This April, renowned Malaysian multi-instrumentalist/DJ Belle Sisoski is collaborating with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) for an MPO concert unlike any other.
The MPO and Belle Sisoski: Ethnosphere is a “classical crossover” concert that weaves orchestral music with energetic EDM and traditional instruments.
Before the concert on 11 April 2026 at Dewan Filharmonik PETRONAS (DFP) KLCC, get to know who Belle Sisoski is with this exclusive Q&A interview, where she shares her life stories, like her music upbringing from a young age and her experience working with MPO on the concert:
1. Share with us your fascination and advocacy towards traditional and ethnic instruments, which are important elements in your performances.
Belle: My fascination with traditional and ethnic instruments comes from my upbringing. I started music very young because of my mother, who is a music teacher and ethnomusicologist. She studied traditional Iban music in Sarawak, so I grew up surrounded by both classical training and indigenous instruments. That early exposure shaped the way I hear music and understand culture.
As I grew older, I began exploring electronic music production and performance, which expanded my world even more.
“I realised I did not want to choose between the different musical worlds I came from — I wanted to fuse them.
That eventually led me to develop my own sound, which I call Ethnic-Cinematic-EDM: a blend of Malaysian and Southeast Asian traditional instruments, cinematic orchestral elements, and electronic dance music.
My advocacy comes from a very real sense of responsibility. Southeast Asia has such a rich musical heritage, and I believe these instruments deserve to be heard not only in preservation and evolution. Bringing them into contemporary, cinematic and energetic spaces helps introduce them to new audiences around the world while keeping their spirit alive. For me, it is about cultural storytelling.
2. Throughout your music journey, what are the key highlights, milestones or memorable moments in your career?
Belle: Some of the major milestones in my career have been touring internationally and now, preparing for this concert with the MPO. This upcoming performance is definitely one of the biggest moments of my career so far. I have always written music cinematically, so working with a full orchestra feels like the natural evolution of everything I have been building. It feels like the music finally has the space to expand to its full potential with the MPO.
3. How do you feel about your upcoming concert with the MPO?
Belle: I feel excited, honoured and deeply grateful. Performing with a full orchestra is a childhood dream come true for me. This concert represents years of growth, experimentation, and believing in a sound that did not really exist before in this form.
Performing in festivals is very different because the focus is mostly on my solo performance and on leading the energy outward. But with an orchestra, my role expands significantly. I am leading the energy, responding, listening and sharing space with so many musicians at once.
“It pushes me to be more present, more intentional and more sensitive in the way I perform.
I have always written music cinematically, so working with a full orchestra felt like the natural evolution of my sound. The music finally has the space to expand to its full potential with the MPO. More than anything, I hope this concert allows people to feel something real.
“If my music makes someone feel seen, understood or simply alive, that is the greatest gift I could ever receive.”
MPO
4. The second half of the concert will be dedicated to the MPO’s interpretation of your songs from the album ‘ETHNOSPHERE’. Share with us the special elements and your feelings on the album.
Belle: ETHNOSPHERE is a five-part musical journey exploring human transformation through elemental philosophies. Each chapter represents a stage of awakening:
The Revival (Wind) symbolises the first breath of questioning purpose
The Revelation (Earth) represents grounding and the rediscovery of identity
The Resistance (Water) reflects the push and pull of emotional struggle and flow
The Revolution (Fire) embodies the courage and passion to burn away the old and transform
The final chapter, The Reincarnation, reflects the idea of impermanence where identity is not fixed but continuously arising and passing through the forces of solidity, flow, heat and movement.
Together, these works form ETHNOSPHERE, a sonic world where Southeast Asian heritage, orchestral grandeur and electronic music converge to tell a story of renewal and human evolution.
“It is one of the most personal bodies of work I have created because it carries my sound, inner philosophy, heritage and my way of making sense of transformation as a human being.”
5. What is the unique factor of this concert with the MPO which fans cannot witness elsewhere?
Belle: What makes this concert unique is that it is Malaysia’s first Ethnic-Orchestral-EDM concert. It brings together three worlds that are rarely seen on this scale in one performance: Malaysian and Southeast Asian traditional instruments, a full symphony orchestra, and electronic dance music.
The MPO materialises the scale of the cinematic storytelling in a way that cannot be experienced elsewhere. It gives the music a much bigger emotional and sonic dimension. It also shows the versatility of the MPO because this is not the kind of show audiences get to witness often. The MPO is now reaching out to a different audience demographic through many of its non-classical concerts, and I think this concert is a beautiful example of that openness and experimentation.
The ambience is also completely different with Asia’s best acoustics at Dewan Filharmonik PETRONAS. This is not your typical sit-down classical concert. The energy is so alive that people will want to get up from their seats and dance.
The concert itself is divided into two distinct segments. The first half of the concert explores the different musical worlds that shape my sound, through iconic orchestral repertoire, original works and popular remixes. The second half is the main highlight: ETHNOSPHERE.
Songs performed at the concert have been reinterpreted with an orchestral touch by arrangers such as Ilham Subri, Azhad Sulaiman, and MPO’s Resident Conductor, Gerard Salonga (pictured).
6. How do you conceptualise this concert with the MPO?
Belle: I conceptualise it through ETHNOSPHERE, the five-element suite. At its core, the concert is built on three pillars: ethnic instruments as cultural representation, orchestral music as cinematic storytelling, and EDM as driving, pulsing energy.
7. How can anyone who has never experienced a ‘classical-crossover’ concept be enticed to watch this concert?
Belle: You do not need to understand classical music to feel it. This concert is designed to be immersive, emotional, energetic and unique. It is meant to feel like a musical journey with a rollercoaster of emotions.
At the heart of it are the three aforementioned elements. So, whether you are drawn to tradition, film-like emotion or powerful ‘live’ energy, there is something here for you.
What also makes it exciting is the ‘live’ performance aspect. I will be performing on multiple instruments, both classical and Southeast Asian traditional instruments, while singing and DJ-ing together with the MPO.
“It is not your typical sit-down classical concert. There will be moments where the energy invites people to rise from their seats and dance.
There really is something for everyone: orchestral lovers, traditional music lovers and electronic music fans alike.
8. Who do you want to reach with this concert?
Belle: I want to reach everyone — long-time supporters, new audience, and people of all ages, including those who have never attended a concert like this before. I really believe this is a concert with something for everyone and for anyone who simply wants to feel something meaningful through a ‘live’ performance.
“More than anything, I want this concert to connect with the audience.”
9. Any special message or shout-out to your fans in conjunction with this concert?
Belle: Thank you for being part of this journey with me. This concert exists because of your support, belief and willingness to grow with me through every phase of my music.
Don’t miss this “classical crossover” concert from Belle Sisoski and MPO!
Tickets for The MPO and Belle Sisoski: Ethnosphere are now on sale! Here are the available ticket categories:
- Premium: RM 399
- A Reserve: RM 349
- B Reserve: RM 299
- C Reserve: RM 249
- Suite: RM 449 | RM 499 per seat (includes light refreshments)
Plus, you can enjoy special discounts if you’re a MyKad holder, a Senior Citizen, or a student. Simply apply the following promo code upon checkout with a valid ID:
- 10% off for MyKad holders (Promo code: MYKAD10)
- 15% off for Senior Citizens (Promo code: SENIOR15)
- RM 149.50 for students (Requires a valid student ID and can only be purchased at the Box Office counter)
*Dress code: Smart casual. No slippers, sneakers, shorts, or round neck T-Shirts.
Tickets are available for purchase here.
Catch The MPO and Belle Sisoski: Ethnosphere this 11 April 2026 @ 8PM at Dewan Filharmonik PETRONAS, PETRONAS Twin Towers.
Get your tickets for MPO x Belle Sisoski’s concert here, or follow MPO for more info:
Also read: MPO X Belle Sisoski: Experience a Night of Orchestral Music, EDM with Traditional Instruments
