Life begins at 4:20 for singer songwriter Marcello Tahitoe, or so it may seem. The numbers on his right arm, tattooed there seven months ago, mean at least two things, Marcello says.
"It's the best time to enjoy the day; perfect sun, a great breeze and fine weather."
The numbers 4:20 also refer to a proverb in the Bible; "My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings."
Seven months ago, Ello (as he is known in the music industry) was not as busy as he has been recently, with gigs and interviews now his daily staple.
Seven months ago Ello was in hibernation before finding his way back into the sun with his third album, Realistis. Idealis, launched early this year.
"This tattoo is testament to a new stage in my life," he says after a brief pause.
And the question of whether Ello intentionally put on the veneer of a new self - slimmer, fresher and more casual - for his latest album gets him. He snaps his finger and draws the tape recorder closer, as if he wants to make sure the words he is about to say can be heard crystal clear.
"No...no.no! This is the real me. I should have done this in the very beginning of my music career."
"Some people have their moments to be whatever they want. Many want to be other people. I had my moment when I was not myself, but here I am now. This is the real me."
"I used to be a perfectionist and had everything stuck in my head. I'd thought about many things - anxieties and too many *what ifs'.
"Now I am more relaxed and try to be pleased with whatever I can achieve. Not in the sense that I am easily satisfied. I have my standards and try to lift my bar little by little.
His self-titled debut album, Ello, was released in 2005 and unexpectedly brought him to fame amid naturally fervent competition with other new faces in the pop music industry.
Ello was blessed in two ways: First, the industry was saturated with boy bands but had very few male soloists. Second, Ello's family name evokes memories of Minggus Tahitoe - a respectable musician of the 1970s who married then 1980s pop diva Diana Nasution. In fact, Ello sings one of his father's hits, "Pergi Untuk Kembali" (leave to return).
"For the first album, I was totally industry-oriented. People told me, *hey, wear these clothes, do your hair like this and act like that'. I just went with the flow. I listened to what people told me to do because it was easier for me while I was a rookie - a newcomer in this industry.
"But it somehow made me think that this was not what I wanted to be. I don't want to be anything else but myself."
There were minor hiccups during the interview which took place last week. In the middle of the interview, Ello grabbed a guitar and began to strum it. He sang "To Love Somebody" in a sweet improvisation - not like Michael Bolton. It's his way, with humming and scat singing. He then excused himself to order food: a plate of fried chicken and rice from an office boy at the Sony Music Indonesia where the interview took place.
Before the lunch order came, the interview was moved to a nearby canteen where Ello ordered chicken cordon blue with rice. "I am a chicken eater. Give me any kind of chicken and, oh, rice too."
"Now, we're on the same page. Let's carry on." he says, while scooping his rice.
His second album, Repackage, was released soon after the first. The debut album won prestigious Indonesian Music Awards for Best Album and Best Newcomer. But the seemingly perfect sailing came to a halt when he revolted. Ello thought it was time for a break, so he took time out to mull over his choices in life.
Ello says, "it was an exhausting period" because he had to juggle between the stage and finishing his studies to get an advertising diploma at the University of Indonesia.
"I went to school in the mornings, rehearsed in the afternoons and performed at night. I even changed clothes in my car. I had no life," says Ello, who is turning 25 this year.
"The pressures were beyond belief. Every day they came; boom . boom . boom."
The Jakarta-born says he reached a point where he was compelled to give up everything, even playing music - a passion he has nurtured since his youth.
"I stayed put at home doing nothing. Nothing bores me, because I am like that. I like casual life. I wish every day is like Sunday," he says, adding that he returned to his pastime of taking road trips and enjoying nature.
For almost two years Ello slipped under the radar. He made the most of his time when he was not easy prey for the nosy infotainment media. Ello tried to rekindle his love of music; trying to find his "happy place" in music.
"My *happy place' is the time when I first learned how to play guitar. My father taught me. I was a fifth-grader then," he says.
Remembering the first (basic) song his father taught him, Ello laughs boisterously. "You don't want to know (laugh). It was *Burung Kakatua!'."
Being a musician has been Ello's dream since his childhood, not only because he saw his parents living "a fun life as parents and musicians," but also because he thought it was the coolest profession in the world. Ello thought a musician was blessed with privileges in life - of being able to enjoy ones passion while earning a living from it.
"And if I couldn't become a musician, I wanted to play soccer," he said, showing off a kick.
Ello's energy gradually returned to him when he was by himself, watching the sunset in Cibodas (National Park) and hanging out at Batu Karas beach.
"I fell in love with music again, and began to play my guitar and write songs."
So, the tattoo marks his awakening from the long holiday.
"You know, after I got this tattoo, I started a new diet. I looked in the mirror and asked myself, *why would I need a tattoo with a body as big as a bear?'" he says, laughing. Back then he weighed more than 90 kilograms - now over 20 less.
"I did a *carbo' diet. Giving up rice was the most dreadful thing because rice had always been my favorite meal. I don't need appetizers or desserts. Rice it is, my main course," Ello says.
The tattoo, whatever it may mean, yet again speaks volumes of Ello's twist in life. Now he's more ready than ever to be back in the sun.
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