As an artist, alternative musician Bayang Barrios has always been uncompromising, using indigenous instruments and styles to inform her sounds.
That’s not a put on — her parents are are of Lumad origin and the 48 year old was herself born in Agusan del Sur.
So when she decided to wear a Manobo tribal costume to the State of the Nation Address on Mon, Jul 25, where she sang the National Anthem, she rocked.
Her beaded dress was made by Manila-based designer Joel Abuche. Its yellow, black and red colors paid homage to Bayang’s roots.
The highlight of the dress were the beading details of her headpiece and dress.
The head dress and neckline were both adorned with red and white beads, while the red fabric on her sleeves and belt were embedded with an ethnic pattern of black, blue, red and yellow beads.
Abuche, who also designed the dresses of Sen. Risa Hontiveros and Dinagat Island Cong. Kaka Bag-ao, posted a preview of the beading details of the dress on his Instagram account days before the SONA.
On her own social media account, Bayang thanked those who congratulated her for her SONA performance, despite being cut by the microphone several times.
