Alena Murang
Lipang[1]
Born
Alena Ose’ Murang[2]

1989 (age 34–35)[3]
Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
EducationUniversity of Manchester (BSc)
Occupations
  • Singer
  • lyricist
  • composer
  • music producer
  • visual artist
Years active2016–present
Musical career
Genres
Instrument(s)
Labels
Websitewww.alenamurang.com

Alena Murang (born 1989) is a Malaysian singer-songwriter, sape player, visual artist and educator who sings in endangered languages including Kelabit and Kenyah.[5][3] She is one of the first women to play the sape, a lute instrument from Borneo traditionally (pre-1930s) reserved for male healers.[5]

Early life and background

Murang is born and bred in Kuching, Sarawak to Kelabit father, Datu Ose Murang and mother of English and Italian descent, Dr. Valerie Mashman.[3][6][7] She started playing the sape at the age of 10, from renowned sape master Matthew Ngau Jau.[6][8] She graduated with a First Class BSc (Hons) management degree from the Manchester Business School, University of Manchester. She went on to work in management consulting at PricewaterhouseCoopers, focusing on environmental sustainability, before leaving to study visual arts for a year in Singapore.[8] Prior to pursuing music full-time, she worked as strategy manager for not-for-profit organization, Teach for Malaysia.[8]

Career

Murang made her debut as an artiste in 2016 with the release of EP, Flight.[6] She never formally studied music, but has been learning the dance, songs, and music from her elders.[6] She has performed at many renowned world music festivals including the SXSW (USA), Colors of Ostrava (Czech Republic), Paris Fashion Week (France), Rudolstadt-Festival (Germany), OzAsia Festival (Australia), and Rainforest World Music Festival (Malaysia). She was a youth representative at the UNESCO Youth Forum in Paris, and UNESCO Asia-Pacific for her work in intangible cultural heritage.

She was listed in Tatler Asia's list of Most Influential Malaysia in 2021 and Gen.T Malaysia in 2018 & 2019.[6] In March 2023, she held her first painting exhibition Colours of the Highlands at the Hoan Gallery at La Promenade Mall, Kuching.[9]

Discography

Studio albums

  • Flight (EP) (2016)
  • Sky Songs (2021)

Singles

Promotional singles
Year Title Ref(s) Notes
2022 "Many Tomorrows" [10] The song and music video is a collaboration with the Society for Cancer Advocacy and Awareness Kuching (SCAN) in conjunction with World Cancer Day.
Collaboration
Year Title Artist(s) Album Ref(s)
2024 "War Cry" Marsha Milan and Velvet Aduk Single [11][12]

Concerts, showcases and tours

Solo

  • Live in Kuala Lumpur : Alena Murang Sky Songs, Petaling Jaya Performing Arts Centre (PJPAC), Petaling Jaya (2023)[13]

As headliner

  • Pentas Seni Merdeka: Muzik Dan Tarian Borneo Malaysia, Jalan Raja, Kuala Lumpur (2022)[14]

As supporting act

Filmography

Film and television
Year Title Role Ref(s) Notes
2019 Small Island Big Song: An Oceanic Songline Herself [20] A musical cinematographic project featuring over a hundred musicians across 16 island nations of the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
Iman Untuk Bulan Bulan [21] Television movie for Astro First.
2022 Roads To Our Heritage Key cast and writer [22][23] A six-part documentary journey of the companionship of Sabah rock band Estranged together with Alena Murang and Dr. Nadia Widyawati from Universiti Teknologi MARA music faculty discovering the heritage of traditional instrument across Sabah and Sarawak.

