The popular Iban rock band from Sarawak, Masterpiece, is expanding its horizons to Indonesia as they are currently in discussions about a collaboration with the well-known Indonesian band Dadali.
According to Masterpiece’s band manager, Gerald Ningkan, they are discussing the song to be used for the collaboration.
“The song is in Bahasa Malaysia, but we are not ruling out the possibility of changing it into Bahasa Indonesia and Bahasa Iban. We will see what works best, but we have already received a song from Dadali,” he said.
He said this in a press conference after the release of Masterpiece’s new single, “Menyadi”, at MasterJam Rock N Roll Music Café and Bistro on Sept 7.
When asked about Masterpiece’s future beyond the collaboration, Gerald mentioned that the band will be performing in Sri Aman as part of the state-level Malaysia Day celebration.
“Actually, our schedule is quite packed until the end of this year. We are grateful for the public’s support and, most importantly, we thank the Sarawak government for providing us with opportunities by inviting us to perform at various celebrations, including the recent Malaysia Games (SUKMA) opening ceremony,” he said.
“There are rumours circulating about the SEA Games in 2027, and we have been told to be prepared. If we are invited again, we will be very grateful,” he added.
As an Iban rock band, Masterpiece did not build their reputation as easily as it might seem.
Their vocalist, Depha Masterpiece, said that they strive to avoid cheap publicity and negativity, especially in an age where social media is so prevalent.
“Our listeners are not just people of our age, but also young individuals, and we even have very young fans. So, as a team, we always maintain the band’s reputation, both individually and as a group.
“We want to be a positive influence on the younger generation and continue to be relevant. We just do our part in the industry by consistently producing music and works because that’s our passion,” he added.
Echoing Depha’s sentiments, Masterpiece’s lead guitarist, Willy Edwin, emphasised that to stay relevant in the music industry, they need to be honest and sincere when creating music.
“We create works with a positive message. We want to make songs that people will remember, whether or not they trend. What’s important is that our music is sincere, and we’ve done our best,” he stressed.
Formed in 2003 as Masterjam, Masterpiece is best known for their hit singles “Sinu”, “Kumang Seari”, and “Ngarap Ka Nuan Nikal Pulai”.
The group comprises vocalist Depha Masterpiece, lead guitarist Willy Edwin, guitarist Kennedy Edwin @ Kent Masterpiece, bassist Marcus Masterpiece, drummer Harold Vincent @ Iho Masterpiece, keyboardist Valentine Jimmy @ Emek Masterpiece, and Roslee Qadir @ Lee Masterpiece.
Equally impressive, Dadali, formed in 2009, gained widespread recognition when their video on YouTube was viewed by over one million people within five months, despite still being in the process of preparing their promotional plan.
Dadali is best known for their album “Di Saat Aku Mencintaimu” and consists of four members: Dyrga (vocals), Fadel (bass), Rickjard (guitar), and OQ (drums).
