KUCHING: A seven-year-old and a seasoned busker blew away the competition during the finale of the first Kuching Busking Festival (KBF) held at Plaza Merdeka Shopping Mall on Sunday.
Dion Das Louis aka Little Borneon Birdie and Guitar Man, Ashley Soh, both from Sarawak, outshone 28 busking groups and 155 individual buskers in the competition.
Dion, 7, of SK Green Road, captured the hearts of judges and the audience with his graceful ethnic contemporary dance inspired by the magnificent ‘burung ruai’ (the Great Argus).
He emerged champion in Category B (Dancing, Acting, Oratory, Painting) and received a prize of RM2,000 along with a trophy.
And Ashley, 63, who had the crowd singing along as he performed songs like ‘Guatanamera’ ‘Rasa Sayang’ ‘Twinkle-Twinkle Little Star’ and ‘Yue Liang Dai Biao Wo De Xin’ songs, secured the top spot in Category A (Singing, Music) and walked away with a prize of RM2,000 and a trophy.
Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah presented the prizes to the winners on Sunday (Sept 17) evening.
Ashley afterwards said he is truly honoured to be given such recognition for his latent.
“There are so many great musicians in Sarawak, and I’m proud to be one of the talented musicians in Sarawak,” said the Iban-Chinese full-time busker.
He added he has been busking since 1986 and has travelled around and outside the state to perform.
“I started singing during school days and that was when I was 12 years old. I really enjoyed singing and performing for the crowd with my guitar,” he said.
He added life in Sarawak has also shaped his interest in music, as most Sarawakians consider music to be part of their culture.
“I pick up music inspiration from many sources. For me, music is part of our identity, just like dance, food, music is part of our culture,” he said.
Ashley also said that he currently performs at the Kuching Waterfront, especially on weekends and public holidays, adding that his parents too were very good at playing music.
“I also want to thank the organisers and the ministry for having such events like the KBF and hope to see more of such events in the future.
“Through events like this are good platforms for us to showcase our talents,” he said.
The inaugural KBF, organised by Sarawak Handicraft, Art and Souvenir Association (SHASA) which ran from Sept 15 to 17, was inspired by the well-known Tamworth Country Music Festival in Australia.
In Category A, Hi-Breed Band and JJ Buskers secured second and third place respectively, while in Category B, Mine Dance Team and Kuching Heng Hua Seng Ing Tiong claimed second and third place respectively.
The event also saw the presentation of prizes to the People’s Choice category which was won by the Mine Dance Team.
