Bunkface began as a group of four friends from SMK Sri Andalas who enjoyed casual jam sessions in Klang, Selangor. The band's name, "Bunkface," was inspired by the Canadian band
Sum 41 song "Crazy Amanda Bunkface," suggested by their drummer, Biak. Their first major breakthrough came in 2006 when they won the Band Rakan Seni Budaya competition organized by Universiti Malaya. This achievement introduced them to Malaysia's underground music scene. During this time, they also connected with Demoplanet.tv, a platform that provided sponsorships and helped produce their first music video.
Early recognition (2006–2007) In March 2006, Bunkface won first place at the Band Rakan Seni Budaya competition organized by Universiti Malaya, which marked their debut media feature in ROTTW music magazine. Later that year, they participated in the reality competition Blast Off, gaining broader recognition. In December 2007, Bunkface released their debut EP Lesson of the Season, a collection of six English tracks blending pop-punk and alternative rock. The hit single “Silly Lily” dominated the hitz.fm Malaysian Top Ten chart for eight weeks and the Fly.fm Campur Chart for 10 weeks. Their first Malay-language single, “Situasi,” reached #1 on XFresh FM’s chart and #3 on Era FM’s chart for three consecutive weeks.
Breakthrough years (2008–2009) The band reached new heights in 2009 by winning the Rockstar, Breakout, and The Ultimate Shout! awards at the inaugural Shout! Awards. These achievements earned them an invitation to perform at the One Movement For Music festival in Perth, Australia—their first international performance.
Rise to stardom (2010) In March 2010, Bunkface released their first full-length album, Phobia Phoney, featuring a mix of Malay and English tracks, including hits like “Situasi,” “Revolusi,” “Prom Queen,” and “Soldier.” They also gained massive popularity with the TM campaign song “Through My Window.”
MTV World Stage and side projects Bunkface represented Malaysia at the
MTV World Stage Live in Malaysia 2010, held on 31 July 2010 at Surf Beach, Sunway Lagoon, Selangor, sharing the stage with international artists such as Katy Perry, Tokio Hotel, and Wonder Girls. Later, Sam, the band’s frontman, formed a side project called
The Azenders in mid-2010 together with musicians from other Malaysian bands, including Izal (bass, from One Buck Short), Ajam (synth/strings, from Dichi Michi), and Kudut (drums, from Robot Asmara). The Azenders released their debut single "Ladies & Gentlemen", followed by a Malay-language track titled "Peribadi".
2011–2013: Panik, controversy, and international tours In September 2011, Bunkface released the single "Panik," which was banned by Malaysian state broadcaster RTM due to the use of the word "Reformasi" in its lyrics. Despite the controversy, the band continued to pursue their musical career. They went on to perform at the
Hong Kong Asian Music Festival (HKAMF), representing Malaysia, where they advanced to the finals and finished in third place. The festival, organized by the
IFPI in Hong Kong, was held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and involved six countries across Asia:
China,
Taiwan,
Singapore,
South Korea,
Malaysia, and the host
Hong Kong.
Japan was originally expected to participate but withdrew due to the unstable domestic situation following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. In the preliminary round, Bunkface performed the song "Escape Dance" and competed against artists such as
Wu Qiong (China),
Kewei (Singapore), and
The Boss (South Korea). In the final, the contestants were asked to perform a popular international song of their choice. Bunkface selected "We Are the Champions" by
Queen, which earned them third place overall for stage presence and vocal performance. Their participation placed them on par with other popular Asian artists and impressed both audiences and judges alike. They were also given the honor of appearing on the popular Indonesian talk show
Bukan Empat Mata, where they performed their hit single "
Situasi." Before Bunkface, only
Siti Nurhaliza and
Amy Search from Malaysia had appeared on the show. Their tour in Indonesia was supported by sponsorship from
AirAsia and Jamu Mak Dara, which also facilitated coverage by Malaysian media during their activities in Jakarta.
Celebrating milestones (2014–2016) Their third album, Malam Ini Kita Punya, was released in 2014 under Sony Music Entertainment. The band celebrated their 10th anniversary in 2016 with a major concert, Bunkface X Live in Kuala Lumpur, at Chin Woo Stadium, where they also launched a compilation album of their greatest hits.
National pride (2018–2019) In 2018, Bunkface composed the official theme song for Malaysia’s National Day, Kita Punya Malaysia. The following year, they released their fourth album, POP, and performed at music festivals in Indonesia (Road to Soundrenaline Indonesia and Big Bang Jakarta Music Festival).
Recent years (2022–2024) In 2022, Bunkface celebrated their 15th anniversary with a two-night concert, 15 Years of Korang, drawing over 10,000 fans. In 2023, they performed in Borneo with their Rock In Borneo solo concert in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. In 2024, Bunkface returned to
Dewan Filharmonik Petronas (DFP) for a solo concert featuring 20 of their hits. ==Musical style and influences==