'Dangdut' music gala awards night glitters<\/p>\n
By Achmad Nurhoeri<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): \"Dangdut is not a poor business,\" quipped
\ndangdut sage Jaja Miharja. If you were at the Senayan Sports
\nCenter last Thursday night, you knew it was no lie. That night,
\nthe dangdut music world proudly presented its flying colors, a
\nsight to amaze anyone.<\/p>\n
Is the above picture too dim? Can't blame you if you currently
\nhave the common stereotype vista about dangdut music. This hybrid
\nIndian-Arab-Malay music is constantly associated with the
\ngrassroots, low taste, and wishy-washy lyrics. But try to erase
\nthat image. Close your eyes and paint a picture in your mind.<\/p>\n
Just imagine artists swaying their hips surrounded by BMWs,
\nVolvo limos, Porsche sports and even chrome-covered Harley
\nDavidson bikes. Red carpet awaiting the strides of the megadivas
\nwrapped in outfits with price tags exceeding a colonel's monthly
\nsalary. Hordes of fans shouting their names in hysteria. Bouncers
\nready to restrain the crowd, forming an artery connecting the
\nstars to their palace of stardom. Inside, a big stage spoofed up
\nwith more than 200 radiant lights is ready to be their ring of
\nhonor.<\/p>\n
Ring a bell?<\/p>\n
If you come up with an image of a Grammy Award or Billboard
\nMusic gala, it would be no surprise. But to burst your bubble of
\nimagination, the answer is not so far away. The preceding picture
\nwas what happened at dangdut music's most extravagant night,
\nMalam Anugerah Musik Dangdut (Dangdut Music Award Night),
\ndangdut's equivalent to the Grammy Awards.<\/p>\n
The ceremony was the first of its kind. Usually dangdut music
\nis just one of several other genres to be awarded at such an
\nevent. This year, Televisi Pendidikan Indonesia (TPI), a private
\nTV station owned by the nation's first daughter Siti Hardiyanti
\nRukmana, pioneered a night especially to glorify dangdut music.
\nAnd they have every right to do so.<\/p>\n
Even though TPI claims to be an education station, it relies
\nheavily on dangdut. Every day TPI broadcasts videoclips, quizzes
\nand even a sitcom based on dangdut.<\/p>\n
For the record, besides TPI, a lot of other media exploit the
\naura of this music. In East Java, 80 percent of private radio
\nstations play dangdut music. In Jakarta, Radio CBB which calls
\nitself \"dangdut radio\" can earn more than Rp 2 billion
\n(US$833,000) annually. Even media moguls can not resist the Midas
\ntouch dangdut brings and in 1995 a tabloid covering the world of
\ndangdut hit the streets. It bore the name.... none other than
\nDangdut.<\/p>\n
Dangdut also shows staggering numbers in the royalty business.
\nAccording to the Indonesian Creativity Foundation (YKCI), from
\nthe Rp 2.4 billion ($1 million) it collected, dangdut singers
\nfeatured most prominently in the list of receivers.<\/p>\n
Just glaring at the facts, dangdut musicians were definitely
\nentitled to show off their fortune that night.<\/p>\n
The winners<\/p>\n
Senior and junior dangdut musicians competed with each other
\nin this premier award event. And both sides eventually got a fair
\nshare of the pie.<\/p>\n
The best male and female performer this year were Meggy Z and
\nIis Dahlia respectively. The match was heaven to earth. One is a
\nold crack while the other is a shooting star.<\/p>\n
Meggy Z -- the Z stands for Zakaria -- has been in the
\nbusiness since 1970. He has experienced every inch of dangdut's
\nturbulent ride to fame. He knows that the music is usually
\nsneered at and labeled hillbilly. But he kept on struggling to
\nbreak the image. In 1987, he got his big break after his song
\nSakit Hati (Heartache) reached the hearts of his fans. But the
\nbusiness was not as lucrative nor as stable as it is today.
