KUCHING – Attendees to the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) 2023 are in a for a special treat as Grammy Award winner the Gipsy Kings featuring Tonito Baliardo brings in a fiesta of their world-famous Latin sounds, and Fasylive will rock RWMF stage with their fusion of rock and Maldivian traditional music.

Gipsy Kings featuring Tonino Baliardo, the renowned musical ensemble from the south of France, have captivated audiences worldwide with their unique fusion of traditional Spanish flamenco, gipsy rhapsody, pop with salsa funk since the 1970s. Virtuosos of gipsy music, the group has sold over 20 million albums worldwide and has been awarded numerous gold, platinum and diamond discs.  In 1993 their album "Love and Liberte" won the Latin Grammy Award for Best Pop Album of the Year and the most coveted award is their Grammy in 2013 in the Best World Music category for the album “Savor Flamenco”.

With chart-topping hits like the upbeat "Bamboleo", "Djobi Djoba," and ballads such as “Un Amor”, the legendary group have established themselves as one of the most beloved and influential groups in the global music scene. Not only music, the band has also left a mark in the movie industry – their cover version of “Hotel California” with fast flamenco guitar rhythms was featured in the 1998 Coen Brothers’ movie The Big Lebowski, and the 2010 animation film Toy Story 3 featured their Spanish-language, flamenco styled version of the movie’s original soundtrack entitled “Hay un Amigo en Mi” (“You’ve Got a Friend in Me” in English).

Gipsy Kings, led by its founder and guitarist Tonino Baliardo along with members Same Jean, Cosso Baliardo, Loula Patrac and Miguel Kerwich, are excited to perform at this iconic stage and looks forward to meet with other musical acts from all over the world.  The band’s greatest love is to see their audiences enjoying their music to the fullest and they invite their fans from all around the globe to come and fiesta with them at RWMF 2023 for an unforgettable musical experience.

Coming all the way form the beautiful island of Maldives, Fasylive is a rock band that skilfully blends the fundamental elements of rock music - the drums, bass guitar, vocals and electric guitar - with the occasional touch of keyboards and boduberu, a Maldivian traditional drum. Their music is a celebration of the rich cultural heritage of the Maldives, and a fusion of Rock that promises a performance full of energy and excitement.

The inspiration behind Fasylive’s music comes from the blues, rock and metal of the 1960s with a reflection of Maldivian culture, language and life on the islands, creating power packed progressive riffs laced with deep soulful melodies. In 2007 they released their first album ‘Vengeance’ followed by ‘Silver’ in 2008, a project album where they got together with many additional artists and recorded a live concert album produced together with ProDG Projects.  They collaborated with Habeys boduberu, the biggest music brand in Maldivian traditional boduberu drumming and Fasylive was the first Maldivian band to tour the United Kingdom on a promotional deal with Jar Live Music. 

According to Fasylive, their music is unique as it expresses a different flavour of emotions primarily due to the Maldivian language.  Being from the islands, the grooves of their tunes vary like the waves of the seas which makes it authentically Maldivian in nature.  With their traditional drums made from hard palm wood beaten with bare hands, Fasylive promises RWMF audiences a power-packed performance with music what will rock them to the bone.

Rainforest World Music Festival 2023

Musicians and fans of world music all over the globe are invited to experience different sounds from across the world at the iconic Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) 2023 that is making its full physical comeback from 23rd to 25th June 2023 at the Sarawak Cultural Village (SCV). 

With the theme ‘Reflections’, RWMF 2023 is an opportunity for festival goers to reflect on our connection with nature and embrace diverse musical styles with underlying values for a deeper appreciation of the world.  This year marks RWMF’s 26th edition and the festival continue to advocate sustainable practices and greening initiatives, making Sarawak to be a leading ecotourism destination for future generations of music lovers.

Featuring a total of 199 musicians from 12 countries from 4 continents, festival goers can look forward to performances by Grammy Award winner Gipsy Kings featuring Tonino Baliardo from France of such hits as ‘Djobi Djoba’ and ‘Bamboleo’, Big Mountain from Jamaica and the USA best known for their hit song ‘Baby I Love Your Way’, Safi Theatre from Tanzania, Rastak from Iran, Fasylive from Maldives, Afriquoi from the United Kingdom, Chatusram from India, Rizal Hadi & Folk from Indonesia and Ethno Thai Fusion Sound Band from Thailand. The line-up will also include performers from Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore.

RWMF2023 will also highlight Malaysian local talents from East and West Malaysia, which include Zee Avi, Suk Bini, Aseana Percussion Unit, Nadir, Steve Thornton & Afroasia, Sada Borneo, Tuku Kame, Nading Rhapsody, Geng Wak Long, Buloh Bekocak, At Adau, Meruked, and Orang Orang Drum Theatre.

The ‘Pre-sale’ tickets are available on Klook ticketing platform across a range of categories: Adult 1-Day Pass Fri/Sun (RM230), Adult 1-Day Pass Sat (RM260), Adult 2-Day Pass Fri + Sat / Sat + Sun (RM440), Adult 3-Day Pass (RM590), and Child 1-Day Pass Fri/Sat/Sun (RM80) – under a limited-period offer. 

More info on the musical line-up and ticketing can be found on Rainforest World Music Festivals official website at rwmf.net.