Singer Carrie Geres highlights Bidayuh heritage in latest ‘Dayung Bidayuh’ remix

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By DayakDaily Team

KUCHING, Feb 20: Award-winning Padawan-born artist Carrie Geres will officially release the 2026 remix of her single ‘Dayung Bidayuh’ together with its long-awaited official music video today at 6pm across major digital platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal and YouTube.

Carrie said the song celebrates Bidayuh women as a whole, although part of its lyrics refers specifically to Dayung Biperoh, a subgroup of the Biatah community in Padawan.

She described the song’s musical tone as unique, combining a positive message with darker sound elements such as bells and muted gongs.

“Although the message is positive, the music itself is rather ‘dark’. That is what makes it special,” she said in a statement today.

The song was originally composed in 2015 following the success of Carrie’s debut single Tenggie Ku’. In 2019, Dayung Bidayuh won first place at the Anugerah Carta Lagu Bidayuh Wai FM (ACLB2019) held at RTM Kuching.

Written, composed and produced by her brother Lester Geres, the song uses the Biperoh dialect adapted with modern language and village slang from their parents’ hometowns of Kampung Garung and Kampung Jambu. It was recorded, mixed and mastered by another brother, Bernie Joel Geres, at their home studio, Tsitra Music.

Lester said the song was intentionally produced in the Bidayuh language to promote cultural heritage while reflecting contemporary identity.

“I chose Bidayuh because I want to use this song to promote our heritage while showing that Bidayuh people are also moving with the times. It may not be purely Biatah or Biperoh dialect, but this is how we speak today. This song represents our real selves,” he explained.

He added that the hip-hop and R&B genre was chosen to appeal to younger audiences and introduce the Bidayuh language through a style that resonates with current music trends.

In 2018, the song was remixed with a new beat and included a Bidayuh rap segment performed by Lester. To mark the song’s 10th anniversary last year, the entire production was rearranged while retaining the original vocals and signature elements such as bells and background instrumentation, but with a restructured drum and bassline for a more energetic sound.

For the 2026 remix, Carrie contributed a new English rap verse.

“I added the rap verse because I want people to know that I am not just a singer, but I can rap as well. Many people do not know that about me,” she said.

The official music video, directed by Director GX, features traditional, contemporary, couture and streetwear fashion designed by MG Couture and HafizDressmaker, incorporating ethnic elements from Bidayuh and other Dayak communities in Sarawak and Kalimantan.

The video also features Dashin Ngalong, one of the last remaining Bidayuh Ring Ladies from Kampung Semban, and cameo appearances by local artistes Pearl and Rendall from Swaiv, Jasmine John and Michael Gayut MG.

Filming took place over three phases spanning nine years — in 2018 by a river near Annah Rais, in 2023 at Carrie’s home in Kuching, and in early 2026 at Semadang and Kampung Garung. Some locations were sponsored by Que River Retreat Kampung Bunuk.

Carrie said scenes shot near the river in Annah Rais carry special meaning as a large tree featured in the video was later swept away during a major flood.

“The riverside scene you see was filmed in 2018. Unfortunately, the big tree there was washed away during a major flood a few years later, so that footage is very meaningful to me,” she shared.

With its blend of music, fashion, dance and cultural representation, Dayung Bidayuh (2026 Remix) will be released today at 6pm on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/CarrieGeres) and major streaming platforms. — DayakDaily

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