Alena is seen in a scene from her ‘Midang Midang’ music video.
KUCHING (Dec 3): Sarawak’s home-grown talent Alena Murang has won the ‘Best Styling Award’ at the Bueno Aires Music Video Festival in Argentina for her music video, ‘Midang Midang’.
The music video, which was shot in Bario Highlands and Tusan Beach in Miri, showcased the traditional Kelabit song in a contemporary concept that’s fused with Kelabit elements and Sarawak fashion.
“To be recognised for our cultural heritage on an international stage is encouraging for us, to see that although our native community is so small, we were able to create something that people could relate to or that people around the world wanted to watch,” Alena told The Borneo Post when contacted.
“We want our stories to go far as it encourages us to create more and to be brave with our ideas,” she added.
Alena, who is of Kelabit and English-Italian parentage, said the outfits and accessories worn in the video were all created by Sarawakian designers and craft workers while traditional beads were also featured to signify her Kelabit influences.
“We are very honoured and very proud to showcase Sarawak’s identity and stories through fashion and film. We’re so thankful to everyone involved in the styling, which involved no less than 20 people,” said the 31-year-old who will share the award with the music video’s director Sarah Lois Dorai and hair and makeup artist Gebriel Padan.
The singer-songwriter, who is also the first professional female sape musician, said working on the music video was a journey of love, faith and passion.
“There was so much that was out of our control because we were shooting in Bario, starting with we didn’t even know if we could get all our gear and costumes into the Twin Otter plane. We just planned as best as possible.
“On the shoot days, everything came together so beautifully and it was so surreal doing this kind of work in our homeland, in the humble villages of our ancestors in the heart of the rainforests,” she recalled.
The music video, which was co-produced by Kanid Studio and KL-based film creative hub Project Room, was also nominated for ‘Best International Video’ where Madonna is also one of the nominees. The award went to Spanish singer Maria José Llergo for her song, ‘A través de ti’.
Launched on Nov 27 last year with the support of Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) and Miri City Council, the ‘Midang Midang’ music video has been screened at music festivals in New Zealand, United States, United Kingdom and Malaysia.
“We’ve seen from this music video, the potential and the power that it has to showcase our culture across the world.
“I hope that funding bodies, particularly the government, can seriously consider supporting music videos as they have the potential to carry powerful messages,” said Alena.
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