Exciting news from China’s music scene: Yunnan-based band Bagedai has just dropped their debut album, and it’s already making waves. Recorded live at the iconic Yunnan Publishing House Studio in Kunming on May 30, 2024, this album is a testament to the band’s electrifying stage presence.
Sea of Wood Records produced the album, with technician Dou Ru Yi and producers Sam Debell and Lao You at the helm. They’ve managed to capture the essence of Bagedai’s live performances, which have been turning heads at festivals since the band formed in early 2023.
What makes Bagedai stand out? It’s their unique fusion of traditional Wa music and modern reggae. With twelve members, including five lead vocalists, they bring a rich, full sound that’s both familiar and fresh. Their music is deeply rooted in the cultural heritage of the Wa people from Ximeng, Yunnan, but it’s presented in a way that speaks to contemporary audiences.
Take their track “My beloved,” for example. It’s a perfect showcase of how Bagedai modernizes traditional melodies while staying true to their cultural roots. This approach has earned them airplay on international radio stations and critical acclaim.
We recently had the opportunity to have an interview Bagedai to discuss their debut album. Our conversation covered their creative process, sources of inspiration, and the cultural significance of their music. It’s clear that Bagedai isn’t just making music – they’re on a mission to preserve and promote Wa culture through their art.
As Bagedai continues to gain recognition, they’re quickly becoming a defining voice in Yunnan’s music scene. Their story is one of cultural preservation, musical innovation, and the power of blending traditions with contemporary sounds. Stay tuned for our full interview with this rising star in China’s music world.
Listen to Bagedai below
Follow Bagedai on
Facebook
What is your stage name?
Bagedai.
Is there a story behind your stage name?
Bagedai, also known as “Beautiful Homeland,” is the first piece of land the Wa ancestors stepped on after leaving Sigangli. It is the heartland of the Wa people, nurturing the bloodline of the tribe which was given birth along with the creation epic of Sigangli, with every mountain and tree carrying the mysterious power of ancient traditions.
Bagedai is the cradle of Wa culture, the Wa people formed tribes and spread out from Bagedai, each creating their own homes. No matter where the Wa people go, they never forget their homeland. Bagedai is the shared home of all Wa people, just as the band members come from the same place but have different professions, coming together to protect and promote our culture.
Where do you find inspiration?
The tunes we sing are the ones we’ve heard our elders hum since childhood. During our free time, the band members gather to chat, have drinks and share our ideas, which also sparks inspiration.
Who inspired you to be a part of the music industry?
Ximeng is a small county where many talents have emerged, like Yan Yong, the bassist of the Shanren, and Amei, the lead singer of Sigangli. We are influenced by these predecessors and want to join the music industry to let more people know about Ximeng and Wa culture.
How did you learn to sing/write/to play?
The band members gather together, share our thoughts on a particular tune of Wa, and each member contributes their ideas. Once everyone agrees, we finalize the song’s writing.
What was the first concert that you ever went to and who did you see perform?
Our first concert was at the Nanman Music Festival in Xishuangbanna, where Kawa also performed.
How could you describe your music?
Wa music is primitive and simple, while beautiful and captivating. Its unadorned tunes and rugged style make it unique. Life in Awashan, including love, marriage, labor, harvest and celebrations, is the best musical score, with each chapter full of joy.
Describe your creative process.
Everyone shares their thoughts on how to express the song’s true meaning. We practice multiple times to find the best way to perform the song, and that’s how we complete it.
What is your main inspiration?
Many released songs are what we’ve heard since childhood. There are many captivating tunes in Wa culture, but few people sing them now. We want to protect and promote these tunes so everyone can hear these heart-touching songs.
What are your interests outside of music?
We cook traditional Wa dishes together.
If it wasn’t a music career, what would you be doing?
The five female lead singers work in the county’s ethnic cultural troupe. Among the musicians, there is inheritor of intangible cultural heritage, and others work in institutions or play in other bands in Kunming.
What is the biggest problem you have encountered in the journey of music?
In the beginning, we didn’t receive much support and encouragement from people around us, which was quite disheartening.
If you could change one thing in the music industry, what would it be?
We hope more people will support ethnic and original music, making it more popular and step onto the world stage.
What are your plans for the coming months?
We have some regular performances coming up. Additionally, we will have a small-scale live house tour outside Yunnan in September. This tour will be interesting, because we will reduce the number of performers on stage, which originally consists of 12 people in most large-scale stage.
While ensuring the quality of the live performance, we are trying to fit the live house setting. This is a challenge, but if it works well, we hope to bring our music to more live houses and bars, which offer more intimate and atmospheric environment for the audience. We also plan to hold an album release presser for our self-titled album “Bagedai” in our hometown, Ximeng County.
Do you have any artistic collaboration plans?
If possible, I hope the band can perform overseas, so more people can learn about Wa tunes and the efforts that we are making to preserve our ethnic culture.
What message would you like to give to your fans?
Bagedai hopes to inspire more young people of ethnic minorities to learn and inherit their own ethnic culture. We want to tell them, only they can represent their ethnicity. By understanding the world through ethnic music, the world is also allowed to better understand ethnic minorities.
