Inul takes it all in stride<\/p>\n
When dangdut singer Inul Daratista was set to perform at last
\nweek's WOMAD Singapore 2004, there was concern that the audience
\nwould prefer to watch the local favorite, the percussion group
\nWicked Aura Batucada.<\/p>\n
Both Inul and the group's gig were at 7 p.m., with Inul on
\nthe main stage.<\/p>\n
However, whenever the master of ceremonies mentioned her name,
\na cheer was heard from the crowd, predictably from Indonesians
\nand Singapore Malays.<\/p>\n
As soon as she showed up on stage, the worry faded as several
\ndozen audience members pushed forward to dance in front of the
\nstage. Some were Westerners, who at first stood up out of
\ncuriosity, but then got carried away and danced to the tune.<\/p>\n
Tania Kiener, a Swiss-born Singapore resident, said Inul
\ndangdut's style was different from that she heard on the radio.<\/p>\n
It caught her interest for the similarity to her favorite
\nsound of reggae; Inul's songs do indeed have a lot of rock
\nelements in it.<\/p>\n
\"But I don't understand the controversy. Her moves are a lot
\ntamer than what I've read about in the paper,\" Tania said.<\/p>\n
With her entourage in tow, including a younger sister and
\nhusband\/manager Adam, Inul said she was happy to perform at
\nWOMAD.<\/p>\n
\"It's a way to get back at my detractors who always
\nintimidated me,\" the 25 year old said in an interview with The
\nJakarta Post a day prior to the show.<\/p>\n
She no longer appeared to be the coy small-town girl made big
\nwho cried a lot during last year's media blitz about protests
\nfrom religious leaders and fellow dangdut artists about her
\nerotic gyrations. She was more composed, friendly but even showed
\nher moody-artist persona.<\/p>\n
Here is an excerpt from the interview:<\/p>\n
Question: How do you feel about performing in WOMAD?<\/p>\n
Inul: This is a golden opportunity that I couldn't say no to.
\nThere has never been an Indonesian artist perform here,
\nespecially dangdut, which is considered the music for the middle
\nto lower economic brackets.<\/p>\n
I want to show that I'm a qualified artist, not just a target
\nof mockery, ridicule and protests simply because of my way of
\nsinging dangdut. It turns out that dangdut has brought me to
\nWOMAD.<\/p>\n
Had you heard about WOMAD before?<\/p>\n
Yes. I think it's like a competition forum between countries
\nto introduce their music.<\/p>\n
When I received the offer (to perform), I was in doubt whether
\nI could do it or not. I'm nervous because for the first time, I
\nwill sing to a totally different audience. There are Westerners,
\nof various characters.<\/p>\n
But this is, like, my way of getting back at the detractors
\nwho intimidated me all this time. I want to show them that I'm
\n(a) serious (artist). If I rejected this offer, I wouldn't move
\nforward.<\/p>\n
There are still flaws here and there, because I'm not an
\nintellectual person to start with.<\/p>\n
How will you react when the audience finds out your style of
\ndangdut is not the traditional one?<\/p>\n
No problem. What I've brought here is that I can sing and
\ndance ... I can do the \"gyrating\" dance, hipshaking movements,
\ndoing a traditional dance gracefully, singing joyful tunes or
\nMalay rhythm ... I can do them all.<\/p>\n
You are rarely seen on TV right now, except for your TV drama.
\nWhy?<\/p>\n
We're indeed pushing for events like this. I'm tired of people
\nsaying that I'm popular because of controversy, like with the
\ncase of Rhoma Irama. I'm happy to be here, with my own existence
\nand identity.<\/p>\n
You have dozens of followers, young singers with even more
\nprovocative moves. What do you think of them?<\/p>\n
I'm proud of the fact that they're following my path. I don't
\ndare to say they're dirty and all. Although I think that dancing
\nin a squatting position until one's underwear shows is out of
\ncontext.<\/p>\n
But let them be. It's usually done because there's some
\nlimitations: No money, they have to sing in a sleazy bar with
\ntheir midriff showing. That's what happened to me.<\/p>\n
By the time they have the money, they will understand. They
\nmust want to improve, having their own identity, not just
\nfollowing me.<\/p>\n
Now, however, the road to fame is less winding. It doesn't
\nhave to be through a record deal, but you can go straight to
\ntelevision. Never mind the sensationalism, let people know that
\nIndonesians are not that narrow-minded.<\/p>\n
Criticism over dangdut music is about how predictable and
\nmonotonous it is. What do you say about that?<\/p>\n
That's why I want to be different. I want to be recognized as
\nan artist who can sing any genre. I've been covering pop and rock
\nsongs, Malay as well, and mix it with dangdut, so that it's not
\nmonotonous. If we want the music to be accepted, we have to give
\nthem variations.<\/p>\n
Have you started writing songs?<\/p>\n
Yes, but it's more into rock. I don't know how to write a
\ndangdut song, never get it. I cover more and more rock songs,
\nrearrange them into dangdut, which perhaps make dangdut artists
\neven more furious (laughs).<\/p>\n
Any other offer to perform abroad after WOMAD?<\/p>\n
Yes, actually, singing dangdut in Greece and Belgium. It's a
\nfestival too, like WOMAD.<\/p>\n
Any other thing you want to achieve?<\/p>\n
I want to learn how to speak Japanese, and want my English to
\nbe more fluent. I can speak English, actually. I'm just still
\nafraid and not confident.<\/p>\n
I'd like to learn many languages. Why Japanese? Because I like
\nit, and I prefer traveling to Japan. There has been a recording
\noffer in Japan, but it has to be in Japanese.<\/p>\n
That's why I need to learn the language, to understand what
\nI'm singing. The music is still dangdut, but being mixed or
\nremixed, with a DJ perhaps, because that's what's popular now.<\/p>\n
-- Hera Diani<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/inul-takes-it-all-in-stride-1447899208", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }