Beat The System

Formed in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Beat the System drew from the American pop and alternative sounds of Creed, U2, and Maroon 5. Lead guitarist Stewart Sellan established the group, whose central lineup also comprised his brother Gerald Sellan on drums and as co-songwriter alongside Adrian Puan. From the mid-2000s onward, several of the band’s tracks appeared on various compilations, among them Disarseter Records’ Panic in the Peninsula (2005), Malaysia Indestructible: Spirit of Freedom (2009), and Sony Music Malaysia’s The Best of VIMA (2013). The 2012 single “Shine,” which spotlighted Malaysian Idol season one champion Jaclyn Victor, earned Song of the Year honors at both the Asian Voice Independent Music Awards and the Bite My Music Global Awards, another champion of Asian indie music. The trio subsequently joined Diana Meltzer’s Monster Hits Music roster and moved to New York City, where Puan continued to contribute songs from behind the scenes. Adding American lead vocalist May Leigh, the Sellans then commenced recording a debut album shaped by personal experiences within the group.