All the girl wants is to bring Joy to the world

Evi Mariani The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Since the age of nine, Joy Destiny Tiurma Tobing has won around 100 singing contests in the country and now, at the age of 24, she is on the brink of international stardom.

"I wanted to embrace the international market even before I won Indonesian Idol," Joy told The Jakarta Post at her house in Mampang, South Jakarta.

When she realized that being named Indonesian Idol meant she had to give up on her dream, albeit temporarily, she chose to move from under Idol's management and brave public disdain.

"Idol's manager Indomugi Pratama put me on a very tight schedule of shows. They didn't give me room to breathe. I really felt like a cash cow," she said.

"Apart from the schedule, they also wanted me to sing in malls. I'm the winner of Indonesian Idol -- which has not been easy to achieve. I don't want to sing in malls, that's not in the same league as the show," she added.

The price she has to pay for refusing to work under Idol's management is that she won't be able to participate in World Idol.

"I dared to accept the consequences because the schedule for World Idol has not been confirmed yet. I do not want to miss a good chance to go international for something uncertain," she added.

Joy Tobing is not a woman who merely talks of accomplishing great things. Her powerful voice is matched by the dynamism that she exhibits in her career.

In January this year, under her personal management -- which is based both in London and Jakarta -- she flew to London in search of a suitable record company.

"My manager has many friends in the music industry. So, he introduced me to his friends in London," Joy said.

She is confident that given her talent and energy, she will be well received by the international music industry.

"Talent has never been a problem for Indonesian singers. It is the network that we lack," Joy said.

Her manager said that after hearing Joy sing, an agent in London said few singers are comparable to Joy in their ability to sing rock, country and operatic pieces.

However, to bring Indonesia's industry worldwide recognition, Joy needs a record company that respects her talent and understands how to operate internationally.

She said her latest record, which was produced by BMG Indonesia in a mere 42 hours, was a big disappointment.

"The review in The Jakarta Post was right. It was a poor record," she said, referring to the review of her album Karena Cinta published in the Post on Oct. 17 last year.

She also regrets the 72-month contract she signed with BMG Indonesia -- a unit of global record company Sony BMG Music Entertainment -- after she won Indonesian Idol. She said that in the four-centimeter-thick contract, there was no plan for her to go international.

For Joy, who has been singing almost all her life, going international is a natural progression.

In 1994, at the age of 14, she was the winner of Cipta Pesona Bintang, a singing competition aired by private TV station RCTI.

Two years later, she became the winner of Laser Karaoke Pioneer, outshining eight competitors from countries in Asia..

"My mother frequently signed me up for competitions since I was in elementary school," Joy, the eldest of the three children of Jamarudut L. Tobing and Roma Sibuea, said.

Indeed, the family house in South Jakarta was mostly paid for through Joy's success.

Her father, formerly a taxi driver, set up Joy Records as a way for the whole family to profit from Joy's talent.

"She has been a hit among Christian and Batak people for a long while now," Roma, her mother said.

Under Joy Records and other minor labels, Joy put out about 20 albums before winning Indonesian Idol.

"I've been singing for the family," Joy added.

She was often invited to perform at weddings, birthdays and other "joyful" occasions.

And there were times when Joy just did not want to sing: "I wanted to have a break from singing at that time. But my mother said 'Please, it's paying off the mortgage'," she said. "I could hardly say no to my family, but my mother usually understands if I say I'm really tired. It's different from being under professional management. I think they (professional managers) wouldn't understand."

Her family fully supports her dream and accompanied Joy to London in January.

With such talent and determination, her fans have every reason to put their faith in Joy.