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Borneo Bulletin Yearbook 2023
Pelangi Express E-Hits 2 Awards - a
programme that showcases local
singers, lyricists and composers -
one of the invited judges Malaysian
singer and songwriter Aina Abdul
stated that it was difficult to judge the
competition due to the outstanding
songs and performances of the local
talents.
Meanwhile in January, Bruneian artiste
Dila Junaidi with band The Stars
participated in the ASEAN-Korea
Music Festival’s Round 2021 where she
performed five songs at the concert.
The festival featured 15 musicians
from Korea and nine ASEAN member
states. The six-hour online festival was
hosted by state-run broadcaster
KBS
and sponsored by Seoul’s Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, the ASEAN-Korea
Cooperation Fund (AKCF) and the
ASEAN Secretariat.
Artistes who started in Brunei have
proved that they can be marketed
internationally, such as the case of
Bruneian born Aziz Harun who started
his humble beginnings by taking part
in
Bintang Kecil
– a talent competition
aimed and polishing and nurturing
young stars in the making. He is now
a staple name in the regional music
scene, making his mark in Malaysia.
“This is the journey that I’m pursuing,
which might not be the conventional
path for a Bruneian. But I hope to set an
example, just like my Bruneian singer
friend Jaz in Indonesia, who’s shown
that it is possible to make a career out
of something you love,” said Aziz in an
interview with the
Borneo Bulletin
last
year.
With the development of local
platforms and initiatives put in place
as well as acknowledgement and
success evident, the local creative
industry still maintains high potential
and will continue to grow.
The virtual music festival, Round 2021. PHOTO: ASEAN-KOREA MUSIC FESTIVAL