KUCHING, 2 July 2026: The 29th edition of the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) 2026 came to a memorable close last Sunday, having been hosted for three memorable days at the Sarawak Cultural Village. This event delivered cultural exchange and rainforest experiences shaped not only by performances but by the impressions Sarawak left on the artists themselves.
Held from 26 to 28 June 2026 under the theme “Regenerations: Roots & Rhythms,” RWMF 2026 brought together more than 200 performers from 13 countries. While the festival continued to showcase its scale as one of Southeast Asia’s most distinctive world music festivals, this year’s closing story was carried powerfully by the voices of its headliners: Incognito, The Commodores featuring Thomas McClary, and our own Nusantara Icon, Dato M Nasir. All reflected on Sarawak, heritage, live performance, and the role of human creativity in an age increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence.
For YB Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, RWMF’s continued relevance lies in its being built on Sarawak’s real cultural identity.
“RWMF began with only about 300 people celebrating the sape, but today it is known all over the world. Wherever we go, whether to ITB Berlin, WTM London, or other tourism platforms, people recognise Sarawak through the Rainforest World Music Festival. This is because Sarawak is very proud of its heritage, culture and traditions. With 34 ethnic groups, each with their own music, food, lifestyle and identity, we have something real to preserve, promote and share with the world,” said YB Dato Sri Abdul Karim.
He added that the festival’s strength also lies in Sarawak’s continued protection and celebration of all communities, including smaller ethnic groups, while giving traditional music and cultural expressions a platform to be seen and heard by international audiences.
This spirit was strongly reflected throughout RWMF 2026, where artistes not only arrived in Sarawak to perform but also to experience the place, people and sounds that have shaped the festival’s identity for nearly three decades.
Closing night headliner Incognito brought the festival to a soulful finale, uniting thousands of festivalgoers under the rainforest canopy with their signature blend of jazz, funk, soul, and global grooves. Their set closed RWMF 2026 with the kind of energy that has long defined the festival: celebratory, open-hearted and deeply communal.
Beyond the stage, members of Incognito shared that they loved experiencing rain in the Rainforest ahead of the concert and seeing the wildlife firsthand, which made the setting feel especially real and memorable. They also spoke of their curiosity to experience more of Sarawak, from its food and local attire to its wildlife, including proboscis monkeys and orangutans.
One of the most meaningful moments they shared was hearing the sape on the festival’s opening day. Describing it as a beautiful and memorable sound, they expressed how deeply it stayed with them- the kind of musical encounter that reflects RWMF’s greatest strength: creating space for international artists to discover Sarawak’s traditional sounds as part of a living, shared musical conversation.
For The Commodores featuring Thomas McClary, RWMF 2026’s theme “Regenerations: Roots & Rhythms” resonated strongly with the idea of music moving across generations.
McClary reflected that younger musicians continue to draw inspiration from earlier sounds while creating their own identities, describing this intergenerational exchange as part of what keeps music alive.
“It is the younger generation that is going to take music to that next level. It is inspiring to know that they have not only embraced that, but they have taken that mantle and created their own original sound and utilised the influence from the old sounds,” McClary said during the festival’s Meet & Greet session with the media.
He added that the beauty of music lies in this meeting between generations, where nostalgic sounds continue to carry forward while allowing new voices to emerge. For a group whose music has travelled across decades and continents, The Commodores’ presence at RWMF reinforced the festival’s role as a place where legacy and discovery can coexist.
McClary also expressed appreciation for performing at RWMF, describing it as an honour to be among people who share a deep love for music.
“It is an honour to be here. Coming here and being among all of the natives here, and the love and compassion that you have for music, we really appreciate that very, very much,” he said.
Opening night headliner Dato’ M. Nasir also brought a reflective Malaysian voice to RWMF 2026, particularly through his comments on artificial intelligence and the future of music creation. Speaking during the festival’s media session, he described AI as a tool that may assist the creative process, while noting that its full impact on songwriting, lyrics and artistic authorship remains an ongoing discussion.
He added that, much like digital technology before it, AI is expected to influence the landscape of music creation. However, his reflections also pointed to a deeper question facing artists today: how technology can be used without replacing the thought, discipline, instinct and lived experience that shape meaningful creative work.
As RWMF looks towards its 30th edition, it is also time to reflect on the role of AI in music. AI is a valuable tool, but it should support, not replace, human creativity, cultural memory and artistic integrity. Many musicians continue to favour authentic creation over AI-generated content,
recognising that audiences value sincerity and originality. At the same time, we must be mindful of AI’s growing environmental footprint and energy demands. RWMF can become a platform for meaningful dialogue on using AI wisely, ethically and sustainably, while reaffirming that the heart of music will always be human.
This made RWMF 2026 especially relevant within today’s creative landscape. At a festival grounded in live performance, traditional instruments, cultural memory, and direct exchange between artists and audiences, the conversation around AI was not treated as a rejection of technology but as a reminder that human creativity must remain at the centre of music.
Beyond its headliners, RWMF 2026 continued to offer a wide-ranging festival experience through performances, workshops, cultural showcases, wellness activities, community experiences and family-friendly programmes set against the iconic backdrop of Mount Santubong. Over three days, audiences encountered a diverse range of musical expressions, from Afro-fusion, Basque folk, and Thai contemporary fusion to Nusantara traditions, funk, soul, and Indigenous Bornean sounds.
Sustainability remained a key pillar of RWMF 2026, not as a separate campaign, but as part of the festival’s responsibility to the rainforest setting that gives it its identity. The festival continued implementing the ISO 20121 Event Sustainability Management System, with key initiatives including Green Ruai, the Green Warriors Waste Management Programme, structured waste segregation and recycling systems, EcoStations across the festival grounds, and the EcoGreen Planet Tree Planting Initiative.
Through EcoGreen Planet, in collaboration with Sarawak Forestry Corporation, more than 6,000 trees have been planted across Sarawak since 2023. This year’s festival also supports further tree-planting efforts, with a target of 3,800 trees towards the broader goal of 10,000 trees.
These efforts reflect RWMF’s continued commitment to ensuring that the festival’s environmental responsibility extends beyond the three festival days.
As the final performances concluded and festivalgoers departed the Sarawak Cultural Village, RWMF 2026 closed with a message that went beyond music. Through its headliners, performers, workshops, cultural encounters and sustainability efforts, the festival showed that music remains most powerful when it is human, rooted, shared and alive.
More than a festival, RWMF continues to strengthen Sarawak’s position as the Gateway to Borneo and a global meeting point where culture, nature, creativity and community converge. It remains a space where the world comes to Sarawak, and where Sarawak’s stories, sounds and spirit continue to travel outward.
The Rainforest World Music Festival will return for its milestone 30th edition from 25 to 27 June 2027 under the theme “Legacy. Revolution Inspired.” As RWMF looks ahead to this landmark edition, the close of its 29th edition serves as a powerful reminder of the festival’s enduring legacy, one that continues to celebrate cultural roots, inspire new generations and carry Sarawak’s music, stories, and spirit to the world.
For more information on Sarawak, visit: www.sarawaktourism.com
(Source: Your Stories — Sarawak Tourism Board)
