THERE is nothing prouder for Malaysians than having two talented new singers represent the country at the Sound Of The South China Sea in Sanya, Hainan, China.
The special concert organised recently by the Mandarin Global Centre of China Central Television, which is part of the China National Radio And Television Administration, provided a golden opportunity for Meer Nash and Kat Roshan to perform on Chinese television and before a live audience for the first time.
Taking advantage of this major milestone in their budding musical careers, the two performed the Malaysian folk song 'Wau Bulan' in a power-packed duet.
Their performance not only captivated the hearts of 2 million viewers in China, but also impressed many fans back home.
Kat, an artiste under the Universal Music Malaysia record label, said performing on the international stage was a valuable experience which has strengthened her position in the local music industry.
Sharing her experience, she said: "At the beginning it was a struggle to sing 'Wau Bulan', since it is in the Kelantan Malay dialect.
But then, I always love new challenges and after several weeks of practice and sheer determination, I finally nailed it.
"What motivated me was that sense of patriotism and Malaysia Boleh spirit.
"I am always determined to put Malaysian music on the world map, so I pushed myself to get out of my comfort zone and take on this beautiful song," she said in a statement.
"I am very proud to bring Malaysian music to China and make music lovers from one of the world's largest countries appreciate the best of our homegrown culture, arts and heritage," Kat added.
She said it was also an honour to sing several Chinese songs with some of the republic's famous singers, such as Xiao Ke, Ye Pei and Xiao Juan.
"I truly hope that music lovers from China and beyond will fondly remember our memorable performance.
"I hope to get more live concert opportunities not only in my homeland, but also internationally."
Meanwhile, Meer said performing on the big stage in "Asia's giant" was an exciting experience.
"When I saw that stage for the first time, it was simply out of this world.
"Although I have always performed in China, this is the first time I have been able to sing on such a magnificent stage.
"I'm still very new in singing and songwriting, so being part of this concert is a memorable moment in my career.
"I learnt a lot about performing in China, and I want to thank everyone who made the concert happen, including the many Chinese fans who cheered for us," he added.
The concert invites musicians and singers from Southeast Asia, most notably Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore, to share their music and culture with Chinese artistes and musicians.
Meer Nash or Muhamad Shahmeer Nashrul, 28, first found fame when he won the reality talent search 'I Can See Your Voice Malaysia 2020'.
He is best known for 'Seribu Tahun', the theme song of TV3's 2007 drama series, 'Kerana Cintaku Saerah', which garnered more than 41 million TikTok views.
In May last year, Meer released the single 'Permata', which he dedicated to his mother Selina Lee Abdullah, 53, who had raised him and two other siblings as a single parent.
Kat, 21, is a criminology student at University College London in the United Kingdom.
Last year, she released a dance music single titled 'Going Crazy Wild', complete with a hot K-pop-style music video featuring South Korean hip-hop artiste Kim Su-Jin.
The song was co-produced by South Korea's James Park, Kim Jun-Il and Chan Hee-Jung, with lyrics by Kat.
Kat first sang at the age of 5, and went on to take up vocal lessons with Datuk Syafinaz Selamat during her secondary school days.
She made her debut in 2020 with an extended play titled 'My Demons', which conveyed her feelings during the Covid-19 lockdown.
'My Demons' has 10 songs, including 'Rasa'.