Singer Ruth Sahanaya relaxes in new easy-listening album

By Helly Minarti

JAKARTA (JP): Singer Ruth Sahanaya is back. Well, she never actually leaves the pop world. If she disappears occasionally from local stages, it is usually because she is taking part in a song festival abroad, or throwing gigs entertaining Indonesian communities overseas. If she is not in the news, then her tiny figure appears in commercials on the tube with, of course, her signature high-pitch voice, even though it may only be a 30- second jingle.

The 31-year-old Uthe, Ruth's popular nickname, released a solo recording last month, greeting her fans again in the new album, titled Kasih (Love). It's been two-and-a-half years since her last release, the sixth. The first single released from her new album, the somewhat mellow Keliru (Wrong), is now slowly climbing the charts.

As an Ambonese -- who are often stereotyped as blessed with a good voice -- born in a city full of musical talent like Bandung, Uthe started singing during her childhood in a church choir. Her long-time best friend from that period is Lita -- now one of the popular Elfa's Singers. Winning several song festivals while she was a teenager in Bandung, including Best Vocalist at Light Music Contest in 1985, Uthe was spotted by musician Aminoto Kosin.

It was Aminoto, still one of the country's best keyboardist, who invited her to sing for his reputable fusion group, Karimata, in 1986. The song, Masa Kecil (Childhood), propelled Uthe forward as a talented newcomer blessed with extraordinary voice and vocal technic that put her in the same league as Tri Utami of Krakatau Band, which Uthe has also sang for.

Before she knew it, Uthe released her first solo album Astaga (Oh My God). She was lucky to have the help of three Karimata members -- Aminoto, Erwin Gutawa and Chandra Darusman -- who lent their talent to create the music as well as guide the new singer through the intricate world of pop.

"Since then, I've been often identified as one of that circle (former Karimata members), as one of the 'high-class' pop clique," said Uthe, the youngest of three sisters.

With her new album, Kasih, she intends to break some of the myths going around about her.

The first step was picking the songs. Wrapping up eight songs, Uthe chose a rather surprising repertoire filled with quite a high dose of poppy numbers that give her room to display her voice range. This is strikingly different from her previous songs, which were either slow or dance.

"It's true. I deliberately went for lighter, easy-listening tunes," said Uthe.

Is it a classic path of going more commercial, to lure a broader base of fans?

"I want to sing not only for affluent people, true. I have done it enough on my previous albums," she said. "I like the idea of reaching for a broader audience -- the middle-lower class," Uthe said matter-of-factly.

Yet, she refused to concede that it comes without creative merit. "It doesn't mean it's technically easier. The songs may sound simple, but it's not simple to sing them well," she said.

"I'd like to prove that I can sing those songs better, especially the mellow ones, by giving them a different interpretation. So the slow ones don't need to sound cengeng (whining)," she added abruptly.

The ones she was referring to were the commercial, easy songs normally sung by popular artists but not necessarily good singers.

The longest process was how to find songs that really appealed to her. As a result, most of the songs were works of fine songwriters. They include young names like Fatur & Capung of Java Jive, Melly Goeslaw of Potret Band, Yovie Widianto of Kahitna and Tohpati as well as the senior Erwin Gutawa & Lulu. Uthe also slipped in a special number Belaian Sayang (Sweet Cradle), an old composition by the late Bing Slamet, her all-time favorite songwriter.

"It's a sweet lullaby. I feel I can carry the song well now that I am a mother myself," said Uthe, a mother of a 4-year-old daughter, Nadine, from her marriage in 1994 to Jeffry Waworuntu, a former model and now a game-show host.

Despite all that creative effort to release the finest form of light pop, a question remains: Isn't it a waste of her rare singing talent to produce such an "easy" album? (By the way, she has a reputation of being able to deliver difficult improvisations while belting out pop songs. She also has vigorous stamina, singing a dozen songs live while managing to minimize bad notes.)

"For me it's also a kind of challenge to sing something different from your usual repertoire. To just reverse it," said Uthe.

Erwin Gutawa, who once praised her as one of Indonesia's best singers, said: "It doesn't mean she sings badly. Never. It's just that she doesn't explore new musical grounds this time. But there is nothing wrong with it regardless of her reason, as long as she knows what she's up to."

Kasih hit 10,000 sales in its first week -- not bad at all considering the crisis. And now after more than a month, it's sold 25,000 copies; a fine start in the absence of a video clip. Uthe has toured five cities to promote the album and given many interviews. Managed by her husband since three years ago, Uthe has just launched a web site (www.ruthsahanaya.com), and has a fan club organized by her record company, Aquarius.

Compared to 12 years ago, Ruth Sahanaya has, indeed, grown in popularity and personality. Gone is the very shy girl who asked for a question list prior to an interview and then, was still unable to speak a word even in the company of her manager. This has been replaced with a self-confident Uthe who fluently spoke her opinion as she talked to The Jakarta Post last week. Wearing a casual tomboy outfit, with her hair cut short, the way she was first known, and without any make-up on her face, Uthe looked barely older than her much younger version.

The winner of international festivals like City of The Hague Award and Midnite Sun Song Festival -- both in 1992 -- Uthe is now embarking on embracing a bigger part of Asia.

"I'm known in Japan and Malaysia, where they sell my records, but I want to go further," she said.

Uthe, who has just moved to a bigger house in the outskirts of Jakarta, said she wants to have a second child this year.

Finally, she revealed her singing wish, "Someday, I'd like to make an 'idealistic' record. Just sing my favorite jazz tunes. That will be when I'm not be afraid of sales charts or what people like. I will do that just for a change," she said.

It will be a real venture, where she will be free to express her utmost talent.