The Martell Noblige Swift Festival 2025 recently concluded its latest edition at JioSpace, PJ, featuring performances from international headliners and crowning a winner in the Martell Noblige Swift Talent Quest Grand Finale. The surrealist-themed event attracted approximately 4,000 attendees and introduced several new experiential elements to this year’s programming.

The festival’s main stage showcased sets from Bassjackers and Wukong present Wujackers, Yihuik, and Suvin, each bringing distinct musical styles to the event. Wujackers delivered a big-room performance characterised by their fusion approach and enhanced by custom surrealist visuals created specifically for this year’s edition. Yihuik brought a contrasting atmospheric energy to the stage with her signature vocal-driven style, while Suvin maintained high energy throughout her set with a K-pop-infused performance that kept the crowd engaged.

Supporting performances throughout the evening came from DJ Exclusive Pete, DJ Nina, DJ Reeve, and DJ Svggy, with MCs Chan and Dnesh maintaining audience engagement and energy from the festival’s opening through its conclusion.

The festival marked the conclusion of the Martell Noblige Swift Talent Quest – DJ Edition, which saw six finalists—K1, Novern, Saucie J, TZ, X, and Yeow—compete in the final round. Each finalist presented sets that demonstrated their technical versatility and individual artistic direction. DJ Novern emerged as the 2025 champion, receiving RM30,000 in cash along with prize packages valued at RM128,000 to support the development of their career as an emerging DJ talent.

A notable new addition to this year’s festival was the Swift Playground Container Rave, a dedicated zone that provided a more intimate rave-inspired atmosphere distinct from the main festival environment. The space featured tightly curated sets from emerging talent within Malaysia’s electronic music and nightlife scene. Performers in this zone included Dirty Signal B2B Nahsyk, Chriz Ooi, Ms Sherine B2B Clyde, Sherry Alyssa, and Baby Yu, with additional sets from Noizefaktor B2B Suki, Mizzkiya, Bassattack, Andrew Ngo, and Ben. The container rave concept amplified the festival’s multi-zone approach while providing a platform for rising local DJs.

The festival’s surrealist theme was woven throughout the venue experience, with shifting visual worlds, large-scale projections synchronised to each performance, and atmospheric effects that evolved with the programming. Production elements were designed to create an immersive environment that complemented the musical performances.

Early arrivals to the festival were greeted with Swift Surprises, including the return of The Frozen Spark—a signature frozen Martell cognac presentation paired with a frozen grape ritual—alongside interactive installations that transformed throughout the evening as the event progressed.

The multi-zone festival format provided attendees with varied musical experiences across different areas of the venue, showcasing both established international acts and rising local talent while maintaining distinct atmospheres in each space.

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Photo credits: Martell Malaysia and the author’s own