TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Chilla Kiana: Staying positive with her music
Teen singer Chilla Kiana is making a breakthrough in her young career â being chosen to sing the Indonesian version of Disney song âThe Glowâ
Change Size
Teen singer Chilla Kiana is making a breakthrough in her young career ' being chosen to sing the Indonesian version of Disney song 'The Glow'.
Produced and written by the Disney Channel for its Disney Princesses franchise, the song was originally performed by Shannon Saunders for the character Rapunzel in 2011.
Chilla said her cooperation with Disney was a dream come true.
'I am very honored, excited and humbled that I got to be a part of The Glow project because I have always been a huge Disney fan, ever since I was a little kid,' 19-year-old Chilla told The Jakarta Post in a recent interview.
'I always wondered how it would feel to be a part of Disney and now that I am actually able to sing a Disney song and be a part of a Disney project, it feels amazing.'
Her success is a result of a 12-year process in which she has constantly developed herself as a musician, an artist and an entrepreneur.
Chilla said she had known what she wanted to do in life since her childhood.
Born in Surabaya, East Java on Sept. 30, 1995, Chilla first took on music was when she was seven, when her parents provided her with private piano lessons at her home.
Two years later, she complemented her musical repertoire by taking singing classes and at only 11 ' when most girls are busy playing with their barbies ' she had fun composing songs, writing lyrics and arranging notes.
In Chilla's early song-writing career, she mostly wrote religious Christian songs. 'That was just for fun,' she said.
When she was 13, one of her songs ' titled 'My Indonesia' ' caught the attention of Pongki Barata of pop band Jikustik and producer Tyo Adrian. Pongki and Tyo then produced a single for the song and a video clip was made. This put Chilla on the map of the pop scene in Indonesia.
'A while after that, I got the chance to sing and release two English-language songs ' 'Loneliest Hour' and 'Jealous'. The Universal Music Group then put me on contract and finally, a few months ago, I got a call and I was told that I got the part for The Glow project.'
When Chilla was not busy writing songs, she was just like any other kid and liked to watch cartoons and shows on the Disney Channel during her spare time. The pop musical style of Disney then began to influence Chilla in the way she wrote her songs.
'I grew up watching Disney. I was actually inspired by a lot of Disney artists, such as Miley Cyrus,' Chilla said when she talked about her musical style and influence.
'As for genre, I think my songs are mostly pop but I don't want to limit myself to a genre because I'm always constantly learning, I'm always constantly trying to evolve, and I want my music to evolve with me and to grow with me as well.'
For the themes of her songs, she said it would depend on her feelings and what she wants to write, but mostly, they're about friendship or something that is empowering and positive.
Being positive, she says, is a must for an artist to survive in the tough dog-eat-dog world of the entertainment industry
'You have to keep going even though sometimes things are hard. There are rejections and problems, which happen quite a lot in this industry,' said Chilla, whose pet dogs, Cotton and Candy, keep her happy and cheerful.
At her age, she already understands that talent and passion alone are not enough for musicians and artists such as herself to make a long-term living. At the age of 16, Chilla has already attended university, majoring in international business.
'Obviously, I like music. It's my hobby, it's my passion but I took a business degree because I'm interested in it and I want to learn how business works and I think it will be beneficial in the long term. I like music but I also want to learn how things work in the industry.'
She said to become a successful musician and to earn a living from it, first of all, it depends on the person.
'But being true to yourself is important and always working for your craft and constantly improving and constantly trying to be better is also important,' she says. 'I think good music speaks for itself. If you make really good music and you promote it well, people will want to buy it I guess.'
Chilla said she has many future plans but said that she would probably not take the routes taken by her idol, Cyrus, who altered her personality and performances to become more sensual and edgy after she broke ties with Disney.
'For me, personally, I just want to be myself and be natural I guess,' she said.
Her achievements so far have definitely put a little bit a pressure on her, but she takes a positive perspective of it. 'A little pressure is good because it keeps you in check and motivated. It keeps you wanting to improve and be better.'
' Photo Courtesy of Disney
