Raisa admits she initially lacked confidence playing Srikandi

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Singer Raisa Andriana admitted she initially felt insecure about portraying the character of Srikandi in the Sabang Merauke performance titled ‘Hikayat Srikandi Nusantara’. During a press conference after the first day’s show at Indonesia Arena, Gelora Bung Karno complex, Central Jakarta, on Friday evening (21/8), Raisa said that during early rehearsals she felt embarrassed every time she had to deliver dialogue. ‘At first, every time I rehearsed, after every single word, I felt embarrassed. Now I am confident,’ she said. After the first performance of ‘Hikayat Srikandi Nusantara’ ended, she felt very relieved to have overcome one of her biggest challenges. ‘I am so happy that today I finally broke the ice as Srikandi. I had been holding back the Raisa in me. So this is the first time I have smiled since this morning,’ she joked. Raisa had to portray Srikandi by acting, singing and dancing on stage. For Raisa, her performance was not only measured by her ability to embody the character of Srikandi, but also by conveying a message to the audience. According to her, the audience’s applause heard when Srikandi spoke showed that the message she wanted to convey was well received. ‘I am also happy because I could carry such a heavy message, but also such an important one in this Sabang Merauke performance,’ Raisa said. ‘Not just because the moment was good, but because the message itself was received by the audience,’ she said. ‘So I am very happy, not just because I was part of this rich Sabang Merauke performance, but I am proud to have conveyed such an important message, especially given Indonesia’s current circumstances,’ she said. Raisa was among the female artists who brought to life the stories of Nusantara women in ‘Hikayat Srikandi Nusantara’. In the performance, singer Yura Yunita played Mahadewi, Christine Tambunan played Dayang Sumbi, Mirabeth Sonia played Mandeh Rubayah, and Pradnya Larasari played Calon Arang. The Sabang Merauke performance ‘Hikayat Srikandi Nusantara’ featured female characters from folklore across various regions of Indonesia. The show, which featured 103 choreographies and 28 songs, involved around 1,700 performers, including 15 singers, one band, 387 dancers, traditional musicians playing 50 traditional instruments, 119 choir members, 60 orchestra musicians, 11 choreographer teams, and 16 costume designers.