Songbird Vina returns after two-year hiatus

By Yogita Tahil Ramani

JAKARTA (JP): Pitch black eyes, beautiful hair and animated faces are a dime a dozen among sultry female singers.

But utter the song title Burung Camar (Seagull), and the one and only Vina Panduwinata rises from the faceless pack.

The song was a huge hit more than 10 years ago, and its gentle lyrics are still a mainstay on easy-listening radio stations.

Vina, now 38 and a mother, is back in the recording studio after a two-year hiatus. The album will be released later this year.

Among her favorite songs from the new album is Lebih Dari Cinta (More Than Love) by Audie Agaam. Songs by Indonesian singers Anang and Nugie are also included.

The public's love affair with Vina's romantic pop-jazz music began in the 1980s with Citra Biru (A Blue Image), produced by Jackson. Her songs -- slow, soft, emotive -- were safe refuge from the onslaught of shock-rock bands and heavy metal as the next decade approached.

"I would say my speciality lies in my husky voice," Vina said before a comeback performance at Planet Hollywood last Wednesday night.

The trademark voice added soulful depth to lyrical masterpieces like Dia (That Person) or the recently popular Aku Makin Cinta (Loving More Than Ever) produced by lyricist Loka Manya. But Vina also knows how to expertly pick what is right for her.

"I am very fussy when it comes to singing a piece," she said. "It has to be something I would like to sing, not something I'd do for a favor."

The public also embraced her music because it had the ring of reality. "There were terrible times I went through when I had to stay at my sister and brother-in-law's place," she said. "I heard the fights and used to hide in my room, and once composed a song, now known as Dua Anak Manusia (Two Children)."

Songs like Dia, Mawar Merah (Red Rose) and her own favorite Aku Cinta Kepada Mu (I Love You) are poignant, alluring and melodic, but it is the sultry sound and mood that gives them meaning and substance.

Asked what she thought of the copy-cat culture of emulators, Vina said: "Even children learn to use spoons following their parents' method of using a spoon. It is not wrong to emulate, as long as one knows what is to be emulated."

She explained that the distinct waves in some of her songs was inspired by famous London-based pop-and-jazz singer Asha Putli.

Her musical career began at the relatively advanced age of 26. Vina had spent five years in Germany when her father was working at the Indonesian consulate. She mentions Bernd Wippich, her German music producer, as one of the influential forces in paving her way in music, as well as Indonesian music producer Mogi Darussmann and long-time friend, manager and mentor Ajeng. M.

She won the special music award at the Kawakami Festival, Tokyo, Japan, in 1984 and her career continued on from there. Vina claims to sing for no particular market. "I sing songs that are of my liking, not for particular age groups," Vina said, identifying local singer Harvey Maleiholo as her musical counterpart.

She professes to never taking voice lessons these days. "I hardly ever practice, I just sing everyday. It could be in the shower or anywhere around the house."

Vina laughed at the contradiction in terms of being a successful and complete woman without a family.

"I enjoy being a woman, and I don't believe in being someone who thinks being complete is possible without a man in a woman's life. That is not true. Money can be earned again, but not trust, and not true companionship."

She devotes herself to her husband, entrepreneur Boy Harrijanto, and son Vito.

"The happiest moment in my life was when Vito was born," she said.

Her motherly duties include getting up early to take her son to school, and picking him up later. Yet, she believes singing will always be part of her life.

"My husband will never stop me from singing because he understands about necessary balances in life," she said.

Vina has single-minded determination to achieve happiness. "What happens, will happen. I just want to be happy in the way that every person wants to be. Their own way."