Singer Diastika Lokesworo has embraced her passion for jazz, launching her first, self-titled album featuring nine songs – all of which she wrote herself.

While a newcomer to the jazz music scene, Dias is not exactly wet behind the ears as a musician.

She was lead singer of the choir that performed at Miss Universe 2005, the A1 Formula gala dinner attended by former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Java Jazz 2016 along with musicians Yance Manusama and Otti Jamalus.

She also earlier released her first single, “Fire”, which was well received by jazz lovers, attracting listeners from Greece, Turkey and South Korea, to name just a few.

“It’s not that hard really, writing the songs. To me, it’s just a way of expressing myself. It’s like writing a diary — you just pour your feelings into it,” Dias said at a press conference at Motion Blue, Fairmont Hotel during the album launch.

Dias’ talent drew the attention of Yance Manusama, now her music director, who agreed to listen to her songs through recordings by voice memo, and who shortly after agreed to collaborate with her on the production of her music.

“When my songs were listened to, I cried. I felt like I’d finally found someone who understood what I wanted with regards to my songs and who was willing to help me realize what I’d written all this time,” said the 22-year-old college senior currently studying Architecture at Southern California Institute in Los Angeles.

Yance said that with Dias writing all her songs, and with her own unique jazz style and color so conspicuous in each of her songs, the process was made easier.

“If there was a challenge at all, it would be during the times when we weren’t allowed to disturb her, what with her still having other responsibilities at college and stuff. For instance, sometimes she’d be busy with her projects and that’s when she couldn’t really be interrupted,” said Yance.

The album’s recording process took a whole two years, with communication and exchange being done through Dropbox as Dias was in the US and Yance was in Indonesia, let alone the 14-hour time difference.

Despite the challenges, they managed to beat the odds and release the album, whose nine songs Dias hopes will empower and motivate listeners.

“I like to listen to songs by Frank Sinatra or Nina Simone, and I find myself to be truly inspired whenever I pay attention to the songs, as well as filled with a kind of positive energy.

“I want my songs to do the same to listeners — like Charlie Chaplin’s ‘Smile’, for instance; that kind of song which motivates you.”

When asked about why she had chosen jazz in particular, she said it simply had been a genre she was interested in since she was little.

She was inspired by lots of jazz songs growing up. However, she has slipped in a touch of other genres, from reggae, rock ‘n’ blues and jazz-pop, into her new album.

Dias said the move in part was her way of “experimenting” with different genres, but aside from that, it was also a way of showing her richness in style, so that a broader range of people could enjoy her music.

She said that most of her songs were written while she was studying in Los Angeles and that her ideas flowed most heavily whenever she was experiencing negative emotions.

“Whenever I’m sad, angry, lonely or in a bad mood, I’d think of how to turn that into positive energies. And as it turns out, turning it into a song is one way I like to do it. At least it prevents me from doing the unthinkable.”

New talent: Dias writes all nine songs of her self-titled album (JP/Frederica S. Priyanto)

As a result, the songs are all mirrors of what was on her mind when she wrote them; for instance, “Dreamer” was written when she was feeling homesick, and the song “Are You Fine?” denotes the typical opening phrase before a deep, lengthy conversation with a friend. As for “Jatuh” (Falling), it was written when she was falling in love and is the only song in the album that uses Indonesian.

“Since I’m studying in LA, I’m more accustomed to using English in my everyday life, and that includes in writing my songs. But I just feel like the album wouldn’t be complete without a song in the language of my motherland, and hence the song, ‘Jatuh’, in Indonesian,” said Dias, admitting that her Indonesian grammar in “Jatuh” was corrected by Otti Jamalus.

With her mother as the executive producer, and with support from family, friends and from great names such as Yance and Otti, Dias is off to a good start, with her first album serving as a stepping-stone to traversing the jazz world and to a promising future in the music industry.

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— The writer is an intern at The Jakarta Post

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