KUCHING: Kitaro, the Japanese recording artiste, composer, record producer and arranger famed for his electronic-instrumental music, will be headlining this year's Sarawak's world-renowned Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF).
Malaysia's very own musical legend, Datuk Zainal Abidin, famed for his massive hit song Hijau will head a strong supporting act.
The song Hijau has been around for over three decades and was one of the first few songs in the country to be categorised under the genre of World Music when the concept was still relatively new in Malaysia.
State Minister For Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Hamzah, in announcing the date of the three-day festival from June 28 to 30 and performers line-up, said with the two biggest names in world music at this year's fest, he expected this year's fest to be a sell-out event and to top the 20,000 that attended last year's festival.
He also said tickets could be selling like proverbial hotcakes when they go on sale next month.
Kitaro won the Grammy for Best New Age Album for Thinking of You in 1999.
He had earlier in 1993 received a Golden Globe Award for the original score to Heaven & Earth.
Describing the award-winning musician as a "legendary artiste", Karim said Kitaro will kick off his Live World Tour here as the opening act of this year's RWMF.
"It promises to be a mesmerising experience. It will be one of the most anticipated performances this year," Karim said in a media conference here today.
"Noted for his electronic-instrumental music, Kitaro is often regarded as one of the most prominent musical acts of new-age music.
"He plays about 50 instruments and has a vast collection of traditional instruments from all over the world," he said.
Karim, however, would not disclose the amount of money offered to ensure the 71-year-old Kitaro's first appearance at Sarawak's and the country's only world-renowned music festival.
The RWMF was awarded the Best Global PR Campaign Award at the Davos World Communications Forum Award (WCFA) in 2023, for its sustainable initiatives.
"Reasonable. Very reasonable," was all he would say.
Karim added that the entertainer would be bringing an entourage of 40 musicians and support staff.
Later during a live online call, Kitaro said he was "just happy to be here (at the RWMF) and promised something special".
Karim, is his address earlier, said international performers, local artistes and bands continue to draw thousands to experience the sounds and sights at RWMF.
"They embody the transformative power of music and culture in enriching our communities."
The line-up of this year's RWMF, the 27th edition, will have 20 acts, from 68 musicians from 15 countries "across six continents".
There will also be 63 Malaysian artistes.
"This promises an unparalleled blend of musical genres from the tapestry of world music," Karim said.
Apart from Zainal, regular festival performers like Alena Murang, The Borneo Collective, Tuni Sundatang, Nisa Addina, Zarul@OurBodySound, Salammusik, The Colour of Sound's Malaysia, and Adrian G will again make their appearance.
Zainal in the video call said he was a little disappointed that he only got an invite to the RWMF this year despite having been in the musical business for over 40 years.
"This is the festival I am looking forward to so much," Zainal told Karim.
Among the newbies will be 18-year-old Belle Sisoski.
The Sarawakian Belle won second place with her song Stop Your Games, in the 2022 -2023 Commonwealth song contest edging out the 20,000 entries received from around the world.
The teenager has been described as "using her creative platform to raise awareness about indigenous rights, environmental and musical conservation in Sarawak."