Filipino Maribeth seeks second wind in Indonesia

Filipino Maribeth seeks second wind in Indonesia

By Achmad Nurhoeri

JAKARTA (JP): Five years after she swept the nation with her
1992 Denpasar Moon, Filipino diva Maribeth B. Pascua is back in
Indonesia to recapture her days of adoration. However, her first
shot at Jakarta's Poster Cafe on Thursday night proved that
sequels rarely match first time successes.

It was a tale from rags-to-riches when nameless amateur Mari
beth won the Voice of Asia competition in 1991, followed by a
five-year contract with Sony Music Japan in Tokyo.

She stunned Indonesia with a song using Balinese gamelan made
by a Malay Brit and produced by a Japanese company.

But under the sweet fame and fortune there lied a sticky
bitterness.

"I experienced a lot of bad and good through these past five
years. I wasn't happy then. I was a robot," said Maribeth contem
platively. "I don't want to be a robot anymore."

To everyone's surprise, the debut album Alone Against The
World in 1992 struck gold in Indonesia. It triggered a massive
drive of more than 60 illegal cover versions. Indonesians were
humming the tune nationwide, from posh hotels and cabinet
meetings to shabby shanties and village huts, in English,
Indonesian and even Sundanese.

But the second album, I Was Born To Sing, was a
disappointment. Maribeth's powerful voice was trimmed to
mediocrity. The third album Abhyanga was even worse and failed in
the market.

"I was surprised that it was released here. The sound and
taste are Japanese. I knew that it wouldn't sell," she said.

In the end, the music industry has again proved its power to
smother artistic quality for the sake of the dollar.

"I don't really like my own songs. On the first album I was
not too dictated to. But in the second and third, they (Sony
Music Japan) completely dictated me," said the 25-year-old
Filipino.

"They wanted me to change my voice style and used a lot of
fake voices. I don't like that," sighed Maribeth, who is now her
own manager. "It's only now that I have the freedom of speech and
choice. Now it's all up to me. I tell you, a part of singing is
about enjoying it."

Strong

But bad experiences are what make people strong, especially
this singer, who is practically unknown in her home country.

"I realized my mistakes. And they have to change for the
better. So, I've been praying to the Lord that my 1992 success
will happen again in 1997," she said noting that she will retire
in five years unless her star continues to shining.

She is now preparing her fourth and fifth album here with PT
Indo Semar Sakti, Sony's Indonesian distributor. One is in
English but the other album will be the one she has hopes for. It
will consist of 10 songs, all in Indonesian. It will be furnished
by various strokes of ethnic and contemporary Indonesian music.

One song, Tarian Dewata (Dance of Gods), is a copy of Denpasar
Moon with heavy blows of gamelan. The other songs will be filled
with pinches of Sundanese strains, brushes of dangdut beats and
high pitched notes and ad-libs. Both albums will hit the market
next September.

Asked why she wanted to make it big for the second time in
Indonesia, Maribeth confidently said, "I must maintain my image."

"I want to be classified as an Indonesian celebrity. I prefer
that because here is where I am accepted the most. The people
always wanted me here," she proclaimed, adding that she does not
miss her home at all.

Maribeth confessed that she has a grudge against certain
parties back home. "I want to prove to the people in the
Philippines who never accepted me that I'll make it big outside.
And once they know, they'll regret it.

"They will get their 'karma' for using me. Just let God de
cide," she said after explaining an unpleasant incident in her
early days.

Dry comeback

Getting up from a fall is never a simple task and Maribeth
found out that Indonesia had begun to forget her.

Her reappearance at the laser-splashed Poster Cafe was filled
mostly by people who were not the fans she desired. Most of them
were dandy-suited people who only clapped at the end of each
song. The Voice of Asia quality rushed back but it was just not
enough.

She used her broken Indonesian to stimulate the mood. She
forced several people to sing along with her. Some refused, some
shied away. "Jangan malu (Don't be shy)," she said to a gray
haired chap while she sang the 1960s oldie Stand By Me. Luckily
she discovered a beautiful young lady none other than model Cut
Keke for her target, which excited the crowd a little.

Pitifully, the dry audience just made her another Filipino pub
singer you frequently see in Jakarta's many pubs. Maribeth only
sang twelve songs, one song less than planned. Ten were Western
songs you usually hear in cafes these days. She skipped Ruth
Sahanaya's Bawa Daku Pergi (Carry Me Away).

Only Denpasar Moon was able to excite due to the six Balinese
dancers who were too much for the tiny stage. "That's the song
that made me famous," she said to the audience.

A couple in the audience gave her a bouquet and asked for an
encore. But no one said a comeback would be easy. If Maribeth
wants to be more than the singer of Denpasar Moon, she will need
more than confidence, broken Indonesian, a remarkable voice and a
pretty face.