Groovy Colours, the premier band of the Ballanta Academy of Music and Performing Arts, will in July 2023 visit China to attend ‘Embracing Future with Music: 9th International Summer Institute of Chinese Music Culture’ where the winners of the 2020 International Music Talent Video Competition will hold opening and closing concerts, attend short courses on Chinese instruments, learn Chinese culture, and attend field trips and other activities from 1st – 10 July 2023 in Beijing and one other city.
This came about after the band had won the 2020 Chinese Bridge Global Music International Music Talent Video Competition, among other 243 countries across the world with a song titled, ‘Yueliang Daibiao Wo de Xin’ meaning ‘The Moon Represents my Heart’, a song which was written by Sun Yi, composed by Weng Ching-hsi, first sung by Chen Fen-lan and made famous by Teresa Teng, a famous Taiwanese singer. Groovy Colours used their professionalism to fuse the Chinese song with Zouk, one of Africa forms of music.
To support the band’s visit, two return tickets were donated by the Embassy of People’s Republic of China and four return tickets by the
Leone Rock Metal Group. In one of her interviews, Jacqueline Hong, PR & Media Manager of LRMG representing the Chief Executive Officer, said that the return tickets were worth over 16,000 US Dollars, and were donated to the band due to their ability of winning the global music competition
among other countries. “Groovy Colours deserve more than this. Hearing the band converting a Chinese song into their style was so amazing, and that really requires a great talent,” she said.
The band raised money for other expenses with a fundraising concert at the Logie Wright Auditorium. They are excited at the prospect of representing Sierra Leone in China, amongst other musicians of high
calibre.
By: By Ibrahim S. Bangura
