GET ready to celebrate Hari Gawai and Hari Kaamatan with the first ever collab between Ramles Walter and Dabra Sia!
Entitled “Happy Gawai Kaamatan — Pepsi Harvest Celebration Anthem”, the pair joined forces through the dynamic collaboration of Pepsi and TVS!
Being the first of its kind, producer, Yume Suryani shared her passion behind the project:
“Cultural events like Gawai and Kaamatan…these festivals are rich in tradition and offer vibrant visuals, providing a unique platform to celebrate and spread awareness about the indigenous cultures.”
With the idea in mind, that left composer, Galvin Patrick, to create a song that unites Gawai and Kaamatan.
“At first, we received the demo from Ramles in Iban language but, to make the song combined with Kaamatan, some Kadazan-Dusun lyrics should be included.”
“With the help of our staff, Alsius, he helped us to write on the lyrics with Kadazan-Dusun language and Dabra Sia, she also wrote some parts of the songs to fit the melody without losing its meaning.”
But nothing good comes easy, and the team had their share of struggles when creating the music video.
From “logistical difficulties due to remote locations and unpredictable weather” according to Yume and Adhim Ali (assistant director), to distance issues with Galvin:
“…our singers were far away from each other…it was difficult to learn the melody without being present at the location while recording the song…Ramles Walter is from Kapit, Sarawak while Dabra is from Kota Belud, Sabah.”
The production was filled with its own set of challenges.
But the production team found their way to adapt.
With Yume’s “detailed planning, collaboration with local communities for authentic representation, and flexibility in shooting schedules to accommodate any unforeseen changes,”
The group’s “patience and trust in what they could do”, and Galvin’s creativity when uniting artists,
“We had to do it over-the-cloud, by transferring files over WhatsApp and Google Drive.”
The music video was a resounding success!
With a music video that is “a visually captivating experience that not only entertains but also educates,” according to Yume,
This “one-of-a-kind feature “according to Adhim, is set to become a visual treat while being your earworm during this Gawai-Kaamatan season!
Remember to catch the premiere of “Happy Gawai Kaamatan — Pepsi Harvest Celebration Anthem” this 10th May at 8pm, on TVS’ YouTube, Apple Music and Spotify!