\nSometimes there was no contract at all. But after 27 years of
\nwandering the dangdut cosmos, the 51-year-old bard's perseverance
\nfinally paid off.<\/p>\n
\"I was surprised to receive the award. I was even chatting
\noutside the hall when they announced it. I just can't believe
\nit... an old guy like me can still get it,\" said Meggy Z who was
\nawarded for his song Senyum Membawa Luka (A Smile Brings Pain).<\/p>\n
Iis Dahlia is a different character. Born Iis Laeliyah, the
\ngorgeous 25-year-old dame started her career by accident. In
\n1988, she was just a pretty public stage singer at Monas park
\nsinging pop songs and Mandarin tunes. She was going nowhere until
\nAkurama records spotted the tantalizing diva and persuaded her to
\nchange direction. She made the change to dangdut the following
\nyear and it was definitely not the wrong one. In 1990, her second
\nalbum Tamu Tak Diundang (Uninvited Guest) received the HDX Award
\nafter it sold more than one million copies.<\/p>\n
\"Every time I go on stage now, there will be pressure. I have
\nto perform as good as I can to prove I'm worthy of this,\" said
\nIis whose song Kecewa (Disappointed) also snatched Best Lyrics
\nAward.<\/p>\n
But the darling of the night was none of the above. Nobody
\ncould make the fans cheer more when it was announced that Evie
\nTamala had grabbed three awards. She won the two viewer's choice
\nawards. She was crowned the fans favorite singer, and she was
\nawarded best composer for her song Selamat Malam (Good Night).
\nShe was also presented with the Best Dangdut Song award.<\/p>\n
The pyramid-like glass award was also given in other
\ncategories. Best Dangdut Song Arrangement went to Merpati Putih
\n(arranger Ukat S\/ singer Ikke Nurjanah). Best Duo\/Group -- Manis
\nManja Trio for their song titled Biduan (Diva). Best Newcomer --
\nLesta Mega for her song, Saruwaktu. Best Videoclip -- Dahsyat
\n(Akurama Entertainment\/ singer Adiem Ngesti).<\/p>\n
The night also honored people who had lifted the esteem of
\ndangdut to higher ground. Secretary of State Moerdiono, a die-
\nhard dangdut fan, was crowned Dangdut Figure 1997. The minister
\nalso showed that he is not a shy guy. He swayed his body with
\nEvie Tamala on stage and made the audience cheer in excitement.<\/p>\n
\"I don't care if people say dangdut is crappy. For me, the
\nimportant thing is that it's Indonesian people's prized
\npossession,\" he said underlining the promotion of dangdut as an
\noriginal Indonesian product that should be favored above western
\nmusic.<\/p>\n
But no one could deny the western influence used throughout
\nthe show, including accouterments, dance movements and stage
\nequipment. And award nights originated from the home of western
\npop culture, the U.S.<\/p>\n
But no one bore a bigger smile that night than the 50-year-old
\ndangdut prophet Rhoma Irama. He was crowned Dangdut Legend and it
\nwas more than deserved. He is the vanguard of dangdut's
\nadvancement. A 1970s ASEAN Pop Singer, Rhoma is renowned for
\nbeing the first to introduce dangdut overseas, in films and in
\ncommercials during his 25 year career span. Every time he plays
\nwith his Soneta Band, he never forgets the importance of lights,
\nlaser and dry ice. He makes a dangdut stage as extravagant as any
\nother music concert.<\/p>\n
The singing guitarist's revolution even triggered William
\nFrederick from the University of Hawaii to research him in his
\n1982 dissertation, Rhoma Irama and The Dangdut Style.<\/p>\n
\"This event is very monumental. It shows the nation what
\ndangdut is like. It lifts the appreciation,\" Rhoma said.<\/p>\n
But Rhoma never seems to halt his drive and believes the event
\ncould be improved in the future. \"I would like the event to give
\nmore time to the winners to comment on stage,\" he said. And no
\nman has more right to criticize dangdut than him.<\/p>\n
But in the meantime, no one can say that dangdut is a poor
\nbusiness. It is completely the contrary.<\/p>",
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