. No regrets at all, it became a special keepsake from the weekend.

While queuing to get our boxsets signed, we met even more fans and encouraged them to join our weekly sessions. It was nice seeing new faces taking an interest in PSM and wanting to be part of the community.

After signing our boxsets, it was time to head to our official dinner at Bungalow 37. There were easily more than 20 of us, and we were happy to have Kayda join us as well.

Like our previous gatherings, the night did not end with dinner. We continued with a karaoke session which turned into a fun and entertaining highlight for everyone, especially Izan, she was singing her heart out.. haha!. It was the perfect way to wrap up the weekend, filled with laughter, music and good company.

A Festival That Reminded Us Why We Started

Looking back, the festival was more than a concert weekend. It was a celebration of friendship, music, community and shared appreciation for Kak Sheila. The podcast laid out the plans, but it was the people who made the weekend memorable.

Two weeks later, the stories, laughter and warm memories from Planet Sheila Majid Festival remain with me. And as Kak Sheila always says, “May Music Keep Us Together”.