KOTA KINABALU: Whether she's captivating audiences as a singer on stage or caring for patients as a dedicated nurse, Dabra Sia is always driven by a passion to give her very best.
The popular Sabahan singer-songwriter is poised to make an impact with her debut concert, "Selamanya Sabahan," set to take place at the Sabah Theological Seminary (STS) on Sept 14.
Dabra, 33, rose to fame after winning the 2019 State Sugandoi Kaamatan competition.
Last year, she was among the Sabahan singers invited to perform at a special event at the Istana Negara in Kuala Lumpur, following the "Kembara Kenali Borneo" tour.
Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Dabra expressed her hope that the organisation of the concert would significantly impact the local entertainment scene, particularly among local singers in the state.
"I emerged from a prestigious local singing competition (the Sugandoi Kamatan).
"When they (local singers) see my efforts, I hope it will inspire them to produce higher-quality works, and when there are more songs, they can also organise concerts," said Dabra, known for her popular songs like "Hanya di Sabah", "Senyuman Sabahan", and "Hiti Noh Masoku."
The mother of one shared that she had been dreaming of holding a concert for the past two years and finally had the opportunity to fulfill that dream this year.
She said time management is essential in balancing her full-time job as a nurse at a medical institution here, her singing career, and her responsibilities as a mother and wife, all of which have paved the way for an extraordinary journey.
"As people say, you only live once… so I feel this is the biggest thing I've ever attempted (in singing). I challenged myself to do this concert. I want to prove that local people can also organise their own concerts.
"Although my confidence may be just sufficient, I have an excellent and supportive team," said Dabra who set up an organising team dubbed DS Pro Event for the concert and collaborated with the Kelab Pentas Borneo Kreatif Sabah.
Dabra said the "Selamanya Sabahan" concert will showcase various talents and stage performances including vocals, instruments, dance, and theatrical.
Among the guest performers are Eylia Guntabid – the 2019 Sugandoi Kaamatan runner-up, the In Unity Chorale choir, the Tagaps Dance Theatre dance group, a theatre acting group, and musicians, including the Tuni Sundatang band.
"This concert involves several large-scale entertainers, and I'm not focusing solely on solo singers. We are trying to offer something different to the audience and raise awareness among the local community that our artistic talents are of high quality and can be commercialised.
"I hope that with my small effort and the support of Sabahans, outsiders will see that we can achieve this without relying on others. I'm not aiming to spread my wings to the peninsula, but rather, I am targeting outsiders to see us," said Dabra.
Dabra announced that she will also be launching her new album during the concert.
"I will perform 14-15 songs, including my new tracks, during the concert. My album currently has six songs, with two already released…four new songs will premiere at the concert."
Tickets to Dabra's concert can be purchased on ticketmaster.karpet-merah.com.