'The Miracle' gives birth to a new star

By Helly Minarti

JAKARTA (JP): She is currently dubbed the rising star of Indonesian pop music, with her debut album Keajaiban (The Miracle) selling like hotcakes despite the economic crisis. But for her, the success is not a miracle.

"It's the result of a years-long process," the 23-year-old Reza said.

She launched the album a year ago with her trademark husky voice singing, a type of music slanting off the trend by then.

The result was beyond expectation. It has sold about 300,000 copies and three songs became hits: Pertama (The First); Dia (He), a remake of a mid-1980s hit; and the mushy Satu Yang Tak Bisa Lepas (The One That Can't Go). They came with video clips presenting Reza's sensual image as a fresh character in pop music.

Reza, who joined her high school's choir, sharpened her singing skills at festivals and pubs, where she sang a repertoire of Top 40 hits. One of her achievement was winning Best Female Singer in the early 1990s at a Yamaha music contest.

A big fan of Chaka Khan, Randy Crawford, Natalie Cole and Stevie Wonder, she said "I'm into black music." Their songs, indeed, have helped shape her voice and contributed to her style.

Reza, who performed at Hard Rock Cafe last week, has been offered to record her songs since 1989, but she turned them down, even though, she said, she was determined to build a career as a singer. "I was not in a rush," she said.

Other reasons? "I'm very moody. If I feel something is not right in the process, I'd rather stop," said the student of a private university, majoring in economy,

Reza, full name Reza Artamevia Adriana Eka Suci, busied herself singing in bands with friends -- Wayang & Puppet, Cold Sweat and Nuckle. In 1994, Dhani A. Manaf, a student of law in the same university and the key person of the rock band Dewa 19, asked her to be one of the backing vocals for his band. "I wanted to, but my schedule was full," she said.

The next year, Dhani offered to work on her solo album. "I welcomed the idea though I didn't listen to Dewa 19 music. I just said 'as long as we can get along music wise'."

They taped Pertama as their demo tape. "Dhani composed the music, I spontaneously cowrote the lyrics in the studio," said Reza. From then on, the process moved fast and smooth. Dhani soon got Aquarius Indonesia interested and a deal was made.

Dhani composed all eight songs on Keajaiban. In addition, Reza picked one old hit of Vina Panduwinata, Dia. She also cowrote two songs and worked closely on music with Dhani, who is "brilliant, farsighted and cooperative".

Reza has signed a safe three-album contract, she has a very supporting group of musicians and management, and has Dhani as her producer, who also blends the musical chemistry.

It is not a miracle, she said. "It's more like grace instead of a miracle."

"I am simply lucky," said Reza, referring to the support she has gained from her close music circle. Learning from world musicians' biographies, she set up her own management team -- Zahwakhabiza. As she finally lined up as Dewa 19's backing vocal, she also took care of the management side.

"I also mingled with many senior musicians to get more input on how to manage myself as an artist. Of course, my study in economics helps," said the eldest of three siblings. Now, she has a production manager and an account manager plus her own band.

She believes in teamwork. It was her management team who reviewed the first version of her video clip and advised her to do some reshoots to fit her into the creation of a new pop star.

"There's some part of me which only wants to sing my songs (my way), but I don't deny that I would submit myself to please other people who'd like to see me singing," she said of her pop merchandise part. "But (taking this compromise) I remain as Reza, not somebody else."