Words Bruce Emond Illustration Mufty Fairuz

After spending the past five years raising her two young sons with her Ecuadorian banker husband in Hong Kong, singer-actress Shanty Paredes is back on the Indonesian entertainment scene and showing that she has not lost any of her love for the stage. She is one of the stars of Ini Kisah Tiga Dara (Here’s the Story of Three Girls), the movie musical from director Nia Dinata that is an updating of the 1950s’ classic Tiga Dara. With her busy schedule of promotions for the film and the release of several new songs, the native of Sukabumi, West Java, said returning to entertainment has been an enjoyable challenge. “Being back on the entertainment scene has been uplifting and exciting,” said Shanty, who previously worked with Nia on a 2006 film about polygamy, Berbagi Suami (Love for Share), among her other acting credits. “But it has been a new learning process because everything has changed so much since I left.”

My best traits …

I’m fun, compassionate and annoyingly punctual.

And worst …

I forget things, lose my stuff and almost always forget to carry cash in my wallet.

What makes me smile …

Close friends, my kids and being in nature.

When I am bored …

I do sports and sing — and I go to nature.

Regrets …

I don’t do regrets. I believe everything happens for a reason.

I am happiest …

When I am around my kids and with my family.

Favorite movie …

There are too many. But I would say a classic to me is Pretty Woman. It’s just like a fairy-tale, and everybody loves them.

My greatest achievement …

As clichéd as it may sound, I have to say that it is raising my two kids.

My good weekend is …

Being out in nature, maybe at the lakeside, having a barbecue, with my friends and family.

The songs I wish were mine …

Those by Alicia Keys. They are so soulful and it’s as though every lyric speaks to me.

My heroes …

In life, it would be my husband. Professionally, it is Nia Dinata because she is such an inspiration.

People would be surprised to know …

I’m like an open book so I don’t think there is anything that is very surprising about me. But I wear heels most of the time, literally. I hate flats.

Favorite foods …

Sundanese food for sure. It has to be sayur asem (tamarind-based vegetable soup), sambal terasi (fermented shrimp chili) and karedok (raw vegetables with grated coconut).

And ones I don’t like …

I can’t really think of any. With me, it’s either a case of foods I like, and foods that I really like!

My motto …

I have a lot of them, but right now I can’t give you one.

I wish I could change …

Judgmental people who cannot accept the differences of others.

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