'THE NEXT' Aims To Elevate Sarawak's Identity Through M-Pop

By Rozlin Rusharmeen Rosmin

KUCHING, May 30 (Bernama) -- Styled like a modern pop group, five young men calling themselves THE NEXT – Sarawak’s first M-Pop (Malaysian Pop) boy band – are on a mission that goes beyond simply making a name for themselves in the local music industry.

Their ambition is to introduce Sarawak’s culture to the international stage through a unique approach, including incorporating five languages into their debut single titled ‘The Next’, which was officially released on April 17.

The group comprises Mike Harris Eddie Kuwing, 21, better known as Mikey; Bryan Luna Rowland, 20 (Bryx); Mohamad Fariz Izwan Sonny, 19 (Rizze); Arthur Elvis Josh Magdalene, 18 (Elvis); and Nur Afif Azrai Zahin Norazi,17 (Fiv). The core identity of THE NEXT is shaped by the members’ diverse ethnic backgrounds, namely Iban, Bidayuh, Malay, Kenyah and Chinese.

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Speaking about their debut track, the group said the use of Malay, English, Iban, Bidayuh and Korean in both the introductory single and its official music video forms part of their distinct identity, setting THE NEXT apart from other pop groups.

According to Elvis, who is also the group’s music producer, Sarawak’s ethnic languages were intentionally incorporated to bring local culture into the mainstream modern pop scene.

“We do not need to imitate the entire K-pop methodology. Instead, we should take pride in Sarawak’s culture and present it as something fresh in our music industry,” he told Bernama.

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For Bryx, the use of the Iban language in their song is more than just a gimmick; it is part of the group’s mission to introduce Sarawak’s culture to international listeners.

“The Iban lyrics ‘kami datai ari jauh meri salam bekelala’ mean ‘we come from afar to extend our greetings’. Even if outsiders do not understand Iban, we hope they can start getting to know our language and culture through our song,” he said.

The members of THE NEXT comprise contestants who passed auditions for ‘Sarawak Got Talent’ before undergoing nearly three years of intensive training beginning in 2023.

During that period, they followed a K-pop-style training routine, including up to eight hours of dance and vocal training daily alongside backup dancers.

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Meanwhile, the youngest member, Fiv, who will be sitting for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination this year, said his biggest challenge has been balancing studies with group training.

“After school, I head straight to training, and if there are night classes, I go for those too. Then I stay up doing my homework until morning,” he said.

The group is currently working on their upcoming official single titled ‘Toxic Love’, which is scheduled for release at the end of this year. They are also planning to produce a five-track mini album next year, including songs themed around the Gawai festival and Hari Raya.

THE NEXT also dreams of bringing Sarawak’s identity to the international stage, including performing at major events such as the 2027 SEA Games.

-- BERNAMA