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Rocker Sylvia Saartje to hold 50th anniversary concert
Sylvia Saartje will hold a concert in Malang to mark her 50th anniversary in music.
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Sylvia Saartje will hold a concert in Malang on Saturday to mark her 50th anniversary in music. (JP/Nedi Putra AW)
Sylvia Saartje is set to hold a concert in Studio UB TV, Brawijaya University, Malang, East Java, on Saturday, Sept. 15.
Titled “Konser Emas” (Gold Concert), it will mark her 50th anniversary in music.
The 61-year-old singer is often dubbed as the first lady rocker of Indonesia, a title penned by Aktuil music magazine in the 1970s.
“Malang is my personal pride, and that is the main reason why I will hold the concert in the town,” said Sylvia during a press conference in Malang on Wednesday.
She added that all musicians in the concert would be women, including choir members, string ensemble and show director.
“They come from different backgrounds; some are still students, some are housewives. The concert is also meant to evoke the spirit to create in younger generations, especially for female vocalists in rock,” she said.
Read also: Elpamas reunites for concert in Malang
Sylvia also said she dreamed of making a sustainable music festival that catered to female rock singers, acknowledging that she would need all the support she could get.
In the concert, Sylvia plans to perform eight compositions she wrote, as well as her two hit songs, “Biarawati” and “Jakarta Blue Jeansku”.
Show director Henita said the concert would feature the hard rock music Sylvia has been known for as well as strong feminism elements.
“Sylvia will not only sing, she will also tell stories and share her experiences,” Henita said.
Sylvia Saartje is often considered the singer who paved the way for Indonesian female rock singers, such as Anggun C. Sasmi, Nicky Astria, Mel Shandy, Atiek CB and Euis Darliah. After her debut in 1978, she released nine albums until 1996.
Sylvia and her family moved from the Netherlands to Indonesia in 1962, residing in Jakarta and then Malang.
The concert is made possible by grants from Cipta Media Ekspresi Program for Women in Art and Culture, funded by the Ford Foundation and organized by Wikimedia Indonesia.
Admission is free, and it is advised to reserve seats at 081331000898 (Elsye) or 08194554 5188 (Nana). (wng)
