Youth quake hit Indonesian music industry in 1999

Youth quake hit Indonesian music industry in 1999

By Endi Aras

JAKARTA (JP): New faces enlivened this year's gloomy local
music industry hard hit by the ongoing economic crisis.

The economic crisis has meant escalating production costs in
the recording and promoting of new albums. Moreover, people's
purchasing power has declined to a very low level, making it very
difficult for them to buy cassettes and compact discs (CDs) of
their favorite artistes.

Since 1997, music producers -- both small and large ones like
Warner, BMI, Blackboard, Sony Music -- have refrained from
producing and releasing new albums. Everybody is waiting for the
right time. In 1999, however, there was new hope in the industry.
Despite the risks, new albums were released.

Teenagers and young children dominated the music scene,
selling albums which helped to lift the cloud that has covered
the local music and recording industry since 1997.

Joshua, the 'wonder kid', released an album Kue Donat(Donut),
which proved a success for this seven-year-old singer and
entertainer.

Joshua revived the local cassette industry with a best-selling
album that sold thousands of copies -- a rarity in these crisis
years.

Joshua, a gold mine for his parents and producer, continued to
rake in the money from TV commercials and merchandise contracts.
On his seventh birthday, he released a biography entitled Namaku
Joshua (My Name is Joshua).

Children's stars like Trio Kwek Kwek's Dhea Ananda and
Alifandi are now teenagers, helping to smoothen Joshua's path to
success. Children need other idols.

Joshua's success story has attracted dozens of other kids and
their ambitious parents to try their luck in the music industry.

The presence of young children in the entertainment industry
aroused concerned among parents, educators and psychologists.
Stories abounded of ambitious parents forcing their kids into
this tiring and competitive world for fame and money.

The slightly polluted children's music industry was cleared up
by the appearance of Sherina, a nine-year old elementary school
student with a distinctive voice and natural style.

Her debut album Andai Aku Besar Nanti,(If I grow up), sold
225,000 cassettes while CD sales reached 7,000.

The globalization era was also noticeable in the music
business. Foreign music genres like ska, rap and alternative
music remained popular among teenage audience.

1999 was made remarkable by the appearance of ska groups from
all parts of the country, even from small cities like Purwokerto
in Central Java.

A ska revival, a musical genre from Jamaica, swept the world
and didn't miss out Indonesia. Ska was actually first heard in
Indonesia a few years ago in the recordings of American group No
Doubt with their album Tragic Kingdom and Save Ferris with the
single Come On Eileen. Both fall under the genre "alternative-
ska".

Ska groups like Jun Fan Gung Foo (Sony Music Entertainment)
Tipe X and Noin Bullet (Warner Music Indonesia) reintroduced Ska
music to the ears of Indonesians. Music observers view it as a
temporary trend which will quickly vanish from the local music
scene.

1999 will also be remembered for Sheila On 7, a teenage group
from Yogyakarta. The group's debut album sold 600,000 copies, a
fantastic amount in this crisis era.

The group, consisting of Eross and Sakti (guitarists); Anton
(drummer); Duta (lead vocalist); and Adam (bassists) released
their first single Kita (Us), recorded by Sony Music
Entertainment Indonesia. They will soon release Anugrah Terindah
Yang Pernah Kumiliki,(The most beautiful gift I've ever had).

Sony shot the group to stardom. The company is renowned for
the skill of its talent scouts. It has recorded best-selling
albums by GIGI, Wong, Rif and many other groups.

Alternative music breathed fresh life into Indonesian pop
music and also widened the musical horizons of Indonesian
audiences.

In rhythm and blues (R&B) and jazz music, several names
surfaced. Sania (formerly a pop artiste under the name Tuti
Greta), Shakila and Melly Manuhutu have made R&B music prosper.
Newcomer Syahrani aims to take the place of veteran jazz singers
like Margie Segger, Ermi Kulit and Nunung Wardiman. Syahrani
launched her debut album Tersiksa Lagi,(Tortured again), a remake
of Chris Kayhatu and Utha Likumahuwa's single from the early
1980s.

Chrisye and Dian Permana Putra also took part in the hustle-
bustle of the music industry with "recycled" works. Chrisye
modified his l979 successful album Badai Pasti Berlalu (The storm
will pass), originally the soundtrack of Eros Djarot's hit film
Badai Pasti Berlalu starring Christine Hakim and Roy Marten. Dian
launched Terbaik (The best), a compilation of her hits from 1980
to 1990.

Old musicians never die, they just get old. Pop group Koes
Plus and legendary singer-songwriter Gesang launched new albums.
Koes Plus released two albums Siapakah (Who) and Burung Dara
(Pigeon). Gesang, the writer of the legendary song Bengawan Solo,
introduced Sandang Pangan (Food and clothing).

To welcome the religious celebrations of Ramadhan fasting
month, Christmas, New Year and Idul Fitri, a number of artists
released religious songs.

Emha Ainun Najib released two albums entitled Perahu Nuh,
(Noah's Ark) and Allah Merasa Heran, (God is astonished). Hadad
Alwi presented Surat Rasul, (the Prophet's letter), which hit the
market during the Ramadhan fasting month. However, when the
religious events are over, sales of religious songs usually drop
significantly.

Television actors and actresses, models and comedians tried to
show off their singing talents in the seemingly glittering music
industry, like the sexy artist Febby Fabiola, Nafa Urbah, Boyband
and Element.

Sahrul Gunawan, star of Jin dan Jun,(Jin and Jun) released
Janji,(Promise). Anjasasmara, Goenawan, Tia Ivanka, Didi Rahman
and Angie formed a vocal group Amartya.

Equipped with beautiful faces, slim and trendy but with
mediocre singing skills, many artists entered the music industry.

The industry, however, is unpredictable. Many talented singers
with good albums failed to make a mark. Other artists with only
average music and singing backgrounds gained their fame, success
and money.

Some producers compromised with market tastes and forced
singers to release market-friendly songs. Yet they were unable to
persuade record buyers to buy them.

Senjaya Wijaya from Warner Music Indonesia explained the keys
for a successful album: Good timing; well thought-out marketing,
promotional and distribution strategies; and of course gifted
artists and good materials.

"If a producer or an artist cannot meet these requirements, it
will be very hard for them to launch a successful album and
career in the music industry," Senjaya said.

Such strict requirements did not prevent newcomers and
producers from releasing hundreds of albums in 1999.

Is it a positive sign of recovery in the local music industry?

Everybody in here is waiting for the new year to come.