AMERICAN singer-songwriter Jason Mraz is often described as the “man of hope in a hat”. He rarely takes off his trademark headwear while strumming his acoustic guitar on stage, and his songs are never about sadness or pain.
Having last performed in Malaysia in 2019, he was clearly delighted to return to Bukit Jalil — this time at the National Hockey Stadium.
There, he entertained more than 8,000 fans from near and far for a good three hours, giving them another unforgettable evening.
Belting out 18 of his evergreen hits, he also shared several heartwarming stories, including his childhood fondness for Halloween and its glowing pumpkins.
Fans arrived at the stadium as early as 6pm, braving heavy rain and hazy skies.
Many wore T-shirts bearing his image, while others carried placards featuring the titles of his best-known songs, especially his monster hit, ‘I’m Yours’.
Wearing his trademark short-sleeved T-shirt, the 48-year-old greeted Malaysians at 8pm sharp with his upbeat track ‘You And I’, a universal anthem about expressing one’s feelings honestly.
As soon as he finished, he called out loudly, “Apa khabar Malaysia. Selamat petang semua”, which drew roaring applause and chants of “we love you, Jason”.
“I miss all of you guys and girls, and it’s so good to be back in this wonderful city, Kuala Lumpur,” said Mraz before introducing his longtime collaborators, the folk-rock band Raining Jane.
Formed in Los Angeles in 1999, the eclectic band comprises vocalist-guitarist-cellist Mai Bloomfield, bassist-sitar player Becky Gebhardt, vocalist-guitarist Chaska Potter, and percussionist Mona Tavakoli.
MISSING SOMEONE
Mraz then dived straight into his second song, ‘Long Drive’, a touching tale about missing someone dearly.
This was quickly followed by ‘Living In The Moment’, a piece of sound advice on taking life one step at a time.
“It’s such a beautiful evening in Malaysia, despite the rain, despite the haze. Let’s see what it can do for us,” Mraz remarked, dropping a clear hint about his next track.
The crowd began chanting the song’s title, and Mraz proved them right by serenading them with ‘Let’s See What The Night Can Do’, a reminder to find beauty in life’s darkest moments.
He then invited Potter to sing the duet ‘Lucky’, originally recorded with Colbie Caillat.
The crowd readily joined in, and both Mraz and Potter paused to let them sing the entire chorus.
“Thank you, everyone. It’s great to have you around,” remarked Potter, while Mraz promised that “there’ll be a lot more surprises”.
Next up was ‘Make It Mine’, encouraging fans not to lose hope during tough times, followed swiftly by ‘I Feel Like Sweating’, which celebrates hard work and perseverance.
“I was ill not too long ago, but I bounced back into the pink of health. And guess what made me recover fast? It was my love of good music,” he said. “Music always connects me to something higher and bigger in a crazy world.”
Mraz then delivered his “must-sing” hit, ‘Details In The Fabric’, about adding a personal touch to every gift for friends, before moving into ‘Remedy’, a gentle nudge not to worry too much when things go wrong.
“I’ve got three things that keep me going when I’m down,” said Mraz, teeing up his next song, ‘3 Things’.
HURT FEELINGS
This bittersweet hit reflects his own experience of shedding tears and letting out hurt feelings before choosing to smile and look on the bright side.
He said: “There’s nothing wrong with shedding tears and being vulnerable. Expressing oneself is healthy, so long as we pair it with a huge dose of positivity.”
Mraz followed this with ‘Love Someone’, another song about honesty, before seamlessly waltzing into ‘Unfold’, which speaks to rolling with life’s punches and bouncing back stronger.
“We all need best friends somehow, be it real friends, or even hobbies and wonderful places to go to. For me, my best friend is always my guitar and my music,” he said, introducing ‘Best Friend’.
“There’s beauty in everything, believe me. Even in the most terrible of situations, I can see it,” Mraz explained, giving the crowd another clue.
Fans guessed correctly once again, and he launched into ‘Beautiful Mess’, pausing at various points to let the audience sing along.
Mraz then paid tribute to a dear friend named Charles, who was born on July 4, the United States’ Independence Day.
“He and I have something in common. We love Halloween. This song is for him,” said Mraz, before belting out ‘Songs For A Halloween’, honouring his favourite American festival and childhood trick-or-treating.
“Do you feel like dancing tonight? I always do,” Mraz remarked. “I’m really far away from home now, 93 million miles or so, but social media keeps me near to my loved ones and fans around the world.”
That was his cue for ’93 Million Miles’, a song that made physical distance feel like a thing of the past.
STRIVING HARD
Before calling it a night, Mraz sang ‘Have It All’, his motivational track about striving to achieve your goals and live with no regrets.
“We’ve finally come to the end of this wonderful evening, but I promise I’ll be back to serenade you with more,” said Mraz as he stepped backstage for a sip of water.
Fans correctly predicted the show wasn’t quite over, as he returned to close the night with his ultimate farewell song, ‘I Won’t Give Up’.
Mraz let the crowd sing along all the way, and before the lights dimmed, he told them: “Let’s not give up, never give up. If we hold on to something, that’s just what we must do.”
Organised by Zues Events, the Jason Mraz Asia Tour 2026 flew by, leaving everyone in the stadium thoroughly entertained.