'Dangdut' music gala awards night glitters
By Achmad Nurhoeri
JAKARTA (JP): "Dangdut is not a poor business," quipped dangdut sage Jaja Miharja. If you were at the Senayan Sports Center last Thursday night, you knew it was no lie. That night, the dangdut music world proudly presented its flying colors, a sight to amaze anyone.
Is the above picture too dim? Can't blame you if you currently have the common stereotype vista about dangdut music. This hybrid Indian-Arab-Malay music is constantly associated with the grassroots, low taste, and wishy-washy lyrics. But try to erase that image. Close your eyes and paint a picture in your mind.
Just imagine artists swaying their hips surrounded by BMWs, Volvo limos, Porsche sports and even chrome-covered Harley Davidson bikes. Red carpet awaiting the strides of the megadivas wrapped in outfits with price tags exceeding a colonel's monthly salary. Hordes of fans shouting their names in hysteria. Bouncers ready to restrain the crowd, forming an artery connecting the stars to their palace of stardom. Inside, a big stage spoofed up with more than 200 radiant lights is ready to be their ring of honor.
Ring a bell?
If you come up with an image of a Grammy Award or Billboard Music gala, it would be no surprise. But to burst your bubble of imagination, the answer is not so far away. The preceding picture was what happened at dangdut music's most extravagant night, Malam Anugerah Musik Dangdut (Dangdut Music Award Night), dangdut's equivalent to the Grammy Awards.
The ceremony was the first of its kind. Usually dangdut music is just one of several other genres to be awarded at such an event. This year, Televisi Pendidikan Indonesia (TPI), a private TV station owned by the nation's first daughter Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana, pioneered a night especially to glorify dangdut music. And they have every right to do so.
Even though TPI claims to be an education station, it relies heavily on dangdut. Every day TPI broadcasts videoclips, quizzes and even a sitcom based on dangdut.
For the record, besides TPI, a lot of other media exploit the aura of this music. In East Java, 80 percent of private radio stations play dangdut music. In Jakarta, Radio CBB which calls itself "dangdut radio" can earn more than Rp 2 billion (US$833,000) annually. Even media moguls can not resist the Midas touch dangdut brings and in 1995 a tabloid covering the world of dangdut hit the streets. It bore the name.... none other than Dangdut.
Dangdut also shows staggering numbers in the royalty business. According to the Indonesian Creativity Foundation (YKCI), from the Rp 2.4 billion ($1 million) it collected, dangdut singers featured most prominently in the list of receivers.
Just glaring at the facts, dangdut musicians were definitely entitled to show off their fortune that night.
The winners
Senior and junior dangdut musicians competed with each other in this premier award event. And both sides eventually got a fair share of the pie.
The best male and female performer this year were Meggy Z and Iis Dahlia respectively. The match was heaven to earth. One is a old crack while the other is a shooting star.
Meggy Z -- the Z stands for Zakaria -- has been in the business since 1970. He has experienced every inch of dangdut's turbulent ride to fame. He knows that the music is usually sneered at and labeled hillbilly. But he kept on struggling to break the image. In 1987, he got his big break after his song Sakit Hati (Heartache) reached the hearts of his fans. But the business was not as lucrative nor as stable as it is today. Sometimes there was no contract at all. But after 27 years of wandering the dangdut cosmos, the 51-year-old bard's perseverance finally paid off.
"I was surprised to receive the award. I was even chatting outside the hall when they announced it. I just can't believe it... an old guy like me can still get it," said Meggy Z who was awarded for his song Senyum Membawa Luka (A Smile Brings Pain).
Iis Dahlia is a different character. Born Iis Laeliyah, the gorgeous 25-year-old dame started her career by accident. In 1988, she was just a pretty public stage singer at Monas park singing pop songs and Mandarin tunes. She was going nowhere until Akurama records spotted the tantalizing diva and persuaded her to change direction. She made the change to dangdut the following year and it was definitely not the wrong one. In 1990, her second album Tamu Tak Diundang (Uninvited Guest) received the HDX Award after it sold more than one million copies.
"Every time I go on stage now, there will be pressure. I have to perform as good as I can to prove I'm worthy of this," said Iis whose song Kecewa (Disappointed) also snatched Best Lyrics Award.
But the darling of the night was none of the above. Nobody could make the fans cheer more when it was announced that Evie Tamala had grabbed three awards. She won the two viewer's choice awards. She was crowned the fans favorite singer, and she was awarded best composer for her song Selamat Malam (Good Night). She was also presented with the Best Dangdut Song award.
The pyramid-like glass award was also given in other categories. Best Dangdut Song Arrangement went to Merpati Putih (arranger Ukat S/ singer Ikke Nurjanah). Best Duo/Group -- Manis Manja Trio for their song titled Biduan (Diva). Best Newcomer -- Lesta Mega for her song, Saruwaktu. Best Videoclip -- Dahsyat (Akurama Entertainment/ singer Adiem Ngesti).
The night also honored people who had lifted the esteem of dangdut to higher ground. Secretary of State Moerdiono, a die- hard dangdut fan, was crowned Dangdut Figure 1997. The minister also showed that he is not a shy guy. He swayed his body with Evie Tamala on stage and made the audience cheer in excitement.
"I don't care if people say dangdut is crappy. For me, the important thing is that it's Indonesian people's prized possession," he said underlining the promotion of dangdut as an original Indonesian product that should be favored above western music.
But no one could deny the western influence used throughout the show, including accouterments, dance movements and stage equipment. And award nights originated from the home of western pop culture, the U.S.
But no one bore a bigger smile that night than the 50-year-old dangdut prophet Rhoma Irama. He was crowned Dangdut Legend and it was more than deserved. He is the vanguard of dangdut's advancement. A 1970s ASEAN Pop Singer, Rhoma is renowned for being the first to introduce dangdut overseas, in films and in commercials during his 25 year career span. Every time he plays with his Soneta Band, he never forgets the importance of lights, laser and dry ice. He makes a dangdut stage as extravagant as any other music concert.
The singing guitarist's revolution even triggered William Frederick from the University of Hawaii to research him in his 1982 dissertation, Rhoma Irama and The Dangdut Style.
"This event is very monumental. It shows the nation what dangdut is like. It lifts the appreciation," Rhoma said.
But Rhoma never seems to halt his drive and believes the event could be improved in the future. "I would like the event to give more time to the winners to comment on stage," he said. And no man has more right to criticize dangdut than him.
But in the meantime, no one can say that dangdut is a poor business. It is completely the contrary.