Velvet Aduk's Dusun album ‘Ogingol' is a love letter to her culture
PENAMPANG : Sabahan singer-songwriter Velvet Aduk had a frightening realisation – her four children weren't all that interested in speaking Dusun. And they weren't alone. Many young Dusun speakers across Sabah seemed to be drifting away from the language too.
'I told them, 'When you grow up, you're going to regret not learning this language,'' Aduk, 37, shared with FMT Lifestyle.
Determined to do something about it, she set to work in her home studio. Fourteen months of creative effort later, she released her first-ever fully Dusun album, 'Ogingol'.
'This album is a reminder to my children to appreciate and learn their mother tongue… and really, it's for all young people,' she said about the nine-track album she co-produced and co-arranged with longtime collaborators Brandon Laurie and Andy O'Mail.
Aduk took 14 months to create the album together with her frequent collaborators Andy O'Mail (left) and Brandon Laurie. (Velvet Aduk pic)
She said the album, her third, is also her way of preserving the specific Dusun dialect spoken in her hometown of Kampung Inobong. 'You don't hear many people speaking it anymore. I think it's going to go extinct soon, which is really sad.'
Even the album's title, 'Ogingol' – which means beautiful – uses a word found only in Kampung Inobong, making the project all the more personal for Aduk, a former Akademi Fantasia contestant.
'I don't actually speak Kadazan or Dusun fluently,' admitted Aduk, naming Sabahan singers Hain Jasli, Francis Landong, and Masnie Sumiran as her inspirations.
'My knowledge of the language is super limited, so writing lyrics felt like going round in circles with the same words. It took me quite a while to actually finish all the songs. It was frustrating but at the same time, it was fun because writing is my escapism.'
Aduk hopes her album will spark an interest in the younger generation to get reacquainted with their culture. (Velvet Aduk pic)
With no big studio backing her, Aduk recorded the entire album at home using GarageBand, later teaming up with her 'boys' to polish things up.
'It was all DIY – vocals at home, jam sessions in the studio. And I've never gone to music school, never had vocal lessons, so this is all done just through my own experience.'
The album's nine tracks are a mix of genres – pop, soul, even a bit of funk – but all sung in Dusun.
'I didn't want it to sound like a typical Kadazan Dusun album, with the sound of gongs or other traditional elements. Normally, they have this same sound or vibe to them,' Aduk revealed.
'I wanted to make a Dusun album that doesn't sound like a Dusun album. Something unconventional. One that even non-Dusun people would be able to jive to.'
Despite the playful beats, the creative process was deeply emotional.
'There were times I almost cried while singing,' Velvet confessed.
'Like the song 'Mintogod'. It's an expression of anger, of wanting something that you cannot have, and having something that you no longer have within you. At one point I was telling a friend that I feel so drained because I've put everything into the album.'
Aduk shared the stage with sape player Alena Murang (left) and Sabahan singer-actress Marsha Milan Londoh (right) last year for the 'Sounds Of Borneo' concert at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas. (Velvet Aduk pic)
Perhaps the most personal song of all is 'Kopiruba Wagu Insan Tadau', which she wrote for her late father.
'My dad was ill for ten years before he passed. My mum took care of him every day. That song is about letting go of someone you love… even though your heart doesn't want to,' she said, her voice softening. 'It's saying goodbye, but also 'see you again soon'.'
Another track that's close to Aduk's heart is Kaandaman, written by Laurie in Kadazan. The song is all about memories.
Thinking back to her childhood, Aduk recalled staying at her grandparents' house, listening to old Kadazan songs on the radio, and picking up cassette tapes at the market.
'I wish I could go back to those days, growing up in the kampung. Back then, everyone spoke in Dusun.'
More than anything, Aduk wants her new album to spark pride, curiosity, and love for culture, especially among younger Sabahans who may feel far from their roots.
'I hope this album acts as a reminder, especially for the younger generation, to really hold the culture dear to their heart, even though they are far away.'
'Ogingol' is now available on all major streaming platforms.
Follow Velvet Aduk on Facebook and Instagram.
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