Cover image via @bigbootytwofive (Instagram) & MISTER TWO FIVE (Provided to SAYS)
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You'll know MISTER TWO FIVE when you hear him. And chances are, you won't forget him.
He's awkward. Like, endearingly awkward.
"I live a pretty regular life," he tells SAYS.
"I go to university, come home, make music, and keep a tight circle of friends. I'm also the type of guy to hyperfixate on things."
And that hyperfixation comes with… well, a lot of thoughts. "There's probably something wrong with me but I think it's cool. MISTER TWO FIVE is like my outlet for all the thoughts I don't get to express. I have many thoughts. Too many thoughts. Some people might say I've got weird energy but who gives a f*ck, I think being weird makes you so much more interesting," he laughs.
That hyperfixation is kind of his thing.
Case in point: after tasting an especially good masala chai at a wedding, MISTER TWO FIVE spent the next three months perfecting the brew until he became, in his own words, "the god of masala chai".
Naturally, that obsessive streak bleeds straight into his music.
So… what kind of name is MISTER TWO FIVE, actually?
It started as a line in one of his early songs: "Two fives usually a 10, but with the pen infinity ain't aimless," he shares.
The mantra is about striving for perfection he knows he'll never fully reach, which, oddly enough, makes the art even better.
Fans caught onto the name after a live show, chanting it back at him until it stuck. "After my first time playing that song, my friends started calling me MISTER TWO FIVE and I really liked the way it sounded," he explains.
And just like that, the name stayed.
MISTER TWO FIVE's latest album, STATE OF THE ART*, was born out of frustration
"That album was a product of my disappointment in the Malaysian music industry," he reveals. A scammy label deal at 19 left him questioning the integrity of the people holding power behind the scenes.
Instead of letting it sour him, he channelled everything into the record — critique, confidence, weirdness, and a brutally honest look at what it feels like to create in a country that doesn't always know how to value its own talent.
It's deeply personal. "Every line on this album was a product of my thoughts and perspectives… If I hear a beat that inspires me, lines start forming on their own in my head," he says.
The track STATE OF THE ART* kicks off with the lyric, "Three times the hours for half the recognition," a line that pretty much sums up his relationship with the industry and his craft.
Growing up in Malaysia shaped the way he hears sound
"I think I approach music the way Malaysians approach food," he muses. Like tofu sambal.
"You often find tofu sambal in Indian shops to go along with rice, gravy, and veggies. But sambal isn't even an Indian dish. That's Malay influence. And tofu was brought to Malaysia by Chinese settlers. Somehow we've blended parts of each culture to make this f*cking delicious side dish," he explains.
That same mindset carries into his music.
"I don't like to think in genres. I just make what sounds good to me, blending rock, funk, hip-hop, and R&B in a way I enjoy," he shares.
Messy on paper. Delicious in practice.
Behind the polished tracks and confident delivery is a process most people never see
"Weeks on end of self-doubt… feeling hopeless that anything I'd do would be significant enough," he admits.
That weight is compounded by the reality that local audiences don't always show up for homegrown talent.
"You'd have to be delusional to think you have a shot at succeeding from within Malaysia. Luckily, I'm pretty delusional," he adds.
His aesthetic reflects that same honesty
"I love when things look, sound, and feel gritty.
"I'm tired of the NPC beats, lyrics and videos. Gimme some spice," he says.
And he means that literally and figuratively. That desire for texture and imperfection runs through everything he does, from his lyrics to his beats to the way he presents himself as an artiste.
Unpolished but intentional.
So what should you take away from STATE OF THE ART*?
"I hope people walk away inspired. Great art is empowering to me. I'd love it if my work can hold the same power for others," he said.
Even when he's off-stage, he's still in 'artiste mode', scribbling lyrics on the train home from university, but when he tunes out, it's usually jazz, funk, R&B, or hip-hop filling his ears
As for collaborations, he's currently working with friends from the collective OUT THE MIDDLE!, a group focused on spotlighting Malaysia's indie music scene.
Fans can expect a new EP from MISTER TWO FIVE and a show in the near future, though details are still under wraps.
And if you're wondering what he would tell you to do after reading this?
"Go make art. Go be your own person. Don't take everything you see on the Internet at face value. F*ck AI music. Go to your nearest Indian rice and dishes shop and get a meal with tofu sambal (I had a solid one at Usha Leaf in PJ)," he shares.
Because in his world, music and masala chai share a principle: perfection is elusive, obsession is fun, and weirdness is always welcome.
Listen to MISTER TWO FIVE's songs on Spotify here:
This feature is part of the #saysplaylist series, providing your playlist with a breath of fresh Malaysian air
If you have any Malaysian bands, singers, or songs that you think we should feature, drop us a message!
