KUCHING: The Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) 2025 roared to life on opening night yesterday (June 20) as Otyken, an indigenous Siberian band, headlined the first evening with a performance that brought ancient traditions to the modern stage.
Led by Andrey Medonos, the band’s founder and creative director, Otyken represents the deep-rooted cultures of Siberia’s indigenous peoples, blending traditional throat singing, ethnic instruments, and hypnotic beats into a sound that is uniquely theirs.
Their RWMF performance marked their debut in Malaysia.
“This is our first time in this beautiful land. We are here not just to perform, but to share the voices of our ancestors and the spirit of our people,” said Andrey during a press conference held earlier in the day.
Otyken’s striking visual presence matched their sound.
Performers were dressed in handmade costumes inspired by their tribal heritage, each piece telling the story of cultures that have survived in harsh and isolated regions for thousands of years.
The group features seven female members and one male vocalist, creating a dynamic visual and auditory experience.
The band’s name, Otyken, means “a sacred place”, referring to a space where peace and dialogue once took place among ancient Siberian tribes.
“Music is our sacred place now. It’s where we put down differences and connect through emotion,” said Andrey.
The group has gained global recognition in recent years.
In 2022, their song ‘Legend’ earned a Grammy nomination.
Most recently, three of their songs were selected for the Lunar Codex, a NASA and SpaceX project, that will send time capsules filled with global art and culture to the moon later this year.
“The idea that our music, born from the forests and rivers of Siberia, will live on the moon is beyond words. It honours not just us, but all indigenous cultures,” Andrey reflected.
Throughout the press conference, Andrey also spoke about his creative process and the group’s mission.
“Inspiration comes through discipline. It’s not about waiting for a spark. It’s constant work. But it’s worth it when someone in another part of the world feels our heartbeat in a song,” he said.
Otyken’s performance lit up the first night of RWMF with powerful energy and cultural pride, marking a festival first and showing how music can connect people across the world and even beyond Earth.
