Saturday, June 29, 2024 The 2024 Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) kicked off with an explosive start, embodying this year’s theme, ‘Evolution.’ Now in its 27th year, the festival has evolved beyond a traditional music event into a comprehensive celebration that promotes responsible tourism, cultural immersion, and environmental conservation. The festival welcomed a diverse array of 72 international and 75 local musicians, comprising 22 acts that have collectively amassed a fanbase of 12 million followers on platforms like Spotify, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook, underscoring its global appeal.
The festival’s opening day was electrified by headliner performances, including the Grammy and Golden Globe Award-winning Kitaro Live World Tour. Making his debut performance in Kuching and at the RWMF, Kitaro enchanted the audience at the Sarawak Cultural Village with his pioneering electronic-instrumental sounds, setting a lofty standard for the rest of the festival. Moreover, the opening day of RWMF, aligning with the conclusion of the Rainforest Youth Summit (RAYS), marked a historic turnout, the largest in the festival’s history, with all tickets for the day being snapped up and surpassing previous sales records.
“Last evening saw the highest attendance recorded for the first day of RWMF in its 27 years, with many attendees coming from international destinations Europe, Africa, Australia, along with strong festival goers from ASEAN countries,” said Sharzede Da.