Awards and accolades

Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref(s)
2020 Buenos Aires Music Video Festival Best International Video Midang Midang Nominated [24]
Best Styling Won [24]
2021 UK's International Music Video Awards Best Asia & Pacific Music Video Warrior Spirit Won [25]
Best Costume Honorable Mention [25]
Los Angeles Film Awards Special Jury Award Won [25]
Rome International Movie Awards Best Music Video Won [25]
New York International Film Awards Best Music Video Won [25]
Best Ethnographic Film Won [25]
Buenos Aires Music Video Festival Best World Music Video Won [26]

References

  1. ↑ Tahir Alhamzah (2022-08-23). "#Showbiz: Celebrating indigenous art and her roots". New Straits Times. Retrieved 2022-08-24.
  2. ↑ "Ep 22: Alena Murang (Sarawakian Sape Player, Visual Artist & Heritage Advocate)". So This Is Why. 2020-11-01. Retrieved 2022-08-24.
  3. 1 2 3 Wong Pek Mei (2022-01-05). "Sarawak's mixed-race children struggle over 'native' identity". Free Malaysia Today. Retrieved 2022-08-24.
  4. ↑ "Sarawakian songstress Alena Murang returns to Taiwan this month to play two international music festivals". Dayak Daily. 2022-10-10. Retrieved 2022-10-10.
  5. 1 2 Angel Romero (2022-05-24). "Artist Profiles: Alena Murang". World Music Central. Retrieved 2022-08-24.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Alena Murang". Tatler Asia. 2022-01-05. Retrieved 2022-08-24.
  7. 1 2 Maya Suraya (29 October 2021). "Sarawak Ulu Culture Will Hit The Big Stage At Taiwan World Music Festival". The Rakyat Post. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  8. 1 2 3 Joash Kong (2015-06-21). "In pursuit of the magical sape'". The Borneo Post. Retrieved 2022-08-24.
  9. ↑ Matthew Umpang (16 March 2023). "Alena Murang hopes 'Colours of the Highlands' well-received by art lovers". The Borneo Post. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  10. ↑ A. Azim Idris (7 February 2022). "Watch Alena Murang's uplifting music video for 'Many Tomorrows'". NME. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  11. ↑ "'War Cry' song celebrates Malaysian Borneo's heritage". The Borneo Post. 16 September 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  12. ↑ ""WAR CRY is now available on all streaming platforms! Don't miss the music video premiere at 12PM today. This is brought to you by the Ministry of Communications and Digital via MyCreative Ventures. Thank you for supporting and building the creative industry through Dana Kandungan Digital."". Velvet Aduk's Instagram. 5 January 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  13. ↑ "Alena Murang's first solo sape concert is inspired by elements of the sky". The Star. 7 June 2023. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  14. ↑ "Weekend for the arts: FreedomFilmFest returns, music from Borneo in downtown KL". The Star. 9 September 2020. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  15. ↑ "Female sape player comes home to Rainforest World Music Festival". The Borneo Post. 23 July 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  16. ↑ Terry Ng (15 June 2021). "Alena Murang, At Adau, Nading Rhapsody, Mathew Ngau and more to perform at virtual Rainforest World Music Festival 2021". Bandwagon. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  17. ↑ "Local icons Alena, Bamboo Woods to perform at RMWF 2022". The Borneo Post. 19 May 2022. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  18. ↑ Arif Zikri (25 August 2020). "Join local artists at the Roar for Life Virtual Concert to save Malayan tigers". Malay Mail. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  19. ↑ Antonia Chiam (17 November 2021). "Alena to perform at Te Aratini Festival in Dubai". The Borneo Post. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  20. ↑ "Small Island Big Song: An Oceanic Songline". IMDB. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
  21. ↑ "Iman Untuk Bulan". Movie Fone. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
  22. ↑ "Local band Estranged, Alena Murang explore traditional musical instruments in documentary". New Straits Times. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  23. ↑ "ROADS TO OUR HERITAGE". Film Freeway. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  24. 1 2 "Alena Murang wins award at Buenos Aires Music Video Festival". The Sun Daily. 2020-10-12. Retrieved 2022-08-24.
  25. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Karmun Ng (2021-09-01). "With her sape, Alena Murang will always find her way home". Free Malaysia Today. Retrieved 2022-08-24.
  26. ↑ "Alena Murang's 'Warrior Spirit' bags award at Buenos Aires Music Video Festival 2021". Dayak Daily. 2021-12-17. Retrieved 2022-08-24.
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