Inul slated to perform at WOMAD Singapore 2004
Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The naysayers snipe that Inul Daratista's 15 minutes are up, with other singers taking their cue from her gyrations and descending into a whole new level of suggestiveness.
But overseas, Inul still carries the mantle of Indonesia's queen of dangdut, the Indian/Malay musical hybrid which is truly the popular music of the country.
The committee of the World Music Arts and Dance (WOMAD) festival in Singapore picked Inul as one of its featured world music artists, set to perform at the three-day event next weekend.
Inul "has made the art form more associated with the small towns of rural Java to the big stage", the committee said in its press release.
Inul will get center stage to show her signature erotic "drilling" dance and singing on the last day of the festival on Sunday night, scheduled for a 45-minute performance which will start at 7:15 p.m.
WOMAD was founded in 1982 in England by rock icon Peter Gabriel, based on his deep interest in the world music genre.
Aiming at incorporating music from all over the world, it has grown to become the biggest international music festival, and is officially recognized as such by the Guinness Book of Records.
The festival has entertained audiences in more than 21 countries, with an estimated 2,000 international artists playing for over one million people at 142 events the world over.
WOMAD Singapore, initiated in 1988 as a curtain raiser for the Singapore Arts Festival, has continued as an annual international music festival.
Its popularity has grown over the years, with over 15,000 people attending last year's event.
This year's festival will bring together 22 groups from 13 different countries, ranging from centuries old traditional music to contemporary genre such as DJs, from Afro-Cuban rhythms to Andalusian flamenco, from Brazilian samba to Madagascar acoustics, and from Chinese opera to a Middle Eastern music ensemble.
Aside from Inul, performers include the all-girl Cameroon group Zap Mama, Senegalese group Daara J, Israeli singing sensation Yasmin Levy, Arabic singing diva Natacha Atlas, UK- based DJs Temple of Sound, Indian classical musician Ustad Sultan Khan, award-winning DJ Talvin Singh, and many more.
There will be collaborations among artists as well, such as Atlas with Temple of Sound and African drum maestro Ben Baddoo.
Speaking from my own experience of watching the festival in Singapore two years ago, it proved exhilarating and enriching.
We got to immerse ourselves in cross-cultural encounters, seeing and hearing music from all over the globe that is underrated, underexposed and overshadowed by manufactured pop.
Aside from being able to watch simultaneous performances on three stages at the open, spacious Fort Canning Park, we could attend workshops with the artists, interact with them and get a closer look on their respective traditional instruments.
There is also the Global Village where you can dine, shop for handicrafts and get a holistic treatment. The food arranges from Mediterranean, South Indian to Turkish cuisine.
This year's Global Village also presents WEARHouse @ WOMAD, where you can pick out a wide range of Mardi Gras-inspired costumes.
------------------------------------ WOMAD Singapore 2004 Aug. 27 - Aug. 29 Fort Canning, performances start at 5:30 p.m. Ticket prices range from S$24 to $80 per day Contact www.sistic.com.sg or www.womadsingapore.com for more information
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