Craze over Coldplay and Taylor Swift concerts

By Dr T Selva

Over the past few weeks, almost every home and office in the country have been on a ticket-
chasing mania for the high-profile Coldplay and Taylor Swift concert tickets.

Fans were willing to splurge on tickets, travel and accommodation to witness live
performances by renowned international music icons in any part of the world.

The millions swayed me to join the queue. After days of planning and hours of waiting, I got
my tickets.

I will watch Coldplay in Singapore and Taylor Swift in Melbourne in January and February
next year.

In the age of social media, where music experiences are shared and documented extensively,
the fear of missing out on such culture on highly anticipated live events can be attributed to
being the driving factor behind the current craze.

People want to be a part of the excitement, share their experiences, and participate in the
cultural conversation.

To better understand my children and the younger generation, I will join the thousands of fans
for both shows to see what attraction is. Is it the music and songs or a pop culture mania?

Do you know that since ancient times, music and live performances have had an immense
frenzy and multifaceted impact on people because they offered an unexplained mesmerising
experience?

While the current cult-like hysteria for the iconography of pop culture and live music remains
all-time high, traditional music has equally the same influence on people in a more subtle
way.

Traditional music’s rhythmic patterns and melodic structures have a soothing and healing
effect on our minds and bodies.

Engaging with customary music and songs, either by listening or participating, can help
reduce stress, promote relaxation, and provide an escape from fast-paced modern living.

I recently attended the first solo concert of Alena Murang, an award-winning Malaysian Sape
musician in Kuala Lumpur.

Her captivating vocals and performance deeply moved me. Various sky elements, such as
thunder, rain, sun, morning mist, stars, and moon, inspire Alena’s songs.

She contemplates the intricate secret interactions between nature and humans through her
music.

She combined traditional elements with contemporary influences, creating a fusion of
authentic and innovative sounds.

Alena’s effortless strokes of the traditional lute instrument, known among the indigenous
Dayak people of Sarawak, captivated the audience, leaving them in a state of silent wonder.

This experience took me back to my journey with the Sarawak natives when I had the
opportunity to live in Kuching for two years in 1985 and was even “adopted” into a Penan
family in Long Seridan.

Complex traditional music found in various cultures carries profound sacred messages that
possess the potential to influence our mental faculties positively.

We open ourselves to various cognitive benefits when we immerse ourselves in these musical
traditions’ intricate melodies, rhythms, and harmonies.

Listening can significantly improve our concentration, memory, and mental agility.

While modern music performances offer a delightful and entertaining experience that allows
us to escape stress, engaging with traditional musical instruments momentarily can awaken
our dormant memory senses.

These instruments’ resonant sounds and unique pitches create a profound impact, stimulating
the depths of our reasoning abilities.

By embracing the complexity and subtleties of traditional music, we unlock a world of
hidden wisdom and sacred knowledge that has been passed down through gene
rations.

It does not matter if you don’t understand the language and lyrics.

With such soothing sounds, we can tap into the well-being of mental enhancement,
harnessing the power of these musical expressions to nourish and enrich our minds.

The incredible strength of the songs and tunes, mainly from the longhouses in Sarawak, is
that they are deeply rooted in the ecological world, incorporating sounds and themes inspired
by nature.

Immersing ourselves in such music can foster a sense of connection with the environment,
promoting mindfulness and an appreciation for the natural world.

Another significant benefit of traditional music is community bonding because it brings
people together for celebrations and strengthens ties.

As for me, the most powerful experience is its power to create a sacred atmosphere and
facilitate meditative states because they contain encoded messages, stories and life lessons.

Although music may vary depending on individual preferences, cultural context and personal
experiences, people must take advantage of the spiritual dimensions entrenched within the
music and better understand cultural beliefs, practices and life.

Award-winning author Dr T. Selva is a speaker and writer of the bestseller book Vasthu
Sastra Guide and Secrets of Happy Living. To purchase a copy of the book, call Devi at
0412623017. He can be contacted at drtselvas@gmail.com Facebook: Vasthu Sastra;
Website: www.vasthusastra.com