The spirit moves young gospel singer Nikita

JAKARTA (JP): Nikita smiled shyly, looked down and clasped her fingers in her lap when her father began recounting how she first sang in public when she was barely four years old.

Looking up and shrugging her waist-long shiny black hair, she softly interjected, "But then I could easily put myself together after singing on stage a few times".

Otniel Budianto obviously enjoys telling how his daughter, now 12, worked her way to fame by singing in churches and at private functions.

Born in Jakarta on May 22, 1988, Nikita rarely appears on TV because she is determined to dedicate her singing talent to the church and avoid commercial activities.

She relents by singing pop songs when she appears before a mixed faith audience.

Although she seems to find it difficult to conquer her shyness offstage, she transforms herself as an entertainer. She has swept the awards at practically every singing contest -- gospel and secular -- she has taken part in.

The prodigy has a collection of 104 trophies, 70 of them for first place, which she acquired in four years up to the age of eight. Her most memorable moment was when she won the 1995 Jakarta Elementary School Singing Contest.

Her achievements amazed everybody but her father. When her trophy count reached 104, Budianto decided there would be no more contests -- except if she represented her school.

"I overheard people saying they would rather not take part in the contest if Nikita was there because they were dead sure she would be the winner," said Budianto, a 38-year-old computer businessman and self-styled bathroom crooner.

Nikita gained greater fame after her first album Di Doa Ibuku Namaku Disebut (My mother mentions my name in her prayers) was a smash hit upon release in 1995.

According to Melly from Maranatha records, 350,000 copies of Di Doa Ibuku have been sold so far, a record for a gospel album. The previous top seller was 150,000 copies for an album by singer Nico Nyoto Rahardjo.

Loyal fans vouch that Nikita's first album is a "must listen" for Christian families.

Her subsequent albums Ada Ampun Bapa Bagimu (Father forgives you, 1998) and Kasih Dari Surga (Love from heaven, 1999) have also been big hits, with estimated sales of 200,000 copies and 150,000 copies respectively. And the three releases continue to sell.

Only this week, Maranatha released her fourth album, Bapa Engkau Sungguh Baik (Father, you really are wonderful) to coincide with Christmas.

Her record sales, which do not take into account pirated copies, are remarkable as the Christian community constitutes only some 10 percent of the country's predominantly Muslim population of 210 million.

Maranatha, which is also the local distributor for U.S.-based Integrity and Hill Songs, notes Nikita's phenomenal success has rejuvenated the gospel music industry in Indonesia.

Maranatha partly owns 13 Pondok Pujian, upmarket shops dedicated to Christian materials, and offers about 50 new gospel music albums -- both local and international -- every year.

Nikita is the "reigning queen", as Melly described it, of the local gospel music scene, which was traditionally dominated by older faces like Herlin Pirena, Franky Sihombing, Lex Trio and singer-turned-priest Ade Manuhutu.

Her clear, high-octave voice is reminiscent of that of Mariah Carey and Celine Dion whom she most admires.

In the Christmas season, Nikita is especially busy as requests for shows stream in from practically across the country.

Besides singing in praise of God, she has done commercials (including for the Indonesian Red Cross) and starred in two Christmas-themed television films. Her debut was in 1998's Bias Kasih, which was aired on ANteve and reshown last year.

This Christmas she will star in the 90-minute Kasih Dari Surga with Feby Febiola, to be aired by private station SCTV.

Although she is the major presence in the local gospel music industry, Nikita likes to be called "God's servant" rather than an artist.

And being a renowned singer is not her only aspiration.

"I also want to be a Sunday school teacher and a dentist," said the student of Penabur Christian Junior High School of Kelapa Gading.

Nikita has stayed away from the glamour of the pop industry which has undoubtedly bolstered her image as a loyal gospel singer.

Her mother, Lili Tanjaya, and Budianto said they are well aware of the danger of exploiting their child.

"She (Lili) became Nikita's manager," he said. "If we have someone else, we are afraid the manager will be overly profit- oriented at the cost of my daughter's welfare.

"The manager's basic job is to help her manage her time and know when she should work, play and rest."

Budianto takes a neutral position regarding his daughter's future career.

"It's up to Nikita. She is free to decide what she wants to become but, personally, I want to see her pursue her career as a gospel singer," she said.

Nikita performs for free at churches and religious ceremonies but not for "secular events", as Budianto termed them.

Now coming of age and still enjoying huge popularity, something very few local child artists have been able to do, she keeps her admirers wondering: How much longer can she withstand the temptation to go mainstream?

"I am happier to sing in praise of God," she said. "I have said no to lots of people who have come and made offers to me to go pop."

Yet only God knows if she can continue to resist the worldly temptation to become a material girl in our increasingly material world.